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Dalton Trumbo: Biography, Facts and Career

Who is Dalton Trumbo? An evergreen, sourced profile: biography, key facts and career.

By the Pop Culture Files editorial team4 min read✓ Fact-checked
Dalton Trumbo
Trumbo_and_Cleo_1947_HUAC_hearings.png: Unknown derivative work: Pessimist2006 ( via Wikimedia Commons · Public domain

James Dalton Trumbo (December 9, 1905 – September 10, 1976) was an American screenwriter who scripted many award-winning films, including Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (1944), Roman Holiday (1953), Spartacus (1960), and Exodus (1960). One of the Hollywood Ten, he refused to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) in 1947 during the committee's investigation of Communist influences in the motion picture industry. Trumbo, the other members of the Hollywood Ten, and hundreds of other professionals in the industry were blacklisted by Hollywood. He continued working clandestinely on major films, writing under pseudonyms or other authors' names. His uncredited work won two Academy Awards for Best Story: for Roman Holiday (1953), which was presented to a front writer, and for The Brave One (1956), which was awarded to a pseudonym used by Trumbo. When he was given public screen credit for both Exodus and Spartacus in 1960, it marked the beginning of the end of the Hollywood Blacklist for Trumbo and other affected screenwriters. He finally was given full credit by the Writers' Guild for Roman Holiday in 2011, nearly 60 years after the fact, and 35 years after his death.

Quick facts about Dalton Trumbo

  • Full name: Dalton Trumbo
  • Born: 1905-12-09
  • Nationality: United States
  • Known as: Actor
  • Wikidata ID: Q350666

Profile compiled from public Wikipedia and Wikidata data. Details can change over time.

Frequently asked questions

Who is Dalton Trumbo?

James Dalton Trumbo (December 9, 1905 – September 10, 1976) was an American screenwriter who scripted many award-winning films, including Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (1944), Roman Holiday (1953), Spartacus (1960), and Exodus (1960).

What nationality is Dalton Trumbo?

Dalton Trumbo is United States.

When was Dalton Trumbo born?

Dalton Trumbo was born on 1905-12-09.

Sources

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