I BELIEVE YOU ARE A HERO, NOT AN ALMOST HERO. YOU, BY BEING ON MYSPACE AND WRITING YOUR BLOGS MAKES EVERYONE WHO READS THEM THINK AND RESPOND. IT JUST TAKES DIALOGUE BETWEEN EACH OTHER TO ACCOMPLISH CHANGE. SO IN YOUR MIND YOU DON'T SEE YOURSELF AS A HERO BUT THOSE WHO YOUR BLOGS EFFECT, DO. THANK YOU FOR TAKING TIME OUT OF YOUR BUSY SCHEDULE TO DO THESE FOR US AND OTHERS THAT COME AFTER US. 
 

Well sir, you will always be my hero no matter what... I must say i not only admire your work and made me a believer of each and every single character you played in films, but  you inspire me to continue on working hard to achieve my dreams.  You have made so many positive contributions and continue to be a positive role model.  Last but not least i am  grateful and honored to be your friend on myspace. God bless.  Fabian.
 

<P>Mr. Douglas,</P><P>I am concidered by my friends and family to be a film hostorian of sorts. I try to read all the scripts, books, back stories, biorgraphies, and auto biographies of everyone that I can in the entertainment indistry; so believe me when I tell you: you are a hero. You broke the black list. As far as I can find in any source, you were the first one to do so. If it weren't for you breaking the black list many of those writers would have died without being able to set foot in a studio again. </P><P>Some years after SPARTICUS (which I deam a great epic and classic), Mr. Woody Allen hired quite a few of the black listed writers to both write and star in a film about the McCarthy era. That movie was THE FRONT. If you hadn't broken the blacklist that film might never have been made.</P><P> </P><P>I beleive you know of the next two gentlemen that I write of: Mr. Frank Sinatra and Mr. James Cagney. ...</P><P> </P><P>Mr. James Cagney we will start with because his story comes first in History. The year was 1941. America had just been bombed by the Japenese at Pearl Harbor. Mr. James Cagney was listening in disbelief on a radio in the Warner Brother's Studio with his sister and brother on the set of a movie titled: YANKEE DOODLE DANDY (1942). </P><P>He knew that the country was in a low spot and needed a lift so he spead-up production on the film. Early the following year while he was shooting the "remaining few scenes" a man came to the studio and started asking invasive questions. When Mr. Cagney refused to answer anymore questions this man left. It was later learned through Studio Polotics that this man was from Washington D.C. and "suspected Mr. James Cagney of being a comunist or at least a comunist sympothiser." </P><P>Mr. James Cagney had a meeting with the head of the studio shortly there-after. It was not recorded what was said in that meeting but when he left, he went right to the writers of YANKEE DOODLE DANDY and had them rewrite the ending. The ending is the now famous one that is at the end of the movie...</P><P>Mr. James Cagney tap-danced down the stairs of the Whitehouse and walked out onto the street to walk with a bunch of new army recruits singing his song "OVER THERE" (he was playing George M. Cohann). It was later anounced at the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts And Sciences Awards that he was the "Best Actor of the Year". Never again was he questioned about his patriotism.</P><P>*By the way for others who read this: He was an Irish-American. </P><P> </P><P>Next we come to Mr. Frank Sinatra. Although he was not suspected of being a "red sympothiser" or anything connected to it; He was one of the first to break the racial barrior with Sammy Davis, Jr. About the same time as he was doing that, so was Mr. Jerry Lewis (81 years old now) with THE FOUR STEPBROTHERS. Many others were successful at breaking the racial barior too - like Mr. Jack Benny with Mr. Eddy "Rodchester" Anderson.</P><P> </P><P>But, (to bring us full cycle back to you Mr. Douglas), nobody had the guts that it took to break that blacklist until you did with Stanley Kubrick on SPARTICUS - which, if I remember correctly, you made with your production company (same with Paths of Glory). To sum it all up: You are a hero in your own time whether you believe it or not. Without you, who knows, that blacklist might still be around.</P><P> </P><P>Although this is a morbid prediction I should point out that when you pass away one of the things that will be reported will be your breaking of that blacklist. They may not say that you were the first (although all records that I can find do indicate that you were), but they will say you were "one of the first." As I said Mr. Douglas and as many others have said for more years than you would probably care to admit to, you were/are a hero in your own time.</P><P> </P><P>God bless you sir.</P><P> </P><P>- Nathan       </P>
 

<P>Mr. Douglas:</P><P>You aren't "almost" a hero, you are a hero. To stand up to the blacklisting  by Senator McCarthy of so  many and step boldly forward despite the backlash that ensued then  takes a huge amount of courage, ethics, and fortitude. The movie "Spartacus" holds many memories for myself and my best friend, Sydnie. She and I saw that picture several times when it came out. My last year's birthday gift to her was the DVD of  "Spartacus", bringing back that time and place when we had the priviledge of seeing your fine film on the screen and also recalling the wonderful times we spent with our  young friends at the movies. The film means even more because of the story you just conveyed behind the scenes.</P><P>You and your wife's wonderful work with the Los Angeles Unified School District is another way you obviously show that same caring and help for the education of the young people of our future. My son and daughter graduated from Granada Hills High School and my daughter was a member of the Highlander Band for four years-playing flute. They had the pleasure of performing for you and Mrs. Douglas at one of our local elementary schools where the playground program was put into effect. Our family was there that day and were honored to be a part of just one of the schools which were benefiting from your wonderful work. </P><P>Thank you for your wonderful blogs. I so enjoy reading them and learn something every time I do.</P><P>Sincerely,</P><P>Ginny</P>
 

What did you (or your subscribers) think of the recent (3 or 4 years ago) blacklisting of the "Dixie Chicks?"
I realize that it is not quite the same but I appreciate the thoughtfulness that goes into many of the comments on your blog as opposed to the inflammatory remarks that seem to abound elsewhere on the internet.
 

I am thrilled that you are on MySpace!! Reading your blogs is a dream come true for me!!

Respectfully,
Linda Kay

;)
 

I am a distant cousin to Dalton Trumbo and I would like to thank you for going to the mat for him. Please return this message.