Biography

Henry Blankfort, 90, a screenwriter who became a publicist after he was blacklisted during the McCarthy era. A native of New York, Blankfort moved to Los Angeles in 1936 and three years later became director of the Hollywood Theater Alliance, where he co-wrote its "Meet the People. " He wrote or co-wrote 25 screenplays, including "Tales of Manhattan" and "Double Exposure. " During World War II, Blankfort made military films for the Signal Corps. His show business career ended after he refused in 1951 to testify before the House Committee on Un-American Activities, which was seeking information on Communists in Hollywood.