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John Wexley

May 05, 2023

John Wexley (1907 – February 4, 1985) was an American writer, best known for his play The Last Mile.

Early life and career

Wexley was born in New York City.[1] His early career involved acting as part of Eva Le Gallienne's Civic Repertory Theatre.[2]

Theatre

In 1930, Wexley wrote the play The Last Mile, one of the most prominent "prison dramas" of the 1930s.[1] Brooks Atkinson of The New York Times called it "a taut, searing drama" and "an evening of nerve-racking tension in the theatre".[2] A Pacific coast production was produced by Lillian Albertson at the Majestic Theatre in Los Angeles,[3] and it was adapted for the screen in 1932 and 1959.[1] In 1934, he wrote another play titled They Shall Not Die, a dramatization of the Scottsboro case and trials.[1] First performed at the Royale Theatre in March 1934,[4]: 83  Brooks Atkinson described it as "a play of terrifying and courageous bluntness of statement".[2] A film adaptation was planned in 1950 by Charles K. Feldman, with Wexley having written the screenplay.[5]

In 1937, his play Steel was performed at the Labor Stage by members of the International Ladies Garment Workers Union. It had a successful run in New York as well as national tours.[6][7] In 1945, Wexley wrote Tears Without Laughter, which focuses on Nazi plots to establish cartels in the United States. It was "aimed at" husband-wife duo Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne.[8] In 1946, Wexley's play Carrot and Club was performed by the Theatre Guild.[9]

Film

During the 1930s and 1940s, he wrote several screenplays. These included Angels with Dirty Faces in 1938, the 1939 films Confessions of a Nazi Spy and The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse, the 1943 film Hangmen Also Die!, and the 1947 film The Long Night.[1] In 1945, he wrote the story for Cornered.[8]

In 1943, Wexley wrote an original screenplay for a film titled Malta. It was due to be produced by Joe Pasternak and distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.[10] Philip Dorn and Donna Reed were cast to star in the film.[11] In the early 1940s, Wexley had written a screenplay about General Mark W. Clark.[12] The film, titled Advance Agent to Africa, was warned against by the State Department and War Department, apparently due to its accurate descriptions of army tactics. It was cancelled by Paramount Pictures in 1943.[13]

Wexley also worked on the script of Song of Russia for four weeks towards the end of the project.[14]

Other work

In 1955, he published a book about Julius and Ethel Rosenberg titled The Judgment of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg.[1] He continued to write and lecture.[2]

Wexley also served in the military, but was discharged some time prior to December 1945.[15]

Communist links

Wexley was named as a communist sympathiser multiple times throughout the 1950s in front of the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC). On April 25, 1951, Edward Dmytryk named him as one of several Hollywood stars who were members of the American Communist Party.[16] In March 1953, film writer David A. Lang testified that Wexley was one of several writers who had attended communist meetings.[17] In May 1953, he was one of 57 alleged communists named by Robert Rossen in front of the HUAC.[18]

Some of his works had previously been accused of being pro-communist: the theatre reviewer of the NAACP's magazine The Crisis referred to his play They Shall Not Die as "propaganda for the Communist party transferred to the stage".[4]: 84 

According to Graham Petrie, Wexley was a confirmed member of the American Communist Party.[19]

Personal life

After retiring, Wexley moved to Doylestown, Pennsylvania.[1] He was married to a woman named Katherine and had at least one child, a daughter named Thea.[2]

Wexley died of a heart attack on February 4, 1985, at the age of 77.[1]

Published works

Plays

  • The Last Mile (1930)
  • They Shall Not Die (1934)
  • Steel (c. 1937)
  • Tears Without Laughter (1945)
  • Carrot and Club (c. 1946)

Books

  • The Judgment of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg (1955)

Filmography

Year Film Notes Ref.
1935 Eight Bells Screenplay
1938 Angels with Dirty Faces Screenplay [1]
1939 Confessions of a Nazi Spy Screenplay [1]
1939 The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse Screenplay; with John Huston [1][2]
1940 City for Conquest Screenplay [20]
1941 Footsteps in the Dark Screenplay; with Lester Cole [21]
1943 Hangmen Also Die! Screenplay [1]
1943 The City That Stopped Hitler – Heroic Stalingrad Screenplay for English version [22]
1945 Cornered Story [8]
1947 The Long Night Screenplay [1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "John Wexley; Playwright, Screenwriter: His Prison Drama for Broadway, 'The Last Mile,' Inspired 2 Films". Los Angeles Times. February 14, 1985. Retrieved May 30, 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Gussow, Mel (February 6, 1985). "John Wexley, 77, playwright, screenwriter and an author". The New York Times. Retrieved May 30, 2021.
  3. ^ ""Last Mile" Announced". Los Angeles Times. May 9, 1930. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
  4. ^ a b Murray, Hugh T. (1977). "Changing America and the Changing Image of Scottsboro". Phylon. 38 (1). doi:10.2307/274446. ISSN 0031-8906. Retrieved June 1, 2021.
  5. ^ Schallert, Edwin (May 11, 1950). "Lee J. Cobb Assignments Multiplying". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
  6. ^ "Applause Woos Needle Workers". Los Angeles Times. July 12, 1938. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
  7. ^ Kintz, Linda (1998). "Review: [Untitled]". Theatre Journal. 50 (2): 280. ISSN 0192-2882. Retrieved June 1, 2021.
  8. ^ a b c Schallert, Edwin (May 22, 1945). "Wexley aims play at Lunt and Fontanne". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
  9. ^ Hopper, Hedda (March 30, 1946). "Harvey III". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
  10. ^ Schallert, Edwin (March 4, 1943). "Two 'Maltas' Planned; Lake, Tone Will Team". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
  11. ^ "Philip Dorn and Donna Reed to Appear in 'Malta'". The New York Times. March 4, 1943. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
  12. ^ Hopper, Hedda (February 4, 1943). "Hedda Hopper's Hollywood". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
  13. ^ Schallert, Edwin (January 25, 1943). "Government Bans African War Adventure Subject". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
  14. ^ Mayhew, Robert (2004). "The Making of "Song of Russia"". Film History. 16 (4): 336. ISSN 0892-2160. Retrieved June 1, 2021.
  15. ^ "Film Writer Describes Beating at VJ-Day party". Los Angeles Times. December 4, 1945. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
  16. ^ Lewis, Jon (2000). ""We Do Not Ask You to Condone This": How the Blacklist Saved Hollywood". Cinema Journal. 39 (2): 16. ISSN 0009-7101. Retrieved June 1, 2021.
  17. ^ "Death Threat Bared by Ex-Party Member; Script Clinic Cited". Los Angeles Times. March 25, 1953. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
  18. ^ "Rossen Lists 50 Hollywood Figures as Reds". Los Angeles Times. May 9, 1953. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
  19. ^ Petrie, Graham (2004). "Bertolt Brecht and Béla Balázs: Paradoxes of Exile The Martin Walsh Memorial Lecture 2004". Canadian Journal of Film Studies. 13 (2): 7. ISSN 0847-5911. Retrieved June 1, 2021.
  20. ^ Schallert, Edwin (September 10, 1940). "'City for Conquest' Gains Luster Through Idealism". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
  21. ^ Crowther, Bosley (March 15, 1941). "THE SCREEN; Detective Flynn". The New York Times. Retrieved June 1, 2021.
  22. ^ Scheuer, Philip K. (October 21, 1943). "'City That Stopped Hitler' Exciting Factual Picture". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 31, 2021.

External links

May 05, 2023
john, wexley, 1907, february, 1985, american, writer, best, known, play, last, mile, contents, early, life, career, theatre, film, other, work, communist, links, personal, life, published, works, plays, books, filmography, references, external, linksearly, lif. John Wexley 1907 February 4 1985 was an American writer best known for his play The Last Mile Contents 1 Early life and career 1 1 Theatre 1 2 Film 1 3 Other work 1 4 Communist links 2 Personal life 3 Published works 3 1 Plays 3 2 Books 4 Filmography 5 References 6 External linksEarly life and career EditWexley was born in New York City 1 His early career involved acting as part of Eva Le Gallienne s Civic Repertory Theatre 2 Theatre Edit In 1930 Wexley wrote the play The Last Mile one of the most prominent prison dramas of the 1930s 1 Brooks Atkinson of The New York Times called it a taut searing drama and an evening of nerve racking tension in the theatre 2 A Pacific coast production was produced by Lillian Albertson at the Majestic Theatre in Los Angeles 3 and it was adapted for the screen in 1932 and 1959 1 In 1934 he wrote another play titled They Shall Not Die a dramatization of the Scottsboro case and trials 1 First performed at the Royale Theatre in March 1934 4 83 Brooks Atkinson described it as a play of terrifying and courageous bluntness of statement 2 A film adaptation was planned in 1950 by Charles K Feldman with Wexley having written the screenplay 5 In 1937 his play Steel was performed at the Labor Stage by members of the International Ladies Garment Workers Union It had a successful run in New York as well as national tours 6 7 In 1945 Wexley wrote Tears Without Laughter which focuses on Nazi plots to establish cartels in the United States It was aimed at husband wife duo Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne 8 In 1946 Wexley s play Carrot and Club was performed by the Theatre Guild 9 Film Edit During the 1930s and 1940s he wrote several screenplays These included Angels with Dirty Faces in 1938 the 1939 films Confessions of a Nazi Spy and The Amazing Dr Clitterhouse the 1943 film Hangmen Also Die and the 1947 film The Long Night 1 In 1945 he wrote the story for Cornered 8 In 1943 Wexley wrote an original screenplay for a film titled Malta It was due to be produced by Joe Pasternak and distributed by Metro Goldwyn Mayer 10 Philip Dorn and Donna Reed were cast to star in the film 11 In the early 1940s Wexley had written a screenplay about General Mark W Clark 12 The film titled Advance Agent to Africa was warned against by the State Department and War Department apparently due to its accurate descriptions of army tactics It was cancelled by Paramount Pictures in 1943 13 Wexley also worked on the script of Song of Russia for four weeks towards the end of the project 14 Other work Edit In 1955 he published a book about Julius and Ethel Rosenberg titled The Judgment of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg 1 He continued to write and lecture 2 Wexley also served in the military but was discharged some time prior to December 1945 15 Communist links Edit Wexley was named as a communist sympathiser multiple times throughout the 1950s in front of the House Un American Activities Committee HUAC On April 25 1951 Edward Dmytryk named him as one of several Hollywood stars who were members of the American Communist Party 16 In March 1953 film writer David A Lang testified that Wexley was one of several writers who had attended communist meetings 17 In May 1953 he was one of 57 alleged communists named by Robert Rossen in front of the HUAC 18 Some of his works had previously been accused of being pro communist the theatre reviewer of the NAACP s magazine The Crisis referred to his play They Shall Not Die as propaganda for the Communist party transferred to the stage 4 84 According to Graham Petrie Wexley was a confirmed member of the American Communist Party 19 Personal life EditAfter retiring Wexley moved to Doylestown Pennsylvania 1 He was married to a woman named Katherine and had at least one child a daughter named Thea 2 Wexley died of a heart attack on February 4 1985 at the age of 77 1 Published works EditPlays Edit The Last Mile 1930 They Shall Not Die 1934 Steel c 1937 Tears Without Laughter 1945 Carrot and Club c 1946 Books Edit The Judgment of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg 1955 Filmography EditYear Film Notes Ref 1935 Eight Bells Screenplay1938 Angels with Dirty Faces Screenplay 1 1939 Confessions of a Nazi Spy Screenplay 1 1939 The Amazing Dr Clitterhouse Screenplay with John Huston 1 2 1940 City for Conquest Screenplay 20 1941 Footsteps in the Dark Screenplay with Lester Cole 21 1943 Hangmen Also Die Screenplay 1 1943 The City That Stopped Hitler Heroic Stalingrad Screenplay for English version 22 1945 Cornered Story 8 1947 The Long Night Screenplay 1 References Edit a b c d e f g h i j k l m John Wexley Playwright Screenwriter His Prison Drama for Broadway The Last Mile Inspired 2 Films Los Angeles Times February 14 1985 Retrieved May 30 2021 a b c d e f Gussow Mel February 6 1985 John Wexley 77 playwright screenwriter and an author The New York Times Retrieved May 30 2021 Last Mile Announced Los Angeles Times May 9 1930 Retrieved May 31 2021 a b Murray Hugh T 1977 Changing America and the Changing Image of Scottsboro Phylon 38 1 doi 10 2307 274446 ISSN 0031 8906 Retrieved June 1 2021 Schallert Edwin May 11 1950 Lee J Cobb Assignments Multiplying Los Angeles Times Retrieved May 31 2021 Applause Woos Needle Workers Los Angeles Times July 12 1938 Retrieved May 31 2021 Kintz Linda 1998 Review Untitled Theatre Journal 50 2 280 ISSN 0192 2882 Retrieved June 1 2021 a b c Schallert Edwin May 22 1945 Wexley aims play at Lunt and Fontanne Los Angeles Times Retrieved May 31 2021 Hopper Hedda March 30 1946 Harvey III Los Angeles Times Retrieved May 31 2021 Schallert Edwin March 4 1943 Two Maltas Planned Lake Tone Will Team Los Angeles Times Retrieved May 31 2021 Philip Dorn and Donna Reed to Appear in Malta The New York Times March 4 1943 Retrieved May 31 2021 Hopper Hedda February 4 1943 Hedda Hopper s Hollywood Los Angeles Times Retrieved May 31 2021 Schallert Edwin January 25 1943 Government Bans African War Adventure Subject Los Angeles Times Retrieved May 31 2021 Mayhew Robert 2004 The Making of Song of Russia Film History 16 4 336 ISSN 0892 2160 Retrieved June 1 2021 Film Writer Describes Beating at VJ Day party Los Angeles Times December 4 1945 Retrieved May 31 2021 Lewis Jon 2000 We Do Not Ask You to Condone This How the Blacklist Saved Hollywood Cinema Journal 39 2 16 ISSN 0009 7101 Retrieved June 1 2021 Death Threat Bared by Ex Party Member Script Clinic Cited Los Angeles Times March 25 1953 Retrieved May 31 2021 Rossen Lists 50 Hollywood Figures as Reds Los Angeles Times May 9 1953 Retrieved May 31 2021 Petrie Graham 2004 Bertolt Brecht and Bela Balazs Paradoxes of Exile The Martin Walsh Memorial Lecture 2004 Canadian Journal of Film Studies 13 2 7 ISSN 0847 5911 Retrieved June 1 2021 Schallert Edwin September 10 1940 City for Conquest Gains Luster Through Idealism Los Angeles Times Retrieved May 31 2021 Crowther Bosley March 15 1941 THE SCREEN Detective Flynn The New York Times Retrieved June 1 2021 Scheuer Philip K October 21 1943 City That Stopped Hitler Exciting Factual Picture Los Angeles Times Retrieved May 31 2021 External links EditJohn Wexley at the Internet Broadway Database John Wexley at IMDb Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title John Wexley amp oldid 1101357285, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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