Actor Kirk Douglas, who is well known for his role in the 1960 film “Spartacus“, co-starring Laurence Olivier, has written an e-book at the age of 95 which will be a memoir focusing on his experience with blacklisting in Hollywood.
The e-book–which will be released in June and features a forward by George Clooney–is titled “I Am Spartacus! Making A Film, Breaking The Blacklist” and talks about the controversial decision on Douglas’ and Universal Studios’ part to include screenwriter Dalton Trumbo’s name on the film. Trumbo was blacklisted for suspected communism after refusing to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee in the late 1940’s and was forced to use pen names from then on.
With the inclusion of Trumbo’s name on the credits came the end of the blacklisting practice in Hollywood, effectively changing the history of the business for the better.
An audio version of the book will also be made available and will be narrated by Kirk Douglas’s son, Michael.