Joseph Losey

Born in the midwest of American in 1909, Losey was a theatre and film director blacklisted in Hollywood that subsequently came to England in order to further persue his trade. It seems that Losey always had a slight interest in politics and presumably he saw his favored medium of drama as a good way to showcase his views. Through this he became a major player in New York's political theatre, though not always to great reception as was seen when he became the first to direct Little Old Boy in 1933, a production imfamous for it's epic short comings.

In 1935 he visited the Soviet Union for a few months in order to observe Russian theatre. It was during this time that he made numerous contacts with people affiliated with left wing politics, people that in the years to come would become radicals and communits. As a result of this, back in America, the House Un-American Activities Commitee (HUAC) became very interested in Losey and more importantly where his aliegenceys lay.

In 1945 Losey joined the communist party, this, along with the fact many of his collegues were also being targeted by HAUC Losey fled from the U.S to avoid potential persecution. When he later returned he found himself unemployable, no-one would touch him due to his now tainted reputation. He left after a month and didn't return for twelve years. Aside for a brief peiod spent in Rome, Losey made a home for himself in London, free of prosicution but still unemployed. He did a couple of plays in London and directed a small amount of television however was payed a very menial amount, all of which was 'under-the-table' and without any kind of a credit. Eventually he attained a work permit and began making films, of varing quality, under the pseudonym Joseph Walton. In the late 50's and early 60's he regained some of his prestige with such thrillers as Blind Date (1959), The Criminal (1960) and Eve (1962). After this fleeting spell of success it once again went down hill for Losey who continued to direct films with waining comercial credentials, with the exeption of Modesty Blaise (1966) and Accident (1967), until his death at 75 in 1984.