Helen Whitney
Encyclopedia
Helen Whitney is an award-winning producer for the American Broadcasting Company
.
She produced a documentary called American Inquisition, which became the subject of a very famous case about First Amendment
rights. The piece examined how McCarthyism
had affected the small town of Fairmont, West Virginia
.
Victor Lasky
, "the rightwing journalist" who rose to prominence in the McCarthy era, sued ABC
over his depicition in the show.
The central issue was whether Lasky had accused Luella Mundel
at an American Legion
meeting in 1951 of being a Communist. Mundel was the head of the art department of Fairmont State College in Fairmont, West Virginia
.
In this environment, the question alone led to her termination and blacklisting. She later attempted suicide. Lasky maintained that the program inaccurately reported that he had called Mundel a Communist.
Her latest documentary, The Mormons, aired nationally on PBS
on April 30 and May 1, 2007.
Other work includes the following documentaries:
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
.
She produced a documentary called American Inquisition, which became the subject of a very famous case about First Amendment
First Amendment to the United States Constitution
The First Amendment to the United States Constitution is part of the Bill of Rights. The amendment prohibits the making of any law respecting an establishment of religion, impeding the free exercise of religion, abridging the freedom of speech, infringing on the freedom of the press, interfering...
rights. The piece examined how McCarthyism
McCarthyism
McCarthyism is the practice of making accusations of disloyalty, subversion, or treason without proper regard for evidence. The term has its origins in the period in the United States known as the Second Red Scare, lasting roughly from the late 1940s to the late 1950s and characterized by...
had affected the small town of Fairmont, West Virginia
Fairmont, West Virginia
Fairmont is a city in Marion County, West Virginia, United States. Nicknamed "The Friendly City". The population was 18,704 at the 2010 census...
.
Victor Lasky
Victor Lasky
Victor Lasky was a conservative columnist in the United States who wrote several best-selling books. He was syndicated by North American Newspaper Alliance.-Life:...
, "the rightwing journalist" who rose to prominence in the McCarthy era, sued ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
over his depicition in the show.
The central issue was whether Lasky had accused Luella Mundel
Luella Mundel
Luella Mundel was the subject of a documentary by Helen Whitney called American Inquisition. The program examined how McCarthyism had affected the small town of Fairmont, West Virginia. Victor Lasky, "the rightwing journalist" who rose to prominence in the McCarthy era, sued ABC over his...
at an American Legion
American Legion
The American Legion is a mutual-aid organization of veterans of the United States armed forces chartered by the United States Congress. It was founded to benefit those veterans who served during a wartime period as defined by Congress...
meeting in 1951 of being a Communist. Mundel was the head of the art department of Fairmont State College in Fairmont, West Virginia
Fairmont, West Virginia
Fairmont is a city in Marion County, West Virginia, United States. Nicknamed "The Friendly City". The population was 18,704 at the 2010 census...
.
In this environment, the question alone led to her termination and blacklisting. She later attempted suicide. Lasky maintained that the program inaccurately reported that he had called Mundel a Communist.
Her latest documentary, The Mormons, aired nationally on PBS
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
on April 30 and May 1, 2007.
Other work includes the following documentaries:
- Faith and Doubt at Ground Zero (PBS Frontline, 120 minutes)
- John Paul II: The Millennial Pope (PBS Frontline, 150 minutes)
- The Choice '96- (PBS Frontline, 120 minutes)
- Richard Avedon: Darkness and Light (PBS American Masters, 90 minutes)
- Society: Class In Great Britain (Turner Network, 60 minutes)
- They Have Souls Too (ABC Close-Up, 60 minutes)
- American Inquisition (ABC Close-Up, 60 minutes)
- The Monastery (ABC Close-Up, 90 minutes)
- Homosexuals (ABC Close-Up, 60 minutes)
- Youth Terror: The View From Behind The Gun (ABC Close-Up, 60 minutes)
- First EditionFirst Edition (film)First Edition is a 1977 short documentary film directed by Helen Whitney. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Short....
(PBS, 30 minutes)
See also
- List of prominent cases argued by Floyd Abrams
- Luella MundelLuella MundelLuella Mundel was the subject of a documentary by Helen Whitney called American Inquisition. The program examined how McCarthyism had affected the small town of Fairmont, West Virginia. Victor Lasky, "the rightwing journalist" who rose to prominence in the McCarthy era, sued ABC over his...
- Victor LaskyVictor LaskyVictor Lasky was a conservative columnist in the United States who wrote several best-selling books. He was syndicated by North American Newspaper Alliance.-Life:...