The following testimony is taken from the "Hearings Regarding the Communist Infiltration of the Motion Picture Industry" (1).
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The next witness, Mr. Chairman, is Mr. Adrian Scott.

The CHAIRMAN. Adrian Scott. Raise your right hand, please. You do solemnly swear the testimony you are about to give is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?

Mr. SCOTT. I do.

The CHAIRMAN. Sit down. Mr. Stripling.

Testimony of Adrian Scott

Mr. STRIPLING. Mr. Scott, will you state your full name and present address for the record, please?

Mr. SCOTT. My name is Adrian Scott. My address is 603 North Beverly Drive, Beverly Hills, Calif.

Mr. STRIPLING.When and where were you born?

Mr. SCOTT. In New Jersey, on February 6, 1911.

Mr. STRIPLING. What is your occupation?

Mr. SCOTT. I am a producer.

Mr. STRIPLING. How long have you been a producer?

Mr. SCOTT. I believe it is a little over 2 years.

Mr. STRIPLING. Are you here before the committee in response to a subpena [sic] served upon you on September 19? (2).

Mr. SCOTT. I am.

Mr. STRIPLING. And in response to a telegram sent to you on October 11 by the chairman calling for your appearing on October 29; is that right? (3).

Mr. SCOTT. Yes; that is right.

Mr. STRIPLING. Do you have a statement, Mr. Scott?

Mr. SCOTT. I do have a statement which I would like to read. I believe the statement is pertinent. It deals with "Crossfire" and anti-Semitism.

The CHAIRMAN. Just a minute. We are trying to read the statement.

Mr. SCOTT. Thank you. The CHAIRMAN. It is hard to read the statement and listen to you at the same time.

(After a pause.)

The CHAIRMAN. This may not be the worst statement we have received, but it is almost the worst.

Mr. SCOTT. May I disagree with the chairman, please?

The CHAIRMAN. Therefore, it is clearly out of order, not pertinent at all, hasn't anything to do with the inquiry, and the Chair will rule that the statement not be read. Mr. Stripling.

Mr. STRIPLING. Mr. Scott, are you a member of any guild, either the Screen Directors Guild or the Screen Writers Guild?

Mr. SCOTT. I don't think that is a proper question, Mr. Stripling.

Mr. STRIPLING. Were you ever a member of the Screen Writers Guild?

Mr. SCOTT. Mr. Stripling, I repeat, I don't think that is a proper question.

Mr. STRIPLING. Are you now or have you ever been a member of the Communist Party?

Mr. SCOTT. May I answer the first question, Mr. Stripling?

Mr. STRIPLING. You said it wasn't a proper question.

Mr. SCOTT. I will see if I can answer it properly.

The CHAIRMAN. You said it wasn't a proper question.

Mr. SCOTT. I believe it is a question which invades my rights as a citizen. I do not believe it is proper for this committee to inquire into my personal relationships, my private relationships, my public relationships.

The CHAIRMAN. Then you refuse to answer the question?

Mr. SCOTT. The committee has no right to inquire into what I think, with whom I associate.

Mr. STRIPLING. We are not inquiring into what you think, Mr. Scott. Mr. Scott, we would like to know whether you were ever a member of the Screen Writers Guild.

Mr. SCOTT. I believe I have answered your question.

Mr. STRIPLING. Mr. Chairman, I ask that you direct the witness to answer the question.

The CHAIRMAN. The witness will have to answer the question.

Mr. SCOTT. I beg your pardon?

The CHAIRMAN. The witness must respond to the question by answering.

Mr. SCOTT. I believe I have responded to the question, Mr. Chairman.

The CHAIRMAN. Do you decline to answer the question?

Mr. SCOTT. I have answered it the way would like to answer it.

The CHAIRMAN. Were you ever a member? I don't know from your answer whether you were or were not a member.

Mr. SCOTT. My answer still stands.

The CHAIRMAN. Are you a member?

Mr. SCOTT. I believe I have answered the question. Would you like me to answer it in the way I did before?

The CHAIRMAN. From your answer, I must be terribly dumb, but from your answer I can't tell whether you are a member or not.

Mr. SCOTT. Mr. Thomas, I don't agree with you. I don't think you are. I have answered the question the best way I can.

The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Vail, can you tell whether he is a member or not?

Mr. VAIL. No; I cannot.

The CHAIRMAN. Mr. McDowell, can you tell?

Mr. McDOWELL. No.

The CHAIRMAN. I just can't tell whether you are a member.

Mr. SCOTT. I am very sorry.

Mr. STRIPLING. Mr. Scott, could you tell the committee whether or not you are now or have ever been a member of the Communist Party?

Mr. SCOTT. Mr. Stripling, that question is designed to inquire into my personal and private life. I don't think it is pertinent to this--I don't think it is a proper question either.

Mr. STRIPLING. Do you decline to answer the question, Mr. Dmytryk?

Mr. SCOTT. Mr. Scott.

Mr. STRIPLING. Mr. Scott.

Mr. SCOTT. I believe that question also invades my rights as a citizen. I believe it also invades the first amendment. I believe that I could not engage in any conspiracy with you to invade the first amendment.

The CHAIRMAN. Now, we can't tell even from that answer whether you are a member of the Communist Party.

Mr. STRIPLING. I repeat the question, Mr. Scott: Can you state whether or not you have ever been a member of the Communist Party?

Mr. SCOTT. I repeat my answer, Mr. Stripling.

The CHAIRMAN. All right, the witness is excused.

(Witness excused.)

The CHAIRMAN. The Chair would like to announce that by unanimous vote of the subcommittee, the subcommittee recommends to the full committee that Adrian Scott be cited for contempt and that appropriate action be taken immediately.

Mr. STRIPLING. Mr. Russell.

Testimony of Louis J. Russell

Mr. STRIPLING. Mr. Russell, you have previously been identified and sworn.

Mr. RUSSELL. I have.

Mr. STRIPLING. As a member of the investigators' staff of the Committee on Un-American Activities, were you instructed to determine, if possible, whether or not Adrian Scott is now or was ever a member of the Communist Party?

Mr. RUSSELL. I was.

Mr. STRIPLING. Will you give the committee the result of your investigation?

Mr. CHAIRMAN (pounding gavel). May we have more order, please.

Mr. RUSSELL. In the fall of the year 1944 Adrian Scott was issued 1945 Communist Political Association Card No. 47200. In the spring of 1945 Scott was a member of the Communist Political Association and held 1944 Communist Political Association Card No. 46832. In the fall of the year 1945 Scott was issued Communist Party Registration Card No. 35394 for the year 1946.

Mr. STRIPLING. That is all, Mr. Russell.

(Witness excused.)

Mr. STRIPLING. Mr. Chairman, according to our investigation, Mr. Scott is a member of the Screen Writers Guild. In fact, he was an alternate member of the board of directors of the Screen Writers Guild.

I have no further information which I desire to submit at this time on Mr. Scott. The memorandum concerning Mr. Scott I think the committee should read in executive session.

Mr. CHAIRMAN. Without objection, so ordered.

Mr. Stripling, will you come up here a minute, please?

Mr. STRIPLING. Yes. [After a pause:] Mr. Kenny or Mr. Crum, will you please come up here, either one.

Mr. CHAIRMAN (after a pause). All right, Mr. Stripling, next witness.

1. "Hearings Before the Committee on Un-American Activities, House of Representatives," 80th Congress, First Session, Wednesday, October 29, 1947. [back to text]

2. Exhibit 86. Subpena--Adrian Scott

Marshal's Civil Docket

No. 32080, Vol. 58, Page 421

BY AUTHORITY OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

To: Robert E. Clark, United States Marshal,

You are hereby commanded to summon Robert Adrian Scott, generally known as Adrian Scott, to be and appear before the Un-American Activities Committee of the House of Representatives of the United States, of which the Hon. J. Parnell Thomas, of New Jersey, is chairman, in their chamber in the city of Washington, on October 23rd, 1947, at the hour of 10:30 A.M., then and there to testify touching matters of inquiry committed to said Committee; and he is not to depart without leave of said Committee.

Herein fail not, and make return of this summons.

Witness my hand and the seal of the House of Representatives of the United States, at the city of Washington, this 18th day of Sepember [sic] 1947.

(signed) J. PARNELL THOMAS, Chairman

Attest: JOHN ANDREWS, Clerk. [back to text]