--- title: True Story of Trumbo: TIME Coverage of Dalton Trumbo's Case description: Bryan Cranston plays the writer in a new movie, out Nov. 6 canonical: https://time.com/4094143/dalton-trumbo-history/ author: Lily Rothman article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-11-06T16:00:13.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-05-11T05:01:05.675Z article:section: History og:title: True Story of Trumbo: TIME Coverage of Dalton Trumbo's Case og:description: Bryan Cranston plays the blacklisted screenwriter in a new movie og:url: https://time.com/4094143/dalton-trumbo-history/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt2649dd2137bc257f/69886efc0a4a222c0f9c6d35/trumbo.jpeg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: American movie director Dalton Trumbo pose for pho og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: True Story of Trumbo: TIME Coverage of Dalton Trumbo's Case twitter:description: Bryan Cranston plays the blacklisted screenwriter in a new movie twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt2649dd2137bc257f/69886efc0a4a222c0f9c6d35/trumbo.jpeg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # The Real Story Behind the Movie _Trumbo_ > Sponsored content. 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They are at time.com/newsletters and are separate from a paid subscription.  by [Lily Rothman](https://time.com/author/lily-rothman/)  ## Lily Rothman Rothman is managing editor at TIME. Nov 6, 2015 4:00 PM UTC  Dalton Trumbo poses for a photographer May 17, 1971, in Cannes, France Dalton Trumbo poses for a photographer May 17, 1971, in Cannes, France AFP/Getty Images  by [Lily Rothman](https://time.com/author/lily-rothman/)  ## Lily Rothman Rothman is managing editor at TIME. Nov 6, 2015 4:00 PM UTC In the new film _Trumbo_, Bryan Cranston plays the title character, Dalton Trumbo, one of the “Hollywood ten” blacklisted for refusing to cooperate with Congress’ anti-Communist witch hunt during the Cold War. A look at Trumbo’s actual biography reveals that this is one of the cases where the truth of his life was crazier than anything made up by a screenwriter—even one as talented as him. The topsy-turvy tale began in 1947, when Trumbo was summoned to appear before the House Un-American Activities Committee and asked whether he had ever been a Communist. “You must have some reason,” he responded, as TIME later noted, “for asking that.” Things only got crazier from there: --- > “” --- In 1960, Trumbo returned triumphantly to the spotlight with the films _Exodus_ and _Spartacus_. TIME joked that “The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will have to strain to avoid awarding him an Oscar next spring.” **_Read the full profile of Trumbo, here in the TIME Vault:_** [Out of the Shadows](http://time.com/vault/issue/1961-01-02/page/30/) ### Dalton Trumbo, 1957  Screenwriter Dalton Trumbo holds his finger up to lips as if to say "quiet." John Swope—The LIFE Images Collection/Getty Images  Trumbo holds a cigarette and purses his lips at the pet bird perched on his chest. John Swope—The LIFE Images Collection/Getty Images  Caption from LIFE. Happy suspect Dalton Trumbo lives quietly, is rumored to write scripts under assumed names. John Swope—The LIFE Images Collection/Getty Images  Trumbo sits at his desk with his pet bird. John Swope—The LIFE Images Collection/Getty Images  Trumbo and his bird. John Swope—The LIFE Images Collection/Getty Images  Trumbo gazes thoughtfully at his pet bird, perched on a lamp. 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