Writing

Dalton Trumbo

Born December 9, 1905 · Montrose, Colorado, USA

Died September 10, 1976 · aged 70

James Dalton Trumbo (December 9, 1905 – September 10, 1976) was an American screenwriter who scripted many award-winning films, including Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (1944), Roman Holiday (1953), Spartacus (1960), and Exodus (1960). One of the Hollywood Ten, he refused to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) in 1947 during the committee's investigation of Communist influe…

Known For

Roman Holiday

Roman Holiday · 1953

MovieRomanceComedy

Overwhelmed by her suffocating schedule, touring European princess Ann takes off for a night while in Rome. When a sedative she took from her doctor kicks in, however, she falls asleep on a park bench and is found by an American reporter, Joe Bradley, who takes her back to his apartment for safety. At work the next morning, Joe finds out Ann's regal identity and bets his editor he can get exclusive interview with her, but romance soon gets in the way.

Spartacus

Spartacus · 1960

MovieHistoryDrama

The rebellious Thracian Spartacus, born and raised a slave, is sold to Gladiator trainer Batiatus. After weeks of being trained to kill for the arena, Spartacus turns on his owners and leads the other slaves in rebellion. As the rebels move from town to town, their numbers swell as escaped slaves join their ranks. Under the leadership of Spartacus, they make their way to southern Italy, where they will cross the sea and return to their homes.

Papillon

Papillon · 2017

MovieAdventureCrime

Henri “Papillon” Charrière, a safecracker from the Parisian underworld, is wrongfully convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment in the penal colony of French Guiana, where he forges a strong friendship with Louis Dega, a counterfeiter who needs his protection.

Papillon

Papillon · 1973

MovieCrimeDrama

A man befriends a fellow criminal as the two of them begin serving their sentence on a dreadful prison island, which inspires the man to plot his escape.

The Way We Were

The Way We Were · 1973

The Way We Were

MovieDramaRomance

Opposites attract when, during their college days, Katie Morosky, a politically active Jew, meets Hubbell Gardiner, a feckless WASP. Years later, in the wake of World War II, they meet once again and, despite their obvious differences, attempt to make their love for each other work.

Always

MovieRomanceFantasy

The spirit of a recently deceased expert pilot mentors a newer pilot while watching him fall in love with the girlfriend that he left behind.

Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo

Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo · 1944

Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo

In the wake of Pearl Harbor, a young lieutenant leaves his expectant wife to volunteer for a secret bombing mission which will take the war to the Japanese homeland.

I Married a Witch

I Married a Witch · 1942

I Married a Witch

MovieRomanceFantasy

A 17th-century witch returns to wreak havoc in the life of a descendant of the Puritan witch hunter who burned her, but runs afoul of her father when she discovers that her mischief might have found her true love.

Filmography

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Roman Holiday

Roman Holiday · 1953

MovieRomanceComedy

Overwhelmed by her suffocating schedule, touring European princess Ann takes off for a night while in Rome. When a sedative she took from her doctor kicks in, however, she falls asleep on a park bench and is found by an American reporter, Joe Bradley, who takes her back to his apartment for safety. At work the next morning, Joe finds out Ann's regal identity and bets his editor he can get exclusive interview with her, but romance soon gets in the way.

Story

Spartacus

Spartacus · 1960

MovieHistoryDrama

The rebellious Thracian Spartacus, born and raised a slave, is sold to Gladiator trainer Batiatus. After weeks of being trained to kill for the arena, Spartacus turns on his owners and leads the other slaves in rebellion. As the rebels move from town to town, their numbers swell as escaped slaves join their ranks. Under the leadership of Spartacus, they make their way to southern Italy, where they will cross the sea and return to their homes.

Screenplay

Papillon

Papillon · 2017

MovieAdventureCrime

Henri “Papillon” Charrière, a safecracker from the Parisian underworld, is wrongfully convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment in the penal colony of French Guiana, where he forges a strong friendship with Louis Dega, a counterfeiter who needs his protection.

Original Film Writer

Papillon

Papillon · 1973

MovieCrimeDrama

A man befriends a fellow criminal as the two of them begin serving their sentence on a dreadful prison island, which inspires the man to plot his escape.

Screenplay

The Way We Were

The Way We Were · 1973

The Way We Were

MovieDramaRomance

Opposites attract when, during their college days, Katie Morosky, a politically active Jew, meets Hubbell Gardiner, a feckless WASP. Years later, in the wake of World War II, they meet once again and, despite their obvious differences, attempt to make their love for each other work.

Additional Writing

Always

MovieRomanceFantasy

The spirit of a recently deceased expert pilot mentors a newer pilot while watching him fall in love with the girlfriend that he left behind.

Original Film Writer

Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo

Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo · 1944

Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo

In the wake of Pearl Harbor, a young lieutenant leaves his expectant wife to volunteer for a secret bombing mission which will take the war to the Japanese homeland.

Screenplay

I Married a Witch

I Married a Witch · 1942

I Married a Witch

MovieRomanceFantasy

A 17th-century witch returns to wreak havoc in the life of a descendant of the Puritan witch hunter who burned her, but runs afoul of her father when she discovers that her mischief might have found her true love.

Additional Writing

Exodus

Ari Ben Canaan, a passionate member of the Jewish paramilitary group Haganah, attempts to transport 600 Jewish refugees on a dangerous voyage from Cyprus to Palestine on a ship named the Exodus. He faces obstruction from British forces, who will not grant the ship passage to its destination.

Screenplay

Gun Crazy

Gun Crazy · 1950

MovieCrimeRomance

Bart Tare is an ex-Army man who has a lifelong fixation with guns, he meets a kindred spirit in sharpshooter Annie Starr and goes to work at a carnival. After upsetting the carnival owner who lusts after Starr, they both get fired. Soon, on Starr's behest, they embark on a crime spree for cash.

Screenplay

The Last Sunset

The Last Sunset · 1961

The Last Sunset

MovieWesternDrama

At a Mexican ranch, fugitive O'Malley and pursuing Sheriff Stribling agree to help rancher Breckenridge drive his herd into Texas where Stribling could legally arrest O'Malley, but Breckenridge's wife complicates things.

Screenplay

Johnny Got His Gun

Johnny Got His Gun · 1971

Johnny Got His Gun

A young American soldier, rendered in pseudocoma from an artillery shell from WWI, recalls his life leading up to that point.

Director

Lonely are the Brave

Lonely are the Brave · 1962

Lonely are the Brave

A fiercely independent cowboy arranges to have himself locked up in jail in order to then escape with an old friend who has been sentenced to the penitentiary.

Screenplay

The Sandpiper

The Sandpiper · 1965

MovieDramaRomance

A free-spirited single mother forms a connection with the wedded headmaster of an Episcopalian boarding school in Monterey, California.

Screenplay

Kitty Foyle

Kitty Foyle · 1940

MovieDramaRomance

A hard-working, white-collar girl falls in love with a young socialite, but meets with his family's disapproval.

Screenplay

Hawaii

MovieDramaAdventure

Abner Hale, a rigid and humorless New England missionary, marries the beautiful Jerusha Bromley and takes her to the exotic island kingdom of Hawaii, intent on converting the natives. But the clash between the two cultures is too great and instead of understanding there comes tragedy.

Screenplay

The Prowler

The Prowler · 1951

MovieDramaThriller

Los Angeles, California. A cop who, unhappy with his job, blames others for his work problems, is assigned to investigate the case of a prowler who stalks the home of a married woman.

Screenplay

Executive Action

Executive Action · 1973

Executive Action

Rogue intelligence agents, right-wing politicians, greedy capitalists, and free-lance assassins plot and carry out the JFK assassination in this speculative agitprop.

Screenplay

A Guy Named Joe

A Guy Named Joe · 1944

A Guy Named Joe

MovieDramaRomance

A cocky U.S. Army Air Force pilot stationed in England during World War II falls for a daring female flier. After he's killed on a mission, he's sent back to Earth by a heavenly General with a new assignment.

Screenplay

Tender Comrade

Tender Comrade · 1944

MovieDramaRomance

Jo Jones, a young defense plant worker whose husband is in the military during World War II, shares a house with three other women in the same situation.

Writer

The Deerslayer

The Deerslayer · 1957

MovieAdventureWestern

After The Deerslayer, a white man reared by the Mohicans, and his blood brother Chingachgook, a Mohican chief, save trader Harry Marsh from the hostile Huron Indians, they learn that the Hurons will attack Old Tom Hutter and his two daughters, Hetty and Judith, who live on a floating raft fort on the river.

Screenplay

Cowboy

Chicago hotel clerk Frank Harris dreams of life as a cowboy, and he gets his chance when, jilted by the father of the woman he loves, he joins Tom Reece and his cattle-driving outfit. Soon, though, the tenderfoot finds out life on the range is neither what he expected nor what he's been looking for...

Screenplay

Somewhere I'll Find You

Somewhere I'll Find You · 1942

Somewhere I'll Find You

MovieDramaRomance

Journalist brothers feud over a woman they both fall for while covering World War II in the far east.

Writer

Town Without Pity

Town Without Pity · 1961

Town Without Pity

Four American soldiers stationed near a German village face death in the rape of a local girl and are defended by outside counsel Major Steve Grant.

Writer