Herbert J. Biberman 1900-1971

H

erbert J. Biberman attended Yale University and the University of Pennsylvania. 

   He worked in his family's textile business until 1928 when he joined the Theater Guild as an assistant stage manager and became one of the company's best directors.

  During the 30s, he directed and wrote screenplays for B movies.

  In 1947, he was accused of communist activities by the House Un-American Activities Committee.

  In 1950, Biberman was sentenced to 6 months in prison and banished from Hollywood. His main accusers were Budd Schulberg and Edward Dmytryk, another member of the Hollywood Ten.

  In 1954, Biberman filmed Salt of the Earth, which was a chronicle of the terrible working conditions faced by miners in New Mexico. Although the film employed mineworkers and their families and was backed by U.S. miner's unions, other unions refused to show the film because Biberman was still blacklisted. The film was shown once in New York were it received great reviews. Later, Biberman released the film in Europe where it won awards in France and Czechoslovakia. In 1965, the film was released in the U.S.

  Four years later, Biberman made his last film, Slaves (1969), which was an adaptation of Uncle Tom's Cabin.

  Other works include: