Jules Dassin began his professional career in 1926 with the Yiddish Art Theatre in New York City. His life intersected with the heights of the Hollywood studio system and the subsequent Hollywood blacklist, forcing him to relocate his creative practice to France and Greece where he sustained a career across film, theatre, and radio.
Early Career and Theatre
Born in Middletown, Connecticut, in 1911, Dassin moved to Harlem in 1915. He attended Morris High School and Camp Kinderland. By 1936, he was a member of the Federal Theatre Project and the Communist Party USA. His stage work included roles in The Emperor's New Clothes and Revolt of the Beavers, followed by productions with the Artef Players. In 1940, he directed the play Medicine Show, which saw 35 performances at the New Yorker Theatre.
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Dassin signed with RKO Radio Pictures in 1940, serving as an assistant director on films featuring Carole Lombard. By 1941, he moved to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, where he made his directorial debut with the short film The Tell-Tale Heart. He went on to direct feature films including Brute Force in 1947, The Naked City in 1948, and Thieves' Highway in 1949.
International Career and Awards
Following the blacklist, Dassin moved to Europe. He won the Cannes Best Director Award in 1955 for his crime film Rififi. His later work included the 1960 film Never on Sunday, which he also adapted into the stage musical Illya Darling. He received nominations for the Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical and Best Musical. Other films directed during his career included Night and the City, Topkapi, and Uptight.
Fast facts
- Born: 1911, Middletown
- Died: 2008, Hygeia Hospital
- Citizenship: United States, France, Greece
- Education: Morris High School, Camp Kinderland
- Languages: English, German, Modern Greek
- Burial site: First Cemetery of Athens
- Notable work: Rififi (1955)
- Professional debut: 1926
Questions readers ask
What was Jules Dassin's relationship to the Hollywood blacklist?
Dassin was a subject of the Hollywood blacklist, which compelled him to leave the United States and continue his professional career in France and Greece.
Was Jules Dassin involved in theatre as well as film?
Yes, he was a theatre director, actor, and producer, working with organizations such as the Federal Theatre Project, the Artef Players, and directing the stage musical Illya Darling.
Achievements
- Worked as film director, screenwriter and film producer
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