Two days before Halloween in 1947, Adrian Scott was summoned to appear in front of the House Committee on Un-American Activities to answer questions about Communist influence on the motion picture industry. His testimony -- or rather, lack thereof -- resulted in contempt of court, a year-long prison term, and over sixteen years of blacklisting.

Fifty years later, the legacy of the Hollywood Ten resurfaces. On October 27, 1997, a commemorative event was held at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Beverly Hills, California. Organized by the four guilds -- the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA), Directors Guild of America (DGA), Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and Writers Guild of America, west (WGAw) -- the event both honored the lives and careers of the blacklisted and acknowledged the guilds' all-too-silent response fifty years ago. At the same time, the Writers Guild of America has been restoring dozens of credits to movies written by screenwriters who wrote under pseudonyms or used fronts while blacklisted.

This site is fueled by a similar spirit of reclamation. By examining the life, work, and trials of Adrian Scott, we can better understand the experiences of the Hollywood Ten in particular, blacklistees in general. Further, with this understanding, we can prevent its repetition.

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