Walter Bernstein

Writer

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The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

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About

About this interview

In his three-and-a-half-hour interview, Walter Bernstein (1919-2021) discusses being listed in Red Channels in 1950 and talks of his ties to the Communist Party. Despite being blacklisted and pressured by the FBI, Bernstein details how he wrote under pseudonyms and with the help of "fronts" for shows including Danger; Charlie Wild, Private Eye; Colonel March of Scotland Yard; You Are There; and David Susskind's Dupont Show of the Month productions of "The Prince and the Pauper" and "The Bridge of San Luis Rey." Bernstein then tells of how he was cleared to work in film and wrote several movies, including Fail Safe and The Front, but it took longer before he could return to television writing under his real name. He then discusses being cleared for television and talks about writing several HBO movies, including the Emmy Award-winning Miss Evers' Boys. He concludes with remarks about why he believes the Blacklist happened, what the industry should learn from it, and shares his thoughts on colleagues he worked with throughout his career. Sunny Parich conducted the interview on April 20, 1998 at Bernstein's home in New York, NY.

All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.

"You have to be true to yourself, to what you believe in. You have to have a bottom line. You have to have some place beyond which you know you can't be pushed. It's not politics. It's morality."

People Talking About ...

Walter Bernstein

Highlights

Walter Bernstein on how he knew he was blacklisted and using the pseudonym Paul Bauman

03:06

Walter Bernstein on getting fired by his agent when he was blacklisted

00:44

Walter Bernstein on becoming close with fellow blacklisted writers Arnold Manoff and Abraham Polonsky

02:35

Walter Bernstein on "fronts" he used on Danger and how he worked out the income and rewrites

05:33

Walter Bernstein on the role government should play in television

00:44

Walter Bernstein on how he would like to be remembered

00:54

Full Interview

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Chapter 1

On his early years and influences; on growing up in Brooklyn; on spending time in France after he graduated high school and getting his first exposure to Communism; on attending Dartmouth University and writing for the humor magazine; on selling a story to The New Yorker and becoming a movie critic

On his early political affiliations; on doing a rewrite on a Broadway play; on the first time he saw television; on his service during World War II; on writing for Yank magazine

Chapter 2

On the Army being aware of his left-leaning political beliefs; on writing for Yank magazine; on interviewing Tito; on being interviewed on CBS television about his wartime journalism experience

On life after World War II - working for The New Yorker and writing a book; on joining the Communist Party; on being hired to work at Columbia Pictures as a writer; on working with Ben Maddow and being blacklisted

Chapter 3

On "The Hollywood Ten"; on not thinking he would be blacklisted; on moving back to New York; on working on early live dramatic television series

On writing for Danger

On being listed in Red Channels, his subsequent blacklisting, and how it affected his career

Chapter 4

On working on Danger while blacklisted; on using pseudonyms and "fronts"

On starting a newsletter "Facts about the Blacklist"; on becoming close with fellow blacklisted writers Arnold Manoff and Abraham Polonsky

On writing for You Are There while blacklisted

Chapter 5

On writing for You Are There; on the show's move to Los Angeles; on how the first five years of being blacklisted affected him and his family

On others impacted by the Blacklist; on leaving the Communist Party; on working on Hannah Weinstein's productions including Colonel March of Scotland Yard starring Boris Karloff

On working on David Susskind's Dupont Show of the Month productions of "The Prince and the Pauper" and "The Bridge of San Luis Rey"; on David Susskind's treatment of blacklisted writers; on "fronts"

On working with Carlo Ponti on The Magnificent Seven; on beginning to sign his own name to his film work, but still not being cleared to work in television

Chapter 6

On the end of his blacklisting in the film industry - and on being one of the first people cleared; on how Europeans felt about the Blacklist; on what he would have sad had he been subpoenaed by HUAC; on his first non-Blacklist television script; on keeping in touch with "fronts" and fellow blacklisted writers; on never receiving an apology from anyone about the Blacklist

On wanting to write films at that point, not television; on writing the feature films Fail Safe and The Front

On writing TV pilots; on directing the 1980 feature film Little Miss Marker; on his work for HBO; on writing his memoir Inside Out and the HBO movie Miss Evers' Boys

Chapter 7

On his final thoughts about the Blacklist; on then-current television; on the role of government in television; on how he would like to be remembered

On various people he has known over the years, including: Arthur Penn, Irving Lazar, Irving Berlin, Elia Kazan, Irwin Shaw, Budd Schulberg, Charlie Russell, Sidney Lumet, Zero Mostel, Martin Ritt, Abe Polonsky, Arnold Manoff, and his wife Gloria Loomis

Shows

Charlie Wild, Private Detective

Walter Bernstein on writing for Charlie Wild, Private Detective

01:05

Colonel March of Scotland Yard

Walter Bernstein on writing for Hannah Weinstein's Colonel March of Scotland Yard and meeting Boris Karloff

02:59

Danger

Walter Bernstein on writing for Danger -- via his friend Martin Ritt

08:48

Walter Bernstein on using a pseudonym and "fronts" to write for Danger during the Blacklist

22:24

DuPont Show of the Month, The

Walter Bernstein on writing for David Susskind's Dupont Show of the Month production of "The Prince and the Pauper" (written with the assistance of "front" Leslie Slote)

01:14

Walter Bernstein on writing for David Susskind's Dupont Show of the Month production of "The Bridge of San Luis Rey" (written with the assistance of a female "front")

01:02

Goldbergs, The

Walter Bernstein on blacklisted actor Philip Loeb of The Goldbergs

00:43

Miss Evers' Boys

Walter Bernstein on writing the HBO TV movie Miss Evers' Boys

00:36

See It Now

Walter Bernstein on Edward R. Murrow's See It Now episode denouncing Senator McCarthy

00:31

See It Now: "A Report on Senator Joseph R. McCarthy"

Walter Bernstein on Edward R. Murrow's See It Now episode denouncing Senator McCarthy

00:31

You Are There

Walter Bernstein on writing for You Are There while blacklisted

06:06

Walter Bernstein on other writers on You Are There; on the show's correspondent/hosts and the show's veiled criticisms of McCarthyism

01:45

Walter Bernstein on the subversive subtext of You Are There

01:13

Walter Bernstein on CBS' loyalty oath, You Are There executive producer Bill Dozier, his favorite episodes, and the show's move from New York to Los Angeles

02:47

Walter Bernstein on writing his first non-Blacklist television script -- possibly the reboot of You Are There

00:55

Topics

Advertising and Sponsorship

Walter Bernstein on sponsor involvement on Danger

00:12

Walter Bernstein on sponsor involvement on Danger during the Blacklist

01:51

Advice

Walter Bernstein on what the industry should/could learn from the Blacklist and advice to others who might find themselves in a similar situation to what he went through

01:46

Historic Events and Social Change

Walter Bernstein on how the Great Depression impacted his family

00:34

Walter Bernstein on being drafted in 1941, serving in public relations during World War II, and writing a musical comedy play for the troops (pre-USO)

02:18

Walter Bernstein on getting transferred to do public relations for the Irving Berlin play "This is the Army" during World War II, controversy over a piece he wrote for The New Yorker, and getting transferred again to write for Yank magazine

02:12

Walter Bernstein on writing for Yank, the official magazine of the Army, and traveling overseas as a magazine correspondent

02:49

Walter Bernstein on the Army being aware of his left-leaning political beliefs

04:21

Walter Bernstein on reporting for Yank magazine from Jerusalem during World War II; on the atrocities against Jews during World War II

02:12

Walter Bernstein on reporting for Yank magazine from combat situations during World War II and interviewing Tito in Yugoslavia without the Army's consent

08:21

Hollywood Blacklist

Walter Bernstein on screenwriter Ben Maddow testifying (and naming names) before the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC)

02:04

Walter Bernstein on being listed in Red Channels, his subsequent blacklisting, and how it affected his career

10:42

Walter Bernstein on "The Hollywood Ten"

01:12

Walter Bernstein on using a pseudonym and "fronts" to write for Danger and You Are There during the Blacklist

28:30

Walter Bernstein on the subversive subtext of You Are There; on Edward R. Murrow's See It Now denouncing Senator McCarthy; on the use of "fronts" during the Blacklist and how he was cleared to work on movies, but not television

25:32

Walter Bernstein on the end of his blacklisting in the film industry -- and on being one of the first people cleared; on how Europeans felt about the Blacklist; on what he would have sad had he been subpoenaed

05:53

Walter Bernstein on why he thinks the Blacklist happened and how it affected the television industry; on whether something similar could happen again

05:02

Walter Bernstein on what the industry should/could learn from the Blacklist and advice to others who might find themselves in a similar situation to what he went through

01:46

Industry Crossroads

Walter Bernstein on screenwriter Ben Maddow testifying (and naming names) before the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC)

02:04

Walter Bernstein on being listed in Red Channels, his subsequent blacklisting, and how it affected his career

10:42

Walter Bernstein on "The Hollywood Ten"

01:12

Walter Bernstein on using a pseudonym and "fronts" to write for Danger and You Are There during the Blacklist

28:30

Walter Bernstein on the subversive subtext of You Are There; on Edward R. Murrow's See It Now denouncing Senator McCarthy; on the use of "fronts" during the Blacklist and how he was cleared to work on movies, but not television

25:32

Walter Bernstein on the end of his blacklisting in the film industry -- and on being one of the first people cleared; on how Europeans felt about the Blacklist; on what he would have sad had he been subpoenaed

05:53

Walter Bernstein on why he thinks the Blacklist happened and how it affected the television industry; on whether something similar could happen again

05:02

Walter Bernstein on why he thinks the Blacklist happened and how it affected the television industry; on whether something similar could happen again

05:02

Walter Bernstein on what the industry should/could learn from the Blacklist and advice to others who might find themselves in a similar situation to what he went through

01:46

Television Industry

Walter Bernstein on screenwriter Ben Maddow testifying (and naming names) before the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC)

02:04

Walter Bernstein on being listed in Red Channels, his subsequent blacklisting, and how it affected his career

10:42

Walter Bernstein on "The Hollywood Ten"

01:12

Walter Bernstein on sponsor involvement on Danger

00:12

Walter Bernstein on sponsor involvement on Danger during the Blacklist

01:51

Walter Bernstein on using a pseudonym and "fronts" to write for Danger and You Are There during the Blacklist

28:30

Walter Bernstein on the subversive subtext of You Are There; on Edward R. Murrow's See It Now denouncing Senator McCarthy; on the use of "fronts" during the Blacklist and how he was cleared to work on movies, but not television

25:32

Walter Bernstein on the end of his blacklisting in the film industry -- and on being one of the first people cleared; on how Europeans felt about the Blacklist; on what he would have sad had he been subpoenaed

05:53

Walter Bernstein on what the industry should/could learn from the Blacklist and advice to others who might find themselves in a similar situation to what he went through

01:46

Walter Bernstein on the role government should play in television

00:44

War

Walter Bernstein on being drafted in 1941, serving in public relations during World War II, and writing a musical comedy play for the troops (pre-USO)

02:18

Walter Bernstein on getting transferred to do public relations for the Irving Berlin play "This is the Army" during World War II, controversy over a piece he wrote for The New Yorker, and getting transferred again to write for Yank magazine

02:12

Walter Bernstein on writing for Yank, the official magazine of the Army, and traveling overseas as a magazine correspondent

02:49

Walter Bernstein on the Army being aware of his left-leaning political beliefs

04:21

Walter Bernstein on reporting for Yank magazine from Jerusalem during World War II; on the atrocities against Jews during World War II

02:12

Walter Bernstein on reporting for Yank magazine from combat situations during World War II and interviewing Tito in Yugoslavia without the Army's consent

08:21

World War II

Walter Bernstein on being drafted in 1941, serving in public relations during World War II, and writing a musical comedy play for the troops (pre-USO)

02:18

Walter Bernstein on getting transferred to do public relations for the Irving Berlin play "This is the Army" during World War II, controversy over a piece he wrote for The New Yorker, and getting transferred again to write for Yank magazine

02:12

Walter Bernstein on writing for Yank, the official magazine of the Army, and traveling overseas as a magazine correspondent

02:49

Walter Bernstein on the Army being aware of his left-leaning political beliefs

04:21

Walter Bernstein on reporting for Yank magazine from Jerusalem during World War II; on the atrocities against Jews during World War II

02:12

Walter Bernstein on reporting for Yank magazine from combat situations during World War II and interviewing Tito in Yugoslavia without the Army's consent

08:21

Professions

Directors

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Walter Bernstein on his style as a director

01:32

Walter Bernstein on his strengths as a writer and how that helped him as a director

01:57

Writers

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Walter Bernstein on always wanting to be a writer and his early writing in grammar school and high school

00:57

Walter Bernstein on his writing process with screenwriting partner Ben Maddow

00:38

Walter Bernstein on the writing process on Danger -- and getting blacklisted while on the show and continuing to write under a pseudonym; on trying to get a "front"

01:49

Walter Bernstein on the writing and research process among blacklisted writers Abraham Polonsky, Arnold Manoff, and Walter Bernstein for You Are There

03:51

Walter Bernstein on his strengths as a writer and how that helped him as a director

01:57

Walter Bernstein on how long it takes to write a half-hour script for HBO

00:23

Walter Bernstein on rewriting the HBO movie The Doomsday Gun and the process of doing a rewrite; on how it feels to be rewritten

03:01

Walter Bernstein on how his experiences (particularly being blacklisted) affected his writing

01:15

Genres

Classic Anthology Series

Walter Bernstein on how he started working on early dramatic television series and his impressions of the early years of television

05:50

Walter Bernstein on writing for Danger -- via his friend Martin Ritt

08:48

Walter Bernstein on using a pseudonym and "fronts" to write for Danger during the Blacklist

22:24

Walter Bernstein on working on David Susskind's Dupont Show of the Month productions of "The Prince and the Pauper" and "The Bridge of San Luis Rey"

03:52

Drama Series

Walter Bernstein on writing for Hannah Weinstein's Colonel March of Scotland Yard and meeting Boris Karloff

02:59

News and Documentary

Walter Bernstein on writing for You Are There while blacklisted

06:06

Walter Bernstein on other writers on You Are There; on the show's correspondent/hosts, the show's veiled criticisms of McCarthyism, and the show's move from New York to Los Angeles

06:16

Walter Bernstein on writing his first non-Blacklist television script -- possibly the reboot of You Are There

00:55

TV Movies/Miniseries/Dramatic Specials

Walter Bernstein on writing and directing the HBO production Return to Kansas City starring Matt Dillon and Kyra Sedgwick

00:20

Walter Bernstein on writing the HBO TV movie Miss Evers' Boys

00:36

People

Abraham Polonsky

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Walter Bernstein on becoming close with fellow blacklisted writers Arnold Manoff and Abraham Polonsky

02:35

Walter Bernstein on the writing and research process among blacklisted writers Abraham Polonsky, Arnold Manoff, and Walter Bernstein for You Are There

03:51

Walter Bernstein on writing for Hannah Weinstein's Colonel March of Scotland Yard (with Abraham Polonsky) and meeting Boris Karloff

02:59

Walter Bernstein on his thoughts on Abe Polonsky

00:50

Anne Bancroft

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Walter Bernstein on working with actress Anne Bancroft on Danger

01:55

Arnold Manoff

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Walter Bernstein on becoming close with fellow blacklisted writers Arnold Manoff and Abraham Polonsky

02:35

Walter Bernstein on the writing and research process among blacklisted writers Abraham Polonsky, Arnold Manoff, and Walter Bernstein for You Are There

03:51

Walter Bernstein on his thoughts on Arnold Manoff

00:45

Arthur Penn

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Walter Bernstein on his thoughts on Arthur Penn

00:33

Ben Maddow

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Walter Bernstein on getting teamed with screenwriter Ben Maddow to write the film Kiss the Blood Off My Hands

00:43

Walter Bernstein on screenwriter Ben Maddow and their writing process

01:13

Walter Bernstein on screenwriter Ben Maddow testifying (and naming names) before the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC)

02:04

Bill Dozier

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Walter Bernstein on whether You Are There executive producer Bill Dozier knew the writers of the show were blacklisted

00:42

Walter Bernstein on why You Are There executive producer Bill Dozier moved the show to Hollywood

01:02

Bob Markell

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Walter Bernstein on his thoughts on Bob Markell

00:21

Boris Karloff

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Walter Bernstein on writing for Hannah Weinstein's Colonel March of Scotland Yard (with Abraham Polonsky) and meeting Boris Karloff

02:59

Budd Schulberg

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Walter Bernstein on his thoughts on Budd Schulberg

00:53

Carlo Ponti

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Walter Bernstein on Sidney Lumet suggesting him as the writer for a Sophia Loren movie, produced by Carlo Ponti

05:31

Charlie Russell

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Walter Bernstein on continuing to work on Danger thanks to producer Charles Russell

01:03

Walter Bernstein on working with Danger producer Charles Russell

01:47

Walter Bernstein on controversy over Charles Russell hiring John Randolph on Danger

01:23

Walter Bernstein on writing for You Are There while blacklisted (produced by Charles Russell, directed by Sidney Lumet

06:06

Walter Bernstein on his thoughts on Charlie Russell

00:43

Cloris Leachman

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Walter Bernstein on his thoughts on Bob Markell

00:12

David Begelman

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Walter Bernstein on writing the feature film The Front, approved by the head of Columbia Pictures, David Begelman

08:35

David Susskind

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Walter Bernstein on writing for many David Susskind productions after You Are There ended

00:30

Walter Bernstein on writing for David Susskind's productions and meeting David Susskind; on Susskind's opinion on the Blacklist

03:13

Edward R. Murrow

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Walter Bernstein on the subversive subtext of You Are There and Edward R. Murrow wondering how the show got away with its content; on Murrow's See It Now episode denouncing Senator McCarthy

01:10

Elia Kazan

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Walter Bernstein on his thoughts on Elia Kazan

01:18

Fred Coe

View Person Page

Walter Bernstein on working with Fred Coe; on Coe not hiring him during the Blacklist

01:03

Hannah Weinstein

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Walter Bernstein on writing for Hannah Weinstein's Colonel March of Scotland Yard (with Abraham Polonsky) and meeting Boris Karloff

02:59

Harold Hecht

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Walter Bernstein on his thoughts on Harold Hecht

00:29

Herbert Brodkin

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Walter Bernstein on his thoughts on Herbert Brodkin

00:14

Irving "Swifty" Lazar

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Walter Bernstein on his agent, Irving Lazar, informing him that Paramount wouldn't approve his contract to write a movie because there was a subpoena out for him from HUAC (the House Un-American Activities Committee), going on the lam, and Paramount eventually letting him write the film under his real name -- he was cleared to work in movies, but not in television

04:06

Walter Bernstein on his thoughts on his former agent Irving "Swifty" Lazar

01:43

Irving Berlin

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Walter Bernstein on his thoughts on Irving Berlin

00:33

Irwin Shaw

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Walter Bernstein on his thoughts on Irwin Shaw

00:30

John Frankenheimer

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Walter Bernstein on not having much interaction with then-assistant director John Frankenheimer on Danger

00:17

Walter Bernstein on his thoughts on John Frankenheimer

00:29

John Randolph

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Walter Bernstein on controversy over Charles Russell hiring John Randolph on Danger

01:23

Laurence Johnson

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Walter Bernstein on controversy over Charles Russell hiring John Randolph on Danger

01:23

Lee Grant

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Walter Bernstein on Lee Grant's comments to him about the feature film The Front

00:53

Martin Ritt

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Walter Bernstein on writing for Danger -- via his friend Martin Ritt; on Martin Ritt's talents

01:58

Walter Bernstein on director Martin Ritt getting him a job in early television

00:27

Walter Bernstein on writing the feature film The Front, directed by Martin Ritt

08:35

Walter Bernstein on his thoughts on Martin Ritt

00:46

Moss Hart

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Walter Bernstein on the first time he saw television - at Moss Hart's house

01:33

Paul Monash

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Walter Bernstein on Paul Monash offering to be a "front" for him

00:38

Philip Loeb

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Walter Bernstein on meeting blacklisted actor Philip Loeb

00:40

Robert Redford

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Walter Bernstein on writing a script for the feature film The Electric Horseman and Robert Redford not wanting to do parts of the script; on getting removed from the project

01:27

Sidney Lumet

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Walter Bernstein on working with director Sidney Lumet on Danger

01:55

Walter Bernstein on working with director Sidney Lumet on Danger, contd.

01:38

Walter Bernstein on writing for You Are There while blacklisted (produced by Charles Russell, directed by Sidney Lumet)

06:06

Walter Bernstein on Sidney Lumet suggesting him as the writer for a Sophia Loren movie, produced by Carlo Ponti

05:31

Walter Bernstein on his thoughts on Sidney Lumet

00:44

Walter Cronkite

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Walter Bernstein on whether the host of You Are There, Walter Cronkite, or any of the other correspondents, knew that the writers of the show were blacklisted

00:55

Woody Allen

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Walter Bernstein on writing the feature film The Front, starring Woody Allen and Zero Mostel

08:35

Yul Brynner

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Walter Bernstein on working with the original director of Danger, Yul Brynner

00:48

Zero Mostel

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Walter Bernstein on his tumultuous friendship with Zero Mostel

00:54

Walter Bernstein on writing the feature film The Front, starring Woody Allen and Zero Mostel

08:35

Walter Bernstein on his thoughts on Zero Mostel

01:29