John
Sanford was born on 31st May, 1904. His first novel, The
Water Wheel, was published in 1933. This was followed by
The Old Man's Place (1935). This
book led to a contract with Paramount Pictures. However, the only
screenplay he wrote that was filmed was Honky
Tonk (1941).
Sanford
was a member of
the American Communist Party and in
1951 he was ordered to appear before the House
of Un-American Activities Committee. Sanford refused to name fellow
members of the party.
Sanford
and his screenwriter wife, Marguerite
Roberts,
were now blacklisted. Sanford returned to writing books. This included
The Land That Touches Mine (1953),
A View From This Wilderness (1977),
To Feed Their Hopes: A book of American
Women (1980), A Man Without Shoes
(1982), and The Winters of that Country
(1984). He also wrote a three volume autobiography Scenes
From the Life of an American Jew and a memoir of his wife,
A Palace of Silver.
John
Sanford died on 6th March, 2003.
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