Harold Sherman in Hollywood
Harold Sherman worked as as writer on two Hollywood films, Are We Civilized? (1934) and The Adventures of Mark Twain (1944). Among Sherman's papers stored at the Torreyson Library at the University of Central Arkansas at Conway, there is voluminous correspondence relating to these two episodes in his life, and both sets provide fascinating glimpses into Hollywood filmmaking history.
Are We Civilized?
Harold and Martha Sherman were living in New York in 1933 when Sherman was called West to write the screenplay for Are We Civilized?, a "message" film about man's inhumanity to man. Martha stayed behind with their two school-age daughters, and Sherman—in Hollywood for several months—wrote daily letters with minute details describing the writing and filming of the picture as well as social events he attended with well-known figures. Many of the cast and crew went on to greater fame, and others were on the way out from the silent era. A book has been compiled by Saskia Block containing correspondence and images found in the archive: The Making of Are We Civilized?
Click to watch Are We Civilized? in its entirety on archive.org
The Adventures of Mark Twain
In 1941 Sherman, who had written a play, "Mark Twain," and had been granted exclusive dramatic rights by the Twain Estate, was hired by Hollywood producer Jesse L. Lasky to write a treatment for his upcoming film, The Adventures of Mark Twain. Correspondence between Sherman and Lasky, Twain's daughter Clara Clemens Gabrilowtisch, and the Mark Twain Estate attorney has been pieced together into a book, Behind the Screenplay, by Saskia Block.
Harold Sherman in Hollywood
Harold Sherman worked as as writer on two Hollywood films, Are We Civilized? (1934) and The Adventures of Mark Twain (1944). Among Sherman's papers stored at the Torreyson Library at the University of Central Arkansas at Conway, there is voluminous correspondence relating to these two episodes in his life, and both sets provide fascinating glimpses into Hollywood filmmaking history.
Are We Civilized?
Harold and Martha Sherman were living in New York in 1933 when Sherman was called West to write the screenplay for Are We Civilized?, a "message" film about man's inhumanity to man. Martha stayed behind with their two school-age daughters, and Sherman—in Hollywood for several months—wrote daily letters with minute details describing the writing and filming of the picture as well as social events he attended with well-known figures. Many of the cast and crew went on to greater fame, and others were on the way out from the silent era. A book has been compiled by Saskia Block containing correspondence and images found in the archive: The Making of Are We Civilized?
Click to watch Are We Civilized? in its entirety on archive.org
The Adventures of Mark Twain
In 1941 Sherman, who had written a play, "Mark Twain," and had been granted exclusive dramatic rights by the Twain Estate, was hired by Hollywood producer Jesse L. Lasky to write a treatment for his upcoming film, The Adventures of Mark Twain. Correspondence between Sherman and Lasky, Twain's daughter Clara Clemens Gabrilowtisch, and the Mark Twain Estate attorney has been pieced together into a book, Behind the Screenplay, by Saskia Block.
