Movies in the 1960s

Jews in the US entertainment industry – A story of how immigrants made waves.

‘…the big five, MGM, Paramount, Warner brothers, RKO and Twentieth Century Fox, all of which were owned and controlled by Jews. And of the not-so-little three – Universal, Colombia and United artists – two were in Jewish hands. …

As the Scottish director John Grierson, observed after a stay in Hollywood: ‘After a few years in the place, your foreskin falls away’.

‘… Hollywood, the place as it was said, where ‘the son-in-law also rises’ was the last redoubt of nepotism,…’

‘… any Jewish actor or actress hoping to be built up as a star had to be processed and turned into an all-American boy or girl before they could be exposed to the public….

Marian Levee had to become Paulette Goddard.

Bernard Schwartz had to become Tony Curtis

Judy Tuvim, Judy Holliday. ..

Danny Kaminsky, Danny Kaye

Joseph Levitch, Jerry Lewis

Shirley Shrift, Shelley Winters

Lee Jacob, Lee J Cobb

Dustin Hofmann.

Barbara Streisland.

From the paperback ‘The Jews’ by Chaim Bermant,

Sphere Books Ltd, London,

Published in 1977.

How many hours of fun and laughter they gave us in the 1960s, when there were no TVs. Here is a hurrah to all of them.

Philip G V