Life and career Morrie Ryskind

political activism

for many years had been member of socialist party of america, , during 1930s participated in party-sponsored activities, performing sketches @ antiwar events, split party s old guard faction led louis waldman. politics moved right. in 1940, ryskind abandoned democratic party, , opposed president franklin delano roosevelt s pursuit of third term, writing campaign song year s republican party presidential nominee wendell willkie. maintained ties socialist party throughout 1940s, serving vice chairman of keep america out of war congress.

about time, became friend writers max eastman, ayn rand, john dos passos, suzanne la follette , raymond moley. later, become friend william f. buckley, jr. , future u.s. president ronald reagan. in 1947, appeared before house committee on un-american activities friendly witness. ryskind never sold script after appearance, , believed appearance before huac responsible, although there no direct evidence of organized campaign against friendly witnesses.

in 1950s, contributed articles free market publication, freeman, later, lent money buckley start national review, began publication in 1955, journal contributor. ryskind briefly joined john birch society, disassociated himself group when began claim roosevelt, truman, , eisenhower part of soviet conspiracy. vocal sympathizer anti-zionist american council judaism.

starting in 1960, ryskind wrote feature column in los angeles times, promoted conservative ideas next eleven years. son, allan h. ryskind, longtime editor of conservative washington, d.c., weekly human events.

the elder ryskind s autobiography, shot elephant in pajamas: morrie ryskind story, details adventures broadway hollywood, conversion conservative politics.