John Sanford (author)
Encyclopedia
John Sanford or John B. Sanford, born Julian Lawrence Shapiro (May 31, 1904 - March 5, 2003), was an American screenwriter and author who wrote 24 books. The Cambridge Companion to Jewish American Literature describes him as, "Perhaps the most outstanding neglected novelist." A one-time member of the Communist Party
, after he and his wife Marguerite Roberts refused to testify to the House Un-American Activities Committee, they were blacklisted and unable to work in Hollywood for nearly a decade.
Sanford wrote half of his books after he was 80. He published a 5-volume autobiography, for which he received a PEN/Faulkner Award and the Los Angeles Times
Lifetime Achievement Award. He left three unpublished novels and was writing up until a month before his death at 98.
mother and Russia
n immigrant father, who was a lawyer. Both were ews|Jewish]. His mother died in 1914 when he was only 10, which marked his life. He attended local public schools as a boy.
After graduating from Lafayette College
in Pennsylvania
, Shapiro studied law at Fordham University
, obtaining his degree in 1929. A childhood friend of Nathanael West
, Shapiro decided to focus on writing when West said he was writing a book.
Shapiro then wrote for avant-garde magazines (The New Review, Tambour, Pagany, Contact) and gave up working as a lawyer. In the summer of 1931, isolated in a log cabin in the Adirondacks, he finished his first novel, The Water Wheel. When he was close to publishing his second book, The Old Man's Place, his friend West (born Weinstein), suggested he change his name to one less identifiably Jewish. Shapiro used the name of a character from his first book and published his second under the pseudonym of John B. Sanford (which he adopted as his legal name in 1940). They both thought that antisemitism could hurt their book sales. In 1935, the success of The Old Man's Place allowed Sanford to consider a screenwriter
's career, and he moved to Hollywood.
In 1936, Sanford was hired by Paramount Pictures
, where he met his future wife Marguerite Roberts
, a screenwriter. The same year, he became involved in the Communist Party of the United States and would never renounce his political convictions. In 1939 Roberts signed the first of many contracts with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
; she was one of the most respected and best-paid screenwriters of Hollywood. She was the moneymaker of the couple. Together, they wrote the scenario of Honky Tonk
(1941). When Sanford was later offered a contract with MGM, Roberts encouraged him to devote his effort to his personal writing, which he did.
While Sanford continued as a member of the Communist Party, Roberts was not as strongly committed. She became a member after meeting him, but turned back her card in 1947. Their associations resulted in their being called to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee
. They both refused to give names, invoking the fifth amendment
. This effectively ended their Hollywood careers. Roberts was blacklisted from 1951-1962. In 1957 they moved to Montecito, California
, near Santa Barbara.
, and tries to get rid of the only Jew in the town. In turn, the shop owner is finally killed by the black woman. At the time, the poet Carl Sandburg
lauded the book, and poet William Carlos Williams
said it's "the most important book of fiction published here in the last 20 years."
Sanford later turned to the biographical and autobiographical genre. He published half of his works after he was 80. He created a gallery of small portraits that dramatized his stories, making them more accessible and colorful. The Color of the Air: Scenes From the Life of an American Jew (1985), the first volume of his five-volume autobiography, covered 1904-1927. Four other titles followed, which earned him the PEN/Faulkner Award and the Los Angeles Times
Lifetime Achievement Award.
After Roberts died in 1989, Sanford devoted his writing to exploring their more than 50-year marriage. In spite of vision troubles, he was writing one month before his death at 98. According to Tim Rutten,
Sanford left three unpublished books: A Dinner of Herbs, about the women he knew; A Citizen of No Mean City, about his father; and Little Sister Spoken For, about the first five years of his marriage with Marguerite Roberts. He also contributed to a book about Martin Berkeley, the informer who gave more than 150 names (including the Sanfords) to the inquiry committee in 1951. Jack Mearns was appointed literary executor. A psychology teacher at the California State University, Fullerton
, he said that Sanford, in his story "Judas and Inquiry" for the book on Berkeley, explored the mind of a man who would inform on others.
As John Sanford:
Communist Party USA
The Communist Party USA is a Marxist political party in the United States, established in 1919. It has a long, complex history that is closely related to the histories of similar communist parties worldwide and the U.S. labor movement....
, after he and his wife Marguerite Roberts refused to testify to the House Un-American Activities Committee, they were blacklisted and unable to work in Hollywood for nearly a decade.
Sanford wrote half of his books after he was 80. He published a 5-volume autobiography, for which he received a PEN/Faulkner Award and the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
Lifetime Achievement Award. He left three unpublished novels and was writing up until a month before his death at 98.
Biography
Julian Shapiro was born in Harlem, New York to a first-generation AmericanUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
mother and Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n immigrant father, who was a lawyer. Both were ews|Jewish]. His mother died in 1914 when he was only 10, which marked his life. He attended local public schools as a boy.
After graduating from Lafayette College
Lafayette College
Lafayette College is a private coeducational liberal arts and engineering college located in Easton, Pennsylvania, USA. The school, founded in 1826 by James Madison Porter,son of General Andrew Porter of Norristown and citizens of Easton, first began holding classes in 1832...
in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, Shapiro studied law at Fordham University
Fordham University
Fordham University is a private, nonprofit, coeducational research university in the United States, with three campuses in and around New York City. It was founded by the Roman Catholic Diocese of New York in 1841 as St...
, obtaining his degree in 1929. A childhood friend of Nathanael West
Nathanael West
Nathanael West was a US author, screenwriter and satirist.- Early life :...
, Shapiro decided to focus on writing when West said he was writing a book.
Shapiro then wrote for avant-garde magazines (The New Review, Tambour, Pagany, Contact) and gave up working as a lawyer. In the summer of 1931, isolated in a log cabin in the Adirondacks, he finished his first novel, The Water Wheel. When he was close to publishing his second book, The Old Man's Place, his friend West (born Weinstein), suggested he change his name to one less identifiably Jewish. Shapiro used the name of a character from his first book and published his second under the pseudonym of John B. Sanford (which he adopted as his legal name in 1940). They both thought that antisemitism could hurt their book sales. In 1935, the success of The Old Man's Place allowed Sanford to consider a screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
's career, and he moved to Hollywood.
In 1936, Sanford was hired by Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
, where he met his future wife Marguerite Roberts
Marguerite Roberts
Marguerite Roberts was an American screenwriter, one of the highest paid in the 1930s. After she and her husband John Sanford refused to testify in 1951 before the House Un-American Activities Committee, she was blacklisted for nine years and unable to get work in Hollywood...
, a screenwriter. The same year, he became involved in the Communist Party of the United States and would never renounce his political convictions. In 1939 Roberts signed the first of many contracts with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. is an American media company, involved primarily in the production and distribution of films and television programs. MGM was founded in 1924 when the entertainment entrepreneur Marcus Loew gained control of Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures Corporation and Louis B. Mayer...
; she was one of the most respected and best-paid screenwriters of Hollywood. She was the moneymaker of the couple. Together, they wrote the scenario of Honky Tonk
Honky tonk
A honky-tonk is a type of bar that provides musical entertainment to its patrons...
(1941). When Sanford was later offered a contract with MGM, Roberts encouraged him to devote his effort to his personal writing, which he did.
While Sanford continued as a member of the Communist Party, Roberts was not as strongly committed. She became a member after meeting him, but turned back her card in 1947. Their associations resulted in their being called to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee
House Un-American Activities Committee
The House Committee on Un-American Activities or House Un-American Activities Committee was an investigative committee of the United States House of Representatives. In 1969, the House changed the committee's name to "House Committee on Internal Security"...
. They both refused to give names, invoking the fifth amendment
Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution
The Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which is part of the Bill of Rights, protects against abuse of government authority in a legal procedure. Its guarantees stem from English common law which traces back to the Magna Carta in 1215...
. This effectively ended their Hollywood careers. Roberts was blacklisted from 1951-1962. In 1957 they moved to Montecito, California
Montecito, California
Montecito is an unincorporated community in Santa Barbara County, California. As a census-designated place, it had a population of 8,965 in 2010. This does not include areas such as Coast Village Road, that, while usually considered part of Montecito, are actually within the city limits of Santa...
, near Santa Barbara.
Literary works
The People From Heaven (1943) is considered Sanford's masterpiece. The novel tells of a small-town shop owner who rapes a young African-American woman, beats to death a Native AmericanNative Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
, and tries to get rid of the only Jew in the town. In turn, the shop owner is finally killed by the black woman. At the time, the poet Carl Sandburg
Carl Sandburg
Carl Sandburg was an American writer and editor, best known for his poetry. He won three Pulitzer Prizes, two for his poetry and another for a biography of Abraham Lincoln. H. L. Mencken called Carl Sandburg "indubitably an American in every pulse-beat."-Biography:Sandburg was born in Galesburg,...
lauded the book, and poet William Carlos Williams
William Carlos Williams
William Carlos Williams was an American poet closely associated with modernism and Imagism. He was also a pediatrician and general practitioner of medicine, having graduated from the University of Pennsylvania...
said it's "the most important book of fiction published here in the last 20 years."
Sanford later turned to the biographical and autobiographical genre. He published half of his works after he was 80. He created a gallery of small portraits that dramatized his stories, making them more accessible and colorful. The Color of the Air: Scenes From the Life of an American Jew (1985), the first volume of his five-volume autobiography, covered 1904-1927. Four other titles followed, which earned him the PEN/Faulkner Award and the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
Lifetime Achievement Award.
After Roberts died in 1989, Sanford devoted his writing to exploring their more than 50-year marriage. In spite of vision troubles, he was writing one month before his death at 98. According to Tim Rutten,
"His books are a stunning fusion of formal experimentation and supple, lyric prose. There is nothing like them anywhere in American letters. Though he sometimes was compared to the young John Dos Passos, Sanford's work was so original that it confounded critics and their categories -- probably to his professional detriment."
Sanford left three unpublished books: A Dinner of Herbs, about the women he knew; A Citizen of No Mean City, about his father; and Little Sister Spoken For, about the first five years of his marriage with Marguerite Roberts. He also contributed to a book about Martin Berkeley, the informer who gave more than 150 names (including the Sanfords) to the inquiry committee in 1951. Jack Mearns was appointed literary executor. A psychology teacher at the California State University, Fullerton
California State University, Fullerton
California State University, Fullerton is a public university located in Fullerton, California. It is the largest institution in the CSU System by enrollment, it offers long-distance education and adult-degree programs...
, he said that Sanford, in his story "Judas and Inquiry" for the book on Berkeley, explored the mind of a man who would inform on others.
Published works
- (As Julian L. Shapiro) The Water Wheel, The Dragon Press, 1933.
As John Sanford:
- The Old Man’s Place, New York: Albert and Charles Boni, 1935.
- Seventy Times Seven, New York: A. A. Knopf, 1939.
- The People from Heaven, University of Illinois Press, 1943.
- A Man without Shoes, Los Angeles: Plantin Press, 1951.
- The Land That Touches Mine, London, J. Cape, 1953.
- Every Island Fled Away, New York: Norton, 1964.
- The $300 Man, Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall, 1967.
- A More Goodly Country: A Personal History of America, New York, Horizon Press, 1975.
- Adirondack Stories, Santa Barbara, Capra Press, 1976.
- Intruders in Paradise, University of Illinois Press, 1997
- Adirondack Stories, Santa Barbara: Capra Press, 1976.
- View From This Wilderness: American Literature as History, Santa Barbara: Capra Press, 1977.
- To Feed Their Hopes. A Book of American Women, University of Illinois Press, 1980. ISBN 0252008049
- The Color of the Air, Santa Barbara: Black Sparrow PressBlack Sparrow BooksBlack Sparrow Books, formerly known as Black Sparrow Press, is a book publisher originally founded in 1966 by John Martin of Santa Rosa, California. He founded this company in order to publish the works of Charles Bukowski and other avant-garde authors. He initially financed this company by...
, 1985. - A Very Good Land to Fall With, Santa Rosa: Black Sparrow Press, 1987.
- Scenes from the life of an American Jew ,Santa Barbara, Black Sparrow Press, 1985-1991.
- The winters of that country. Tales of the man made seasons, David R. Godine, PublisherDavid R. Godine, PublisherDavid R. Godine, Publisher is an American book publishing company, founded in 1970 in Boston, Massachusetts by David R. Godine. Many of the early titles were fine letterpress editions, using a 40" Kelly-3 flatbed reciprocating letterpress with three form rollers. The company has since grown to...
, 1984 - The waters of darkness, David R. Godine Publisher, 1986
- A walk in the fire, David R. Godine Publisher, 1989
- Maggie: A Love Story, Fort Lee, N.J., Barricade Books, 1993.
- The view from Mt. Morris. A Harlem Boyhood, New York, Barricade Books, 1994.
- We have a little sister. Marguerite, the Midwest years, Capra Press, 1995.
- A book of American women, University of Illinois Press, 1996
- Tambour, University of Wisconsin Press, 2002.
- A Palace of Silver. A memoir of Maggie Roberts, Santa Barbara, Capra Press, 2003.
- (with Jonathan Lethem and Nathanaël West) Miss Lonelyhearts and the Day of the Locust, New Directions Publishing, 2009.
Biography
- Jack Mearns John Sanford. An annotated bibliography, New Castle, Oak Knoll Press, 2008. ISBN 9781584562115
External links
- John A. Sanford biography at HarperCollinsHarperCollinsHarperCollins is a publishing company owned by News Corporation. It is the combination of the publishers William Collins, Sons and Co Ltd, a British company, and Harper & Row, an American company, itself the result of an earlier merger of Harper & Brothers and Row, Peterson & Company. The worldwide...
.