Leonardo Bercovici

{{Infobox person

| name = Leonardo Bercovici

| birth_date = January 4, 1908

| birth_place = Brooklyn, New York, US

| death_date = November 22, 1995

| death_place = Los Angeles, California, US

| occupation = Screenwriter

| years_active = 1935–1995

| spouse = Frances Ellis (married ?–1951)

Märta Torén (married 1952–1957)

| children = at least two, including Eric Bercovici

| relatives = Konrad Bercovici (uncle)

Luca Bercovici (grandson)

}}

Leonardo Bercovici (January 4, 1908 – November 22, 1995) was an American screenwriter, film director, and producer.

Blacklisting and aftermath

Bercovici was called to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee and blacklisted.{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-11-23-mn-6341-story.html|title=Leonardo Bercovici; Screenwriter Blacklisted During McCarthy Era|date=1995-11-23|website=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US|access-date=2020-01-13}} He was named by Edward Dmytryk and Richard Collins. On May 16, 1951, he swore he was not a member of the Communist Party, but invoked his fifth amendment right to incriminate himself when he was asked whether he had been a member in the past.{{Cite news|url=http://www.proquest.com|title=3 Movie Witnesses Defy House Group: Writer, Actor and Secretary Refuse to Answer Questions on Any Past Red Ties|last=Trussell|first=C.P.|date=1951-05-17|work=The New York Times|access-date=2020-01-13|via=Proquest Historical Newspapers|url-access=subscription}} He moved to Europe and worked in the European film industry until about 1958, when it was announced he would write the Tyrone Power film Two Against Tomorrow, but Power's death ended the project.{{Cite web|url=http://www.screeningthepast.com/2013/05/tender-comrades-a-backstory-of-the-hollywood-blacklist/|title=Tender Comrades: A Backstory of the Hollywood Blacklist|website=www.screeningthepast.com|access-date=2020-01-14}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.proquest.com|title=Schary Affirms Screen Project; Plans Return with Miss Lonelyhearts; Bercovici Due Back as Scenarist|last=Pryor|first=Thomas M.|date=1958-03-18|work=The New York Times|access-date=2020-01-13|via=Proquest Historical Newspapers|url-access=subscription}}

Personal life

Bercovici was the son of Joseph Bercovici, brother of Konrad Bercovici. He first married Frances Ellis; she died in an apparent suicide on May 23, 1951, while Bercovici was being investigated for Communist activities.{{Cite news|url=http://www.proquest.com|title=Death of Writer's Wife Studied|date=2020-01-13|work=The New York Times|access-date=2020-01-13|via=Proquest Historical Newspapers|url-access=subscription}}

Bercovici married Swedish stage and film actress Märta Torén in June 1952;{{Cite news|url=http://www.proquest.com|title=Marta Toren to Be Bride|date=1952-06-11|work=The New York Times|access-date=2020-01-13|via=Proquest Historical Newspapers|url-access=subscription}} she died in 1957. They had one daughter, Kristina.{{Cite news|url=http://www.proquest.com|title=Marta Toren, Actress, Is Dead; Swedish Film and Stage Star, 30|date=1957-02-20|work=The New York Times|access-date=2020-01-13|via=Proquest Historical Newspapers|url-access=subscription}}

His son Eric Bercovici became a screenwriter and producer, as did Bercovici's grandson, Luca Bercovici.{{Citation needed|date=January 2020}}

Selected credits

= Film =

class="wikitable sortable"

!Title

!Year

!Role(s)

The Preacher's Wife

|1996

|Earlier screenplay The Bishop's Wife

Story of a Woman

|1970

|Director, Producer, Writer

Square of Violence

|1961

|Director, Producer, Writer

Under Ten Flags

|1960

|Screenplay – Originally uncredited

Torment of Love

|1956

|Director Writer

Monsoon

|1952

|Writer

Kiss the Blood off My Hands

|1948

|Writer

Portrait of Jennie

|1948

|Adaptation

The Lost Moment

|1947

|Writer

The Bishop's Wife

|1947

|Writer

Moss Rose

|1947

|Contributor to screenplay construction – uncredited

Chasing Danger

|1939

|Story

Racket Busters

|1938

|Original screenplay

Prison Train

|1938

|Story

= Television =

class="wikitable sortable"

!Title

!Year

!Episode

!Role

Police Story

|1976

|"Payment Deferred"

|Story

Ironside

|1975

|"A Matter of Life or Death

|Story

Petrocelli

|1974

|"The Golden Cage

|Story

The Streets of San Francisco

|1974

|"Cry Help!"

|Story

Police Story

|1974

|"Fathers and Sons"

|Story

TV de Vanguarda

|1955

|"O Momento Perdido"

|Undetermined

= Theatre =

class="wikitable"

!Title

!Year

!Role

!Notes

Gabrielle

|1941

|Written by

|Based on Tristan by Thomas Mann){{Cite news|url=http://www.proquest.com|title=The Play: Leonardo Bercovici's 'Gabrielle' Is Based on Thomas Mann's Short Story 'Tristan'|last=Atkinson|first=Brooks|date=1941-03-26|work=The New York Times|access-date=2020-01-13|via=Proquest Historical Newspapers|url-access=subscription}}

The Holmeses of Baker Street

|1936–1937

|Adapted by

Substitute for Murder

|1935

|Written by