#julie garfield

Lou Reed, Andy Warhol, John Cale, Ingrid Superstar, Paul Morrissey, Julie Garfield, Sterling Morrison at the Factory in New York City, 1966.

A Golden Boy…a TRUE American Hero.

Adam McKay’s DEATH ON THE LOT podcast, episode 3 features John Garfield unjust framing by HUAC.

The guests on the podcast are ALL the people I would have selected to interview: daughter, actor and artist, Julie Garfield; authors, Robert Nott and Isaac Butler, and also a surprise—actor, Lee Grant one of the few remaining to be blacklisted in Hollywood in the 50’s. Excellent commentary by all. Good on you, Adam McKay and team!

The Red-Baiting of a Golden Boy | Episode 3 | A new generation of actors questioned the status quo; a rattled establishment fought back; dire consequences ensued. We’re talking John Garfield, Hollywood’s first method actor. LISTEN

"When I was originally requested to appear before the committee, I said that I would answer all questions, fully and without any reservations, and that is what I have done. I have nothing to be ashamed of and nothing to hide. My life is an open book. I was glad to appear before you and talk with you. I am no Red. I am no pink. I am no fellow traveler. I am a Democrat by politics, a liberal by inclination, and a loyal citizen of this country by every act of my life.”

—John Garfield’s statement before House Un-American Activites Committee (HUAC) on April 23, 1951.

All Julie wanted to do was what he did best: ACT. They took everything away from him. Despite that, he held his street cred. He gave away not a single name during his testimony. No ratting on friends and associates from Julie. Badass.

The others involved: Shameful. Shocking that Julie’s life and livelihood could be toyed with so heartlessly and carelessly. This was a man who did so much for his country. How could the ruthless, power hungry politicians ignore these examples of John Garfield’s patriotism?

During WWII, he cofounded—after bringing the suggestion to Bette Davis—the Hollywood Canteen. The Canteen operated from October 3, 1942 through November 22, 1945 (Thanksgiving Day), as a club offering free of charge: food, dancing and entertainment for service personnel usually on their way overseas. Nearly four million people were served as they were serving us!

The Hollywood Victory Caravan included Eddie Dowling, President of Camp Shows, Ray Bolger, Mitzi Mayfair, Louis Polanski, Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Jane Pickens, Benay Venuta, and John Garfield serving as master of ceremonies. One of the first USO tours, Flying Showboat revue toured U.S. military bases in the Caribbean. These celebrities performed under some extremely trying conditions, as the weather was brutally hot and many of the camps were not equipped to host theatrical performances. The show must go on (!) and it did.

Julie running an event at the Canteen.

Julie entertains the troops! Audience members at the Canteen filled the hall.

Here he is selling War Bonds to support WWII efforts with Humphrey Bogart in 1943. Not sure who is pictured with them.

JOHN GARFIELD retrospective on the Criterion Channel- November 2022!!!

Criterion Channel: “Starring John Garfield

Featuring an introduction by Garfield’s daughter, actor and acting instructor Julie Garfield

Brooding, forceful, and intensely charismatic, John Garfield brought the startlingly modern style of Method acting to Hollywood a full decade before Brando made it a sensation. Emerging from New York’s revolutionary Group Theatre, Garfield exuded raw physicality and tough-guy pugnaciousness, adding punchy realism to classics such as the lush romantic melodrama Humoresque, the sultry noir The Postman Always Rings Twice, and the hard-hitting thriller The Breaking Point. His tragically premature death at age thirty-nine was the result of a heart attack possibly brought on by the persecution and blacklisting he faced after refusing to name names before the House Committee on Un-American Activities, cementing his legacy as both an artist and humanist of supreme integrity.”

FEATURING: Dust Be My Destiny (1939), Saturday’s Children (1940), Out of the Fog (1941), Air Force (1943), The Fallen Sparrow (1943), Humoresque (1946), The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946), Force of Evil (1948)*, The Breaking Point (1950), He Ran All the Way (1951)

I am ALWAYS down for more film fans to learn about this talented actor. His career and his life were tragically cut short. Movie Heads need to know this amazing first Method actor of the silver screen.

There was nobody out there like him when he blew onto the screen in 1938. You won’t be able to take your eyes off him!

The Criterion Channel retrospective will feature nearly a third of all his films. GET THEM WHILE YOU CAN!

Look at this face: all out exuberance!

Self-assured or is he trying to stay ahead of the scam?

1940s pin up pose

Smug but aware

Julie’s painting hobby was probably something he didn’t have much time for.

I love Julie’s bold, expressive, swirling paint strokes. It just seems to me that everything this guy did was honest, organic and passionate.

Julie’s children, son David and daughter Julie both followed in their father’s profession of acting. Daughter Julie is also a painter.

David is pictured above. He bore quite a resemblance to his father in this photo! He was sometimes billed as John Garfield Jr. I think there was another actor named David with a SAG card. He also did some work as a respected film editor before passing away at the much too young age of 51 in 1994.

In the summer of 2017, Julie wrote an insightful, honest, and heartbreaking Op/Ed for the New York Times about the witch hunt that unfairly targeted her father. It’s so upsetting that the politician’s actions cost Garfield his career when he was blacklisted. Worse- the family lost their loved one. Inexcusable. Julie was only 6 1/2 when she lost her father. David was 9, I think.

As mentioned, along with being an actor, she is also a drama teacher. Julie Garfield inherited her father’s passion for painting and is a wonderfully talented artist!

I love catching her conversations about her father’s films. It comes from her own experiences in acting, her natural talent, and having his genes. Watch this clip from TCM of Noir Alley’s Eddie Muller and Julie chatting about her Dad’s performance in THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE. Julie also spoke with Eddie about her father’s final film, HE RAN ALL THE WAY before and after the film was shown.

And this bears mentioning. Both father and son acted in movies opposite Edward G. Robinson. Father pictured below in THE SEA WOLF from 1941.

And son, David had a role in MACKENNA’S GOLD from 1969. David and Robinson are pictured together in a scene below.

David died way too soon. That, his mother, sister and loved ones had to tragically bear. It occurs to me that Julie (John) lost his mother when he was 7. Julie (daughter) lost her Dad when she was 6 1/2. Julie (John) lost his first born child, Katherine due to an allergic reaction when she was only 6. I hate this for all of them.