Sidney Buchman Dashboard Dashboard

Sidney Buchman’s screenwriting career began with The Sign of the Cross (1932) for Cecil B. DeMille, and really took off with his first hit, Theodora Goes Wild (1936). His credits include Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939), Here Comes Mr. Jordan (1941), for which he shared a best screenplay Oscar with Seton I. Miller, and A Song to Remember (1945). He also wrote Over 21 (1945), Jolson Sings Again (1949), The Mark (1961), Cleopatra (1963), and produced several films after 1937.

In 1951 he admitted to having been a member of the Communist Party from 1938 to 1945 before the House Committee on Un-American Activities, but refused to divulge names. He ignored other subpoenas, was fined, indicted for contempt, and blacklisted. 20th Century Fox hired him 10 years later as writer-producer of The Mark, and the WGA gave him the Laurel Award in 1965.

Buchman was born in Duluth, Minnesota, on March 27, 1902, attended the University of Minnesota, Oxford University, and Columbia University. Play writing efforts included This One Man and Storm Cellar and he worked as an assistant stage director at the Old Vic Theater in London. He died in Cannes, France, on August 23, 1975.