Policing Show Business: J. Edgar Hoover, the Hollywood Blacklist, and Cold War Movies By Francis MacDonnell.

  • Published In: Western Historical Quarterly, 2026, v. 57, n. 1. P. 68 1 of 3

  • Database: Academic Search Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Sbardellati, John 3 of 3

Abstract

This study examines the FBI's surveillance of Hollywood during the Red Scare, arguing that FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover greatly exaggerated the communist threat posed by film industry professionals. While acknowledging the genuine national security risks from Soviet espionage and the Communist Party USA (CPUSA), the research concludes that the FBI's broad cultural policing violated civil liberties and pushed American culture rightward. The book highlights the personal impact of Hoover's campaign, notably through the case of songwriter Yip Harburg, and explores the complex relationship between the FBI and anti-Communist groups like the Motion Picture Alliance. Overall, it suggests that the FBI's actions transformed a limited security concern into an overblown cultural crusade. [Extracted from the article]

Additional Information

  • Source:Western Historical Quarterly. 2026/03, Vol. 57, Issue 1, p68
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Politics and Government
  • Publication Date:2026
  • ISSN:0043-3810
  • DOI:10.1093/whq/whaf080
  • Accession Number:191590754
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