Nicholas Ray

by Patrick McGilligan

  Bitter Victory (film): casting for, 346, 347, 349; Criterion Collection and, 493; ending for, 353, 371; European release of, 413; Film Festivals and, 354, 355, 361; filming of, 349–53, 405; and Graetz warning about Ray, 356; influence of Ray’s personal life on, 4–5; influences on, 2; as international project, 338; location for, 384; plot of, 338–39; postproduction activities of, 354–55, 359, 360; premiere of, 355; Ray’s drinking and, 346–47, 356; Ray’s reputation and, 355, 358, 413, 414; Ray’s views about, 345–46, 383; reviews of, 352, 355; script/themes for, 338, 345, 346–47, 349, 350–51, 352, 383; setting/location for, 347–48

  blacklisting, 141–42, 150, 202, 203, 208, 210, 230, 247, 294, 347, 376, 411, 415, 479–80. See also specific person

  Blair, Betsy, 10, 109, 142, 207–8, 240, 278

  “Blind Run, The” (Ray). See Rebel Without a Cause

  Bogart, Humphrey: anti-Communism of, 181; Cagney compared with, 256; Committee for the First Amendment and, 140, 151; death of, 345, 430; drinking by, 163, 171; early films of, 154, 162; film successes of, 151, 153, 163, 181; Grahame-Ray relationship and, 187; Hellinger and, 153; HUAC hearings and, 151, 154; as icon, 163; In a Lonely Place and, 37, 181–88, 196, 206, 214, 226, 232, 250, 260, 270, 302, 382, 415; Knock on Any Door and, 153–56, 157, 159, 160, 161, 163–66, 170, 171, 181–82, 185, 232, 250, 302; Mitchum compared with, 225; The Oklahoma Kid and, 256; personal life of, 158; personality of, 163; Ray’s first meeting with, 154; Ray’s Harpur stories about, 470, 479; Ray’s multipicture deal with, 149, 150; Ray’s relationship with, 181, 185, 186, 209, 221, 236–37, 296, 312, 326; Ray’s views about, 224; Ryan compared with, 197; Santana Productions formed by, 151–52; Warner Bros. relationship with, 183, 263

  Bond, Ward, 195, 202, 203, 209, 210, 248, 415

  Borgnine, Ernest, 10, 248, 258, 317

  Born to Be Bad (film), 175–78, 182, 189, 205, 231, 373, 479

  Brando, Marlon: Dean compared with, 272; “Gypsy Life” project, 234, 243, 311; Kazan and, 285; On the Waterfront and, 268, 357; Ray’s comments about, 334, 334n; Ray’s relationship with, 263; Rebel Without a Cause and, 273; Streetcar Named Desire and, 273; Viva Zapata and, 209; The Wild One and, 487; Wood’s crush on, 287

  Brecht, Bertolt, 64, 112, 119, 140

  Breen, Joseph I., 121, 127, 128, 129, 130

  Bronston, Samuel: ambitions of, 388–89, 429; The Fall of the Roman Empire, 412, 418, 420; 55 Days at Peking, 421, 423, 425, 426, 429, 431, 435, 436, 437; fundraising by, 388–89; King of Kings and, 389–92, 394–99, 401, 402, 404, 407, 408, 416, 417; at Nikka’s, 439; personal and professional background of, 388; Pope John’s audience with, 396; Ray and, 435, 436; Ray’s contracts with, 390, 418, 436, 439; superspectacles of, 388–90, 411, 438; Yordan and, 391, 394–95

  Brooks, Richard, 159, 237, 296, 315

  Brookwood Labor College, 67–68, 95, 97, 469

  Brun, Joseph C., 361, 372, 376

  Bruskin, Perry, 57, 120, 122–23, 466

  Bryant, Marie, 120, 122, 131, 185

  “Bull-shevist, The” (Ray newspaper column), 19, 20

  Buñuel, Luis, 242, 263, 282, 440–41

  Burton, Richard, 346, 349, 350, 355, 397, 409–10

  Buskin Club (La Crosse State Teachers College), 15, 18, 19, 26, 29, 30, 31, 61

  Cabaret TAC (Theatre Arts Committee for Peace and Democracy), 73, 93

  Cagney, James, 113, 176, 219, 256–59, 262, 263, 435

  Cahiers du Cinéma: and arguments between French and English critics, 413, 414, 415, 416; Ray’s first interview with, 14; support for Ray in, 2, 232, 233, 260–61, 318, 322, 387, 413, 414, 415, 416. See also specific critic

  Canby, Vincent, 353, 454, 471–72

  Cannes Film Festival, 354, 387, 394, 445, 458, 473–74, 475

  Casablanca (film), 112, 151, 163, 439

  Chamartín Studios (Estudios Chamartín), 391, 392, 405, 429

  Chanslor, Roy, 245, 251, 252, 253, 254, 402, 472

  Chanslor, Torrey (Marjorie), 245, 246, 247

  Chaplin, Ethyl, 109, 132, 230

  Charisse, Cyd, 377–80

  Chicago Seven trial, 460–64, 466–67, 483

  Children’s Crusade project, 412, 418

  CinemaScope. See specific film

  Cinémathèque Française, 414, 474, 475

  Circus World (film), 418, 436, 438–39

  Citizen Kane (film), 91, 116, 126, 172, 195–96, 342

  Citron, Herman, 243, 256, 339, 359, 419

  “City Blues” project, 484–85

  Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), 56–57, 58

  Clash by Night (play), 175, 217, 240

  Columbia Studios, 126, 149, 152, 183, 236, 310, 339, 356, 376

  Committee for the First Amendment, 140–41, 142, 151

  Communism/radicalism: congressional concerns about Ray’s links to, 104; FBI B-2 rating and, 97–98, 103–4; and FBI search for Hollywood Communists, 174; folkarts group and, 72, 82, 94; Living Newspaper Project and, 66; On the Waterfront and, 357; radical theater movement and, 55–61, 72, 109; Ray’s abandonment of, 109, 142; Ray’s activities in 1940s and, 96–98, 103–5; Ray’s early interest in, 18–19, 20, 28–29; Rebel Without a Cause and, 294; Taliesin and, 42; Voice of America and, 95–96, 109, 140. See also Hollywood: Communism and; House Un-American Activities Committee; specific person

  Communist Party USA, 28–29, 56, 64, 73, 80, 84. See also specific person

  Congress of Industrial Organization (CIO), 60, 67, 95

  Congress, U.S., 63, 73, 80, 104, 105. See also House Un-American Activities Committee

  Cooper, Barrington, 442–43, 447, 449

  Coronet Theatre (Hollywood), 134, 138

  “Cowpoke.” See The Lusty Men

  Crawford, Joan: Academy Award for, 240; Chanslor and, 245, 246, 251; Douglas and, 144; drinking by, 241, 242, 251, 254; gossip columnists and, 241; Johnny Guitar and,

  Crawford, Joan (cont.) 209, 244, 246, 247, 248, 249, 250–55, 259, 260–61, 300; Lambert-Ray discussion about, 320; Lisbon and, 244; McCambridge and, 248, 251–55; Mildred Pierce and, 240; Montana Moon and, 244; Ray’s attraction to, 15; Ray’s relationship with, 240–41, 250–55, 258, 312

  Crime, The (Blankfort play), 58, 59–61, 62, 64

  Cromwell, John, 168, 170, 213

  Crossfire (film), 144, 147, 176, 199, 237

  Crowther, Bosley, 49–50, 172, 179, 231, 260, 417

  Cukor, George, 177, 358, 457

  Cunningham, Inez, 23–24, 31, 34

  Curcio, Vincent, 148, 181, 200, 205–7, 209, 213–14; Suicide Blonde (book), 148, 200, 522n

  Da Silva, Howard, 111, 133, 136, 230, 377–78

  Dartmouth College: Ray at, 489

  Dassin, Jules, 133, 153, 191, 208, 381, 425

  Davis, Bette, 195, 197, 243, 245, 484

  Dean, James: Academy Award nominations for, 317; appearance of, 273; Brando compared with, 272; death of, 315–16, 334, 339; East of Eden and, 267, 272, 275, 299, 317; French release of Rebel and, 314; Giant and, 308, 313, 317n; gun of, 454, 454n; Kazan and, 272–73, 275, 297–98; Lambert-Ray discussion about, 320, 334; Mineo and, 294–96, 303; panic attack of, 297–98; personal background of, 273; personality of, 273, 276, 282; Presley as “another kind” of, 342; Ray’s book about, 334; Ray’s first meeting with, 272–73; Ray’s memories of, 318, 393, 470; as Ray’s mirror image, 273; Ray’s proposed projects with, 308, 313, 335; Ray’s relationship with, 273–75, 276, 292–93, 297–99, 301–2, 312, 313, 326, 385; Ray’s reputation and, 461; Ray’s views about, 36, 224, 273, 275, 300; Rebel Without a Cause and, 1, 7, 10–11, 18, 20, 25, 88, 194, 268, 273, 278–79, 282, 284, 290–91, 292–93, 294–95, 297–302, 304, 306, 312, 317, 385, 452; sexuality of, 295; Stern and, 278–79, 282; therapy sessions of, 274–75, 302; Warner’s views about, 310; Wood and, 285, 303–4, 303n

  DeMille, Cecil B., 137, 147, 168, 202–3, 205, 310, 392, 418, 427, 457

  Derek, John, 159–62, 164, 166, 171, 257, 258, 259

  Directors Guild, 202–3, 203n, 208

  Diskant, George E., 133–
34, 146, 195, 218, 222

  Dmytryk, Edward, 140, 141, 147, 199, 201, 208–9, 211, 227

  Doctor and the Devils, The (film), 442, 443–49, 449n, 451

  Dollar Top Theatre (New York City), 85–87

  Donnell, Jeff, 185, 200, 205–6

  Donoghue, Roger, 267–68, 276, 311, 315, 316, 337, 358, 361, 484

  Dortort, David, 216, 216n, 217, 219n, 236

  Douglas, Melvyn, 137, 144, 146

  drinking/alcoholism, Ray’s: Bigger Than Life and, 343; Bitter Victory and, 346–47, 356; Chicago Seven trial and, 461, 466; Crawford and, 241, 242; during early years in Hollywood, 107–8, 109; during early years in New York City, 59, 85, 87, 88, 102–3; Evan’s concern about, 442; Evans-Ray marriage and, 77, 79, 85; 55 Days at Peking and, 424, 435; Graetz letter to studio officials about, 356; Grahame-Ray relationship and, 199, 200, 207–8; at Harpur College, 470, 472; Heston-Yordan-Ray deal and, 420; hiding of, 428; Hlasko project and, 444–45; Houseman-Ray relationship and, 115, 117; increase in, 181, 312; insurance and, 380; King of Kings filming and, 407; Knock on any Door and, 163; Lambert’s concerns about, 330, 348; Mitchum and, 213, 227; Odets-Ray relationship and, 270; Party Girl and, 379; and quitting, 163, 486–88; Ray’s ability to get jobs and, 381; Ray’s appearance and, 361; and Ray’s injuries/health, 343; Ray’s MGM contract and, 373; Ray’s special projects and, 444; Ray’s trip to Mexico and, 47–48; Rebel Without a Cause and, 343; Schwartz’s views about, 483, 485; on Sylt Island, 453; at Taliesin, 45–46; The True Story of Jesse James and, 341; at University of Chicago, 22, 25; Utey-Ray relationship and, 380, 399, 477; in Washington, 76, 77; Wind Across the Everglades and, 360, 368; womanizing and, 239; as a youth, 6–78

  drug abuse, Ray’s, 181, 302, 312, 330, 341, 343, 353, 363, 367, 373, 379, 380, 428, 435, 442, 453, 463, 466, 468, 470, 472, 477, 489

  Dunn, James, 107, 111, 118

  Dyson, Helen, 26, 27, 30, 33

  East of Eden (film), 267, 274, 275, 285, 299, 309, 317, 359

  Ebert, Roger, 260, 460, 462

  Eisenschitz, Bernard: and Crawford-Ray relationship, 242; and Evans-Ray relationship, 79, 87, 121; and Kazan-Ray relationship, 105; and MGM-Ray relationship, 409; and ranking of Ray films, 318; and Ray at Chicago Seven trial, 462; and Ray’s draft notice, 80; and Ray’s drinking, 407; and Ray’s eye-patch, 465; and Ray’s financial affairs, 445; and Ray’s health, 435; and Ray’s HUAC appearances, 210; and Ray’s Mexico trip, 47; and Ray’s potential RKO screen projects, 137–38; and Ray’s promotion of Gardner at Cannes, 446–47; and Ray’s reputation, 480; and Ray’s signing of loyalty oath petition, 203; and Ray’s special projects, 467; and Ray’s student-teacher film, 474; and Ray’s womanizing, 109; Rebel Without a Cause and, 277; and sister’s influence on Ray, 11; and They Live by Night script, 127; and We Can’t Go Home Again, 475; and “Wet Dreams” project, 476; Wind Across the Everglades filming and, 371; Wright-Ray falling out according to, 44

  El Cid (film), 407–8, 412, 418, 419, 420, 421

  Emerald Films, 442–43

  Ernst, Constance “Connie,” 93, 95, 96, 98–100, 102–3, 105, 110, 121, 318, 460, 466, 488, 490

  Ethiopia (play), 63

  Evans, Jean (wife): ambitions of, 37; appearance of, 37–38; birth of, 37; as Communist, 56; depression of, 51; divorce of, 87, 91, 98, 103; financial affairs of, 62, 85, 88; Grahame’s psychological problems and, 200; Guggenheim studies of, 194; Gypsy Life project and, 234, 237, 311; Jackson visit and, 78; Lindner’s work and, 264, 268; motherhood and, 71, 76; On Dangerous Ground and, 194; personality and character of, 76; PM job of, 78–79, 114, 193, 237; radical theater movement and, 51, 59; and Ray at Taliesin, 38, 46; and Ray-Tony relationship, 206; Ray’s cancer diagnosis and, 490; Ray’s depression and, 47, 87; and Ray’s HUAC appearances, 210, 211; Ray’s marriage to, 62; Ray’s relationship with, 37, 47, 48, 51, 59, 62, 76–80, 85, 87, 110, 121, 193, 200, 274, 311, 380, 400, 432, 442, 460; Ray’s thoughts of Dean and, 318; Ray’s trip to Mexico and, 47; They Live by Night and, 121; in Washington, 69, 70, 76; Washington move of, 68; Washington Political Cabaret and, 74; WPS travels of, 69; Wright interview by, 45

  eye-patch, Ray’s, 465–66

  Fairweather, Ruth Kienzle. See Kienzle, Ruth (sister)

  Fall of the Roman Empire, The (film), 412–13, 418–19, 420

  Falstaff Club (La Crosse Central High School), 12, 14

  Farrell, Tom, 470, 474–75, 478, 492

  FDR Memorial, 113, 124, 347

  Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), 29, 96–98, 103–4, 106, 140, 168, 174

  Federal Music Project, 71, 72

  Federal Theatre Project, 62–63, 69, 71, 73, 81, 89, 97, 140, 141, 230

  Flanagan, Hallie, 62–63, 64, 66, 67, 73

  Flippen, Jay C., 133, 136, 146, 148, 204

  Flying Leathernecks (film), 138, 203–5, 209, 211, 231, 249

  folk arts, 69–73, 75, 77–78, 84, 89–90, 94. See also Almanac House; specific person or project

  Fontaine, Joan, 106, 113, 175, 177, 189, 223, 258

  Ford, John, 137, 162, 195, 221, 257, 308, 312, 328, 431, 457, 466

  France: Ray’s reputation in, 230–33, 314, 318, 320, 322, 355, 413, 457; release of Ray’s films in, 230–33, 314, 315, 318, 319, 320, 322

  Frascella, Lawrence (Al Weisel), 265, 268, 272, 275, 277, 278, 291, 294, 306–7; Live Fast, Die Young (book), 265

  Free Thaelmann (play), 55

  Fries, Robert, 15, 16, 28

  Galileo (film), 112, 134, 166

  gambling, Ray’s, 102, 115, 139, 148, 155–56, 157, 158, 180, 181, 209, 348, 352, 353, 354, 360, 428, 450, 488

  Gardner, Ava, 425, 430–36, 446–47

  Garner, Peggy Ann, 106, 118, 159

  General Electric Theater (TV show), 262, 285

  “Go Where You Want, Die as You Must” project, 452

  Godard, Jean-Luc, 232, 233, 249, 340, 355, 387, 454, 457

  Gold (film), 458–59

  Gordon, Bernard, 410–11, 419–24, 426, 428–30, 434

  Gosta Berling project, 450–51

  Graetz, Paul, 339, 345–51, 351n, 353, 356

  Graham, Virginia, 178, 179, 260

  Grahame, Gloria: Academy Awards and, 144, 147, 175; alimony for, 213, 266; appearance of, 289; The Bad and the Beautiful and, 175; Bogart-Bacall relationship with, 181; Born to Be Bad and, 205; Crossfire and, 199; divorces of, 147, 148, 189, 209, 212, 213–14, 239, 242; financial affairs of, 209; The Greatest Show on Earth and, 205, 206, 211; In a Lonely Place and, 11, 37, 181, 184, 185, 186, 187, 188, 196, 205, 260, 261, 407; Kazan’s views about, 267; Macao and, 212; Man on a Tightrope and, 266, 267; marriages of, 147, 239, 266, 399; as mother, 199–200, 266; Motley and, 159; “Mr. and Mrs. contract” for, 184, 186; personal and professional background of, 147; personality of, 147; pregnancy of, 147–48, 149, 155, 167; psychological problems of, 200; Ray as ladies man and, 239; Ray (Tony) relationship with, 206–7, 242, 267, 399, 422; Ray’s recordings of, 213–14; Ray’s relationship with, 146–48, 158–59, 180–81, 187, 188–89, 193, 198–200, 205–12, 260, 266, 400, 415, 432; Ray’s surveillance of, 206–7, 439; Ray’s wedding to, 148–49, 155; RKO anti-Communist films and, 169; Schary’s relationship with, 144, 147; self-image of, 199–200; sex addiction of, 200, 205; A Woman’s Secret and, 144, 146, 159

  Granger, Farley, 7, 131–32, 131n, 136, 138, 142, 144, 167, 226, 342

  Grapes of Wrath concert (New York City), 78

  Greatest Show on Earth, The (film), 205, 206, 211

  Greenwich Village (film), 109

  Group Theatre, 50–52, 54, 55, 58, 59, 81, 85, 108, 228, 229, 463n. See also specific person

  Guthrie, Woody, 78, 79, 81, 82–84, 87, 89, 90n, 92, 94, 139, 139n, 190n, 230

  “Gypsy Life” project. See Hot Blood

  Hambleton, John Edward, 299, 363, 378

  Hammer, Al, 88, 146, 230

  Happy Journey to Trenton and Camden, The (play), 22–23, 26–27

  Hardy, René, 4, 338, 346, 355

  Harpur College: Ray at, 468–74, 479; See also We C
an’t Go Home Again

  Hauser, Alonzo, 12, 33, 36, 37, 55n, 68

  Hauser, Winona, 12, 14, 16

  Hayden, Sterling, 209, 211, 248, 251, 252, 254, 255, 259, 472, 475

  Hayes, Alfred, 222, 278, 360

  Hayward, Susan, 87, 221–22, 223, 235, 258, 396

  Hellinger, Mark, 153, 154, 159, 160, 162

  “Heroic Love” project, 308, 313, 335

  Heston, Charlton, 362, 403–4, 407, 408, 412–13, 419, 420, 422, 424–26, 430–36, 445

  Hiegel, Helen Kienzle. See Kienzle, Helen (sister)

  Hillside Playhouse. See Taliesin

  Hiskey, Clarence Sezezechowski, 15, 16, 26, 28, 29, 32, 201

  Hitchcock, Alfred, 98, 105, 143, 175, 195, 243, 310, 355, 358, 413, 448, 457

  Hlasko, Marek, 444–45

  Hoffman, Abbie, 460–63

  Holliday, Judy, 15, 88, 89, 109–10, 115, 230, 327

  Hollywood: Communism and, 125–26, 140–42, 150–51, 153, 163, 168–69, 174, 181, 199, 201–3, 205, 208–9, 210–11, 230–31, 378; end of Golden Age of, 345; homosexuality in, 322–23; left-wing theater movement in, 108–10; Ray’s reputation in, 388, 447, 457; Ray’s views about, 112, 380, 427. See also blacklisting; film industry

  Hollywood Ten/Nineteen, 140–41, 142, 150, 151, 153, 181, 199, 201, 202, 378

  Hollywood Writers Mobilization Committee for Democracy, 108, 113

  Holman, Libby, 88–89, 90, 120, 122, 123, 250

  Hopper, Dennis, 287, 288, 289–90, 302, 303, 304, 306, 308, 467–68, 486, 487

  Hopper, Hedda, 143, 147, 148–49, 181, 212, 221, 223, 239, 316, 333, 380, 386, 408

  Hot Blood (film), 234, 237, 242–43, 308–14, 319, 336, 337, 356, 358, 400, 413

  House Committee on Un-American Activities (HUAC): cooperative witnesses for, 357n, 463n; Hollywood fears and, 125–26, 163; Hollywood investigation by, 140–42, 149, 199, 202, 203, 205, 208–9, 210–11, 230–31, 378; Knock on Any Door and, 153; Ray and, 142, 157, 208–9, 210–11, 217, 229, 230–31, 239, 242, 254, 267, 347, 480; Ray’s comments about, 97; WPA workers and, 73. See also Hollywood Ten/Nineteen; specific person or organization