▁June ▁ 2 6 , ▁ 1 9 8 4 ) ▁was ▁an ▁American ▁screen writer ▁and ▁film ▁producer ▁who ▁wrote ▁the ▁award - win ning ▁films ▁The ▁Bridge ▁on ▁the ▁River ▁K w ai ▁and ▁High ▁No on , ▁among ▁others . ▁He ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁screen writ ers ▁who ▁were ▁black list ed ▁in ▁Hollywood ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 0 s ▁because ▁of ▁their ▁sus pected ▁commun ist ▁sympathy ▁or ▁membership ▁in ▁the ▁Commun ist ▁Party . ▁ ▁He ▁once ▁said ▁his ▁most ▁common ▁theme ▁was ▁" the ▁struggle ▁of ▁the ▁individual ▁against ▁a ▁society ▁that ▁for ▁one ▁reason ▁or ▁another ▁is ▁host ile ." ▁He ▁elabor ated ▁that ▁" the ▁stories ▁that ▁work ▁best ▁for ▁me ▁involve ▁a ▁lon er , ▁out ▁of ▁step ▁or ▁in ▁direct ▁conflict ▁with ▁a ▁group ▁of ▁people ." ▁ ▁Biography ▁Born ▁in ▁Chicago , ▁Illinois , ▁to ▁a ▁working - class ▁Jewish ▁family , ▁he ▁was ▁the ▁son ▁of ▁F anny ▁( R oz in ) ▁and ▁Is id ore ▁For eman . ▁▁ ▁He ▁studied ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Illinois . ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 4 ▁at ▁age ▁ 1 9 ▁he ▁quit ▁college ▁to ▁go ▁to ▁Hollywood . ▁" I ▁was ▁mostly ▁on ▁the ▁b um ▁and ▁saw ▁the ▁unders ide ▁of ▁Hollywood ," ▁he ▁later ▁said . ▁ ▁He ▁soon ▁returned ▁to ▁Chicago ▁and ▁attended ▁the ▁John ▁J . ▁Marshall ▁School ▁of ▁Law , ▁working ▁at ▁a ▁gro c ery ▁store ▁to ▁ear n ▁money . ▁