Ben Barzman
Encyclopedia
Ben Barzman was a Canadian
journalist, screenwriter, and novelist. He was born in Toronto
, Ontario
, and died in Santa Monica
, California
, USA. He is best known as a writer or co-writer of more than 20 films, from You're a Lucky Fellow, Mr. Smith (1943) to The Head of Normande St. Onge (1975).
Like many of his colleagues in the movie business, Ben Barzman was blacklisted by the House Un-American Activities Committee. Anticipating things to come, he first went to the U.K. in 1949 to work on the film Give Us This Day (also known as Christ in Concrete). In the 1950s he moved to southern France, with his wife Norma Barzman, who was also a screenwriter of Hollywood films such as The Locket
(1946). He sometimes wrote scripts anonymously, or used various assumed names.
In 1960, Barzman emerged as a science fiction
author, with his novel Out of This World. It deals with the idea of Earth
having a planet twin, a parallel world in the same orbit, but hidden from our view by the sun itself. The two planets have developed almost identically from their creation way back, with the same countries, history, languages, and even, strangely enough, people. The big difference is that World War II
never happened on the other Earth.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
journalist, screenwriter, and novelist. He was born in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, and died in Santa Monica
Santa Mônica
Santa Mônica is a town and municipality in the state of Paraná in the Southern Region of Brazil.-References:...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, USA. He is best known as a writer or co-writer of more than 20 films, from You're a Lucky Fellow, Mr. Smith (1943) to The Head of Normande St. Onge (1975).
Like many of his colleagues in the movie business, Ben Barzman was blacklisted by the House Un-American Activities Committee. Anticipating things to come, he first went to the U.K. in 1949 to work on the film Give Us This Day (also known as Christ in Concrete). In the 1950s he moved to southern France, with his wife Norma Barzman, who was also a screenwriter of Hollywood films such as The Locket
The Locket
The Locket is a suspense film directed by John Brahm, starring Laraine Day, Brian Aherne, Robert Mitchum, and Gene Raymond, and released by RKO Radio Pictures...
(1946). He sometimes wrote scripts anonymously, or used various assumed names.
In 1960, Barzman emerged as a science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
author, with his novel Out of This World. It deals with the idea of Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
having a planet twin, a parallel world in the same orbit, but hidden from our view by the sun itself. The two planets have developed almost identically from their creation way back, with the same countries, history, languages, and even, strangely enough, people. The big difference is that World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
never happened on the other Earth.