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Robert Rossen




He was born in New York City , New York .

A former Boxer , his work as a writer and director of socially conscious dramas such as " The Body Beautiful " led to a writing contract with Warner Brothers in 1936 . Rossen scripted around ten features over the next seven years for directors including Lloyd Bacon , Mervyn LeRoy and Lewis Milestone . His writing was influenced by his Communist affiliations and, although he had left the party in 1945 , his involvement led to a Subpoena from the House Un-American Activities Committee in 1947 .

In the four years that elapsed before Rossen was eventually tried and blacklisted, he established himself as an independent producer and director of note with films such as " Body And Soul " ( 1947 ), scripted by Abraham Polonsky , and - one of his finest achievements - " All The King's Men " ( 1949 ), an incisive indictment of political corruption which won the Academy Award For Best Picture and also won him nominations for Best Director and Best Screenplay .

After naming names in 1953 Rossen was allowed to continue working, but chose not to return to Hollywood . His subsequent output was uneven, but not without successes. "The Hustler " ( 1961 ) is a moody poolroom drama with its roots in an unproduced Rossen play, ‘Corner Pocket’; it was nominated for Academy Awards in every major category and inspired a Martin Scorsese -directed sequel, " The Color Of Money " ( 1986 ), which again starred Paul Newman .

" Lilith " ( 1964 ) is a tragic study of obsession set in a Mental Hospital and starring Warren Beatty and Jean Seberg . Shot, like "The Hustler", by Eugene Shuftan , it was dismissed by US critics of that time of its release but is now regarded by many as its director's Masterpiece .

Hal Holbrook was married for a while to Rossen's daughter Carol.

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