1. Hannah Weinstein was an American-British journalist, publicist and left-wing political activist who moved to Britain and became a television producer.
16 Facts About Hannah Weinstein
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Hannah Weinstein is best remembered for having produced The Adventures of Robin Hood television series in the mid-to-late 1950s.
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Hannah Weinstein was involved in the presidential campaigns of Franklin D Roosevelt and Henry Wallace.
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In 1950, Hannah Weinstein began her film career in Paris having left the US to avoid the rise of anticommunism, as typified by the House Un-American Activities Committee.
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Hannah Weinstein eventually made series for the British commercial ITV network via an arrangement with ITC's Lew Grade.
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Hannah Weinstein created and executive produced The Adventures of Robin Hood, starring Richard Greene.
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Hannah Weinstein created the series with the intention of helping blacklisted American writers.
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Hannah Weinstein commissioned scripts by 22 Americans writers blacklisted after being identified as communists by HUAC, such as Waldo Salt, Ring Lardner Jr.
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Hannah Weinstein instituted security measures to ensure that the writers' true identities remained secret.
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Sonia, Marks' wife who worked as Hannah Weinstein's assistant, was told never to accept registered post in case it was a subpoena to appear at a HUAC hearing.
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The success of Robin Hood led Weinstein to create a further four television series, The Buccaneers, The Adventures of Sir Lancelot, Sword of Freedom and The Four Just Men.
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Hannah Weinstein organized a rally in Madison Square Garden to raise funds for the election of United States senators opposed to the Vietnam War.
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In 1971, Hannah Weinstein founded the Third World Cinema Corporation with Ossie Davis, James Earl Jones and Rita Moreno to produce films with members of minority communities.
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Hannah Weinstein produced the Oscar nominated film Claudine, featuring a cast including Diahann Carroll and James Earl Jones, in a story about an African American family struggling through hard times and racism.
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Hannah Weinstein later produced Greased Lightning and Stir Crazy, both of which star comedian Richard Pryor.
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Hannah Weinstein died at age 72 following a heart attack at her home on Park Avenue, New York City on March 9,1984; services were held at Riverside Memorial Chapel.