Budd Schulberg

Budd Schulberg died a couple of days ago. Schulberg was a legend. I still believe that the best book written about Hollywood is Schulberg's "What Makes Sammy Run?”, a fictionalized look at the movie business.

Schulberg's father ran Paramount Pictures in the 1930's, his mother was Sam Jaffe's sister. He was the prototype Hollywood insider. Schulberg wrote the screenplay to "On the Waterfront" and "A Face in the Crowd." He eventually became Sports Illustrated's boxing correspondent.

Schulberg joined the Communist Party, but became disillusioned when party officials pressured him to incorporate party dogma into his work. He eventually testified in front of the House Un-American Activities Committee and remained unapologetic about it throughout his life.