The Las Vegas Story

(1952)   Tags: RKO

RKO Radio Pictures, Inc. v. Jarrico

In 1951 RKO entered into a written contract with Paul Jarrico, a motion picture screen writer, whereby it hired appellant to prepare a screenplay for a motion picture property which it owned entitled The Las Vegas Story.  Thereafter, appellant was subpoenaed to appear before the House Committee on Un-American Activities. While he was in attendance at a hearing of the Committee, a longtime associate of his named appellant as a Communist and an active member of the Communist Party.

After Jarrico was accused of being a communist, he was denied screen credit for his work on The Las Vegas Story.

Judgment: After a trial without a jury, the court found that appellant had become an object of public disgrace and ill will. It held that he had breached his contract, and that the respondent was discharged from any liability or obligation to give appellant screen credit.