I am going to start by recommending a book. The book is Red Star Over Hollywood by Ronald and Allis Radosh. There is also a book called Hollywood Party by Kennedth Billingsley.

The American Communist Party and the Soviet Union say opportunities in Hollywood early in the 1920ths but did not really establish until the Great Depression. In the 1930ths the various craft guilds including the Actors and Writers Guild were organized. The communists were very active in the writers Guild.

The principle things was to provide for names on Common Front petitions on issues such as the Scottsboro boys that the Party was raising. Hollywood was also a source for money. Hollywood writers while they considered themselves overworked where being paid much better than a vast number of Americans during the Great Depression.

More to come.