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Nedrick Young

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Nedrick Young
Young in Captain Scarlett (1953)
Born(1914-03-23)March 23, 1914
DiedSeptember 16, 1968(1968-09-16) (aged 54)
Other namesNathan E. Douglas
Occupations
  • Actor
  • screenwriter
Years active1943–1968
Spouse(s)Frances Sage
(m. 19??; died 1963)
(m. 1965)
AwardsAcademy Award - Best Story and Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen
1958 The Defiant Ones

Nedrick Young (March 23, 1914 – September 16, 1968), also known by the pseudonym Nathan E. Douglas,[1] was an American actor and screenwriter often blacklisted during the 1950s and 1960s for refusing to confirm or deny membership of the Communist Party before the House Committee on Un-American Activities (HCUA). He is credited with writing the story for Jailhouse Rock in 1957, which starred Elvis Presley.

Young was born in Philadelphia. In addition to screenwriting, he took acting roles in various feature-length films from 1943 to 1966.

Recognition

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The Defiant Ones received an Oscar for the "best screenplay written directly for the screen" in 1958.[2] For the same film, Young and co-writer Harold Jacob Smith won a 1959 Edgar Award for Best Motion Picture Screenplay, from the Mystery Writers of America. Inherit the Wind was also nominated for, but did not win, an Academy Award in 1960. The same year, he and others brought a law suit against the Motion Picture Association (MPAA) for 13 years of blacklisting. The suit was not successful.[3]

Filmography

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Actor

Screenplay

Personal life

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He was married to actress Elizabeth MacRae.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b Beale, Lewis (July 9, 2015). "'Defiant One' sheds light on Hollywood blacklists". The News & Observer. Archived from the original on June 16, 2018. Retrieved June 16, 2018.
  2. ^ Pryor, Thomas M. (January 1, 1959). "COAST SCENARIST REVEALS IDENTITY / 'Defiant Ones' Co-Author is Actor-Writer Who in '53 Invoked 5th Amendment". The New York Times. Retrieved December 1, 2019.
  3. ^ Wertheim, Larry M. (Winter 1975). "Nedrick Young, et al. v. MPAA, et al.: The Fight Against the Hollywood Blacklist". Southern California Quarterly. 57 (4): 383–418. doi:10.2307/41170623. JSTOR 41170623. Retrieved October 8, 2021 – via JSTOR.
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