http://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/c8nk3hd0 No online items Abraham Polonsky papers, 1946-1999 (bulk 1970s-1990s) Processed by Vanessa Villavicencio with assistance from Julie Graham; machine-readable finding aid created by Caroline Cubé after initial encoding by Julie Graham. UCLA Library Special Collections Room A1713, Charles E. Young Research Library Box 951575 Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1575 (310) 825-4988 [email protected] ©2014 The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved. Abraham Polonsky papers, 2233 1 1946-1999 (bulk 1970s-1990s) Descriptive Summary Title: Abraham Polonsky papers Collection number: 2233 Contributing Institution: UCLA Library Special Collections Language of Material: English Physical Description: 10.9 linear ft.(18 boxes, 2 record cartons, and 1 flat box) Date (bulk): Bulk, 1970-1990 Date (inclusive): 1946-1999, (bulk 1970s-1990s) Abstract: Abraham Polonsky was a director, screenwriter and novelist. In 1951, he refused to confirm or deny membership to the Communist party before the House Un-American Activities Committee and as a result, he was blacklisted by the entertainment industry. The collection consists of script material, manuscripts, books, and a small amount of clippings, photographs, correspondence, and other ephemera reflecting Polonsky's activities from the 1970s-1990s. Physical location: Stored off-site at SRLF. Advance notice is required for access to the collection. Please contact UCLA Library Special Collections for paging information. Creator: Polonsky, Abraham Restrictions on Access Open for research. STORED OFF-SITE AT SRLF. Advance notice is required for access to the collection. Please contact UCLA Library Special Collections for paging information. Restrictions on Use and Reproduction Property rights to the physical object belong to the UC Regents. Literary rights, including copyright, are retained by the creators and their heirs. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds the copyright and pursue the copyright owner or his or her heir for permission to publish where The UC Regents do not hold the copyright. Provenance/Source of Acquisition Gift of Susan Polansky Epstein and Henry Polansky, 2000. Preferred Citation [Identification of item], Abraham Polonsky Papers (Collection 2233). UCLA Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library, UCLA. Biography Abraham Lincoln Polonsky was born December 5, 1910. He graduated from the City College of New York and Columbia University Law School, and for a while, he taught English at City College. Before trying starting his career in film, Polonsky wrote novels and several short stories. During the 1940s he also wrote for radio and worked with the Columbia Workshop and Orson Welles. During World War II, Polonsky was assigned to the Office of Strategic Studies, a forerunner of the Central Intelligence Agency. He moved to the West Coast in the mid-1940s. Polonsky's first two produced screenplays, Golden Earrings and Body and Soul, were released in 1947 and he was nominated for an Academy Award for Body and Soul. Not long after, Polonsky directed his first movie, Force of Evil (1948). During the late 1940s, he also became an editor of the journal, Hollywood Quarterly. In the early 1950's, Polonsky refused to testify about his Communist Party affiliations or name party members before the House Un-American Activities Committee and was subsequently fired by Twentieth Century Fox and blacklisted. With only a few film titles to his credit, the Polonsky name did not appear in any film credit again for almost two decades. It was not until 1969 that he directed his second film, Tell Them Willie Boy Is Here. Polonsky moved back to New York, and using pseudonyms wrote for television shows such as You Are There and the series Danger. During the 1950s he wrote the novel, A Season of Fear and co-wrote the 1959 film Odds Against Tomorrow, which was attributed to John O. Killens. Years later, as a leader in the fight to have credits restored to blacklisted filmmakers, Polonsky earned his own credit for that screenplay in 1996 from the Writers Guild of America. In the 1990s, Polonsky helped write the McCarthy-era docudrama Guilty by Suspicion and appeared around the country in programs observing the anniversary of the blacklist. He also taught cinema classes at the University of Southern California and California State Northridge. To commemorate his film work, the Los Angeles Film Critics Association selected Polonsky a co-winner of the group's 1998 career achievement award. Polonsky died October 29, 1999 in Beverly Hills, California. Scope and Content Abraham Polonsky papers, 2233 2 1946-1999 (bulk 1970s-1990s) The collection consists of materials related to the career of Abraham Polonsky. Includes script material, manuscripts, books, and a small amount of clippings, publications, photographs, correspondence, audio and videotapes and other ephemera reflecting Polonsky's activities from circa 1970s-1990s. Script material includes writings for Body of Fear, Childhood's End, Cold War and Force of Evil, among others. The clippings and publications feature writings about Polonksy, his work, or the Blacklist. The books are a mix of publications given to and/or collected by Polonsky. Organization and Arrangement Arranged alphabetically according to file and publication titles. Related Material Abraham Polonsky Papers. Wisconsin Center for Film and Theater Research. UCLA Catalog Record ID UCLA Catalog Record ID: 6840361 Subjects and Indexing Terms Polonsky, Abraham--Archives. Motion picture producers and directors--United States--Archives. Screenwriters--United States--Archival resources. Box 10, Folder 10 50 Years Ago SAG Remembers the Blacklist issue of Screen Actor. 1998 Jan. Box 7, Folder 3 Abraham Lincoln Brigade - pamphlet. 1995 Feb 26. Box 11, Folder 13 Abraham Lincoln Polonsky bibliography. no date. Box 10, Folder 8 Abraham Polonsky and the Politics of Film - manuscript by Dave Wagner and Paul Buhle. no date. Box 13, Folder 15 Abraham Polonsky photographs (3 items). no date. Scope and Contents note Photographs include Polonsky: in front of poster of Body and Soul; at unknown symposium; and receiving honorary degree at California State University Northridge. Box 13, Folder 10 Abraham Polonsky, the Filmmaker as Novelist (Introduction). 1998 May. Scope and Contents note With note from Paul Buhle. Appears to be introduction to The World Above Box 19 Advice and Planning by Martin H. Krieger - book. c. 1981. Scope and Contents note Inscribed by author. Box 10, Folder 12 Afterwords by Polonsky (2 copies). no date. Box 19 Alvah Bessie's Short Fictions- book. c. 1982. Scope and Contents note Inscribed by author. Box 16 American Movie Classics Blacklist: Hollywood on Trail - videotape [probably Blacklist: Hollywood on Trial]. 1996. Scope and Contents note Restricted access: Use of moving image material requires production of viewing copies. Box 19 Among the Survivors: A novel by Tamara Hovey - book. c. 1971. Scope and Contents note Inscribed by author. Box 10, Folder 13 An Evening with Abraham Polonsky write up in Point of View newsletter. 1992. Box 10, Folder 2 Analysis of Math - chapter manuscript by Martin Krieger. 1998 Nov 12. Box 9, Folder 7 Annotated manuscript pages (no title). no date. Abraham Polonsky papers, 2233 3 1946-1999 (bulk 1970s-1990s) Container List Box 9, Folder 6 Annotated manuscript pages (no title). 1990. Box 14, Folder 6 Articles about Polonsky in French (photocopies). 1967. Scope and Contents note From Postif and Cahiers du Cinema Box 14, Folder 2 Articles and tear outs regarding works by Polonsky. 1970s - 1990s. Scope and Contents note Body and Soul, Force of Evil, Guilty by Omission, Tell Them Willie Boy is Here, Romance of a Horse Thief and Zenia's Way. Box 8, Folder 18 Articles written John Howard Lawson (photocopies). Box 3, Folder 9 Assassination on Embassy Row - outline. no date. Box 14, Folder 4 Assorted clippings. 1985, 1996, 1998. Box 14, Folder 3 Assorted clippings related to Polonksy. 1970s, 1990s. Box 14, Folder 11 Assorted Correspondence to Polonsky. 1990s. Box 8, Folder 17 Best Years of Our Lives (review) by Polonsky reprinted from the Hollywood Quarterly. 1947 April. Scope and Contents note Two copies. Box 20, Folder 3 Birthday greetings to Polonsky (hand-made, oversized). no date. Box 9, Folder 3 Black Corridor: Abraham Polonsky's Long Journey (The) - edited by John Schultheiss and Sally Schultheiss. 1991. Box 16 Body and Soul (flip side Fine Dinner) - audio cassette recording. no date. Scope and Contents note Restricted access: Use of audio material requires production of listening copies. Box 8, Folder 8 Body and Soul - novelization by Sam Merwin Jr. for Century Books. 1947. Box 1, Folder 3 Body and Soul - photocopy of shooting script final. 1947 Jan 13. Box 1, Folder 4 Body and Soul - photocopy of shooting script final (2 copies). 1947 Jan 13. Box 1, Folder 2 Body and Soul - script written by Polonsky. no date. Box 12, Folder 9 Booklets about various screenwriters. no date. Scope and Contents note Abraham Polonsky, Ring Lardner, Jr., Ernest Lehman, Julius J. Epstein, Stewart Stern and Philip Dunne. Box 19 Bread and a Stone by Alvah Bessie - book. c. 1948. Scope and Contents note Inscribed by author. Box 19 Bright Lights, Big City: A Novel by Jay McInerney - book. c. 1984. Scope and Contents note Inscribed by Ron. Box 14, Folder 13 California State University Northridge Radio-Television-Film Department appreciation plaque. 1992 Oct 1. Box 8, Folder 17 Case of David Smith (The) by Polonsky reprinted from the Hollywood Quarterly. 1946 Jan. Scope and Contents note Two copies. Box 5, Folder 3 Childhood 's End - screenplay by Polonsky. 1974 Apr 16. Box 7, Folder 11 Childhood's End - annotated script. no date. Box 7, Folder 10 Childhood's End - screenplay by Polonsky. 1974 Apr 16. Abraham Polonsky papers, 2233 4 1946-1999 (bulk 1970s-1990s) Container List Box 3, Folder 7 Cold War - annotated script and story pages.