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{{Short description|British writer and politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2012}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2021}}
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[[File:Benn W. Levy-Constance Cummings still 1.jpg|thumb|Benn Levy and [[Constance Cummings]] in 1935]]
{{Infobox officeholder
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'''Benn Wolfe Levy'''<ref>http://www.leighrayment.com/commons/Ecommons2.htm</ref> (7 March 1900 – 7 December 1973) was a [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]] [[Member of Parliament]] in the [[British House of Commons|House of Commons]] of the [[Parliament of the United Kingdom]], and a successful playwright. He was educated at [[Repton School]] and [[University College, Oxford]] and served in uniform in both World Wars.
| name = Benn Wolfe Levy
| image = Benn W. Levy-Constance Cummings still 1.jpg
⚫
| caption = Benn Levy and [[Constance Cummings]] in 1935
| constituency_MP = Eton and Slough
| term_start = 26 July 1945
| term_end = 3 February 1950
| predecessor = ''Constituency established''
| successor = [[Fenner Brockway]]
| birth_date = {{birth date|1900|3|7|df=yes}}
| death_date = {{death date and age|1973|12|7|1900|3|7|df=yes}}
| party = [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]
| spouse = {{marriage|[[Constance Cummings]]|1933}}
| children = 2
}}
⚫
'''Benn Wolfe Levy'''<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.leighrayment.com/commons/Ecommons2.htm |title=Archived copy |access-date=16 August 2010 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171129230526/http://www.leighrayment.com/commons/Ecommons2.htm |archive-date=29 November 2017 }}</ref> (7 March 1900 – 7 December 1973) was a [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]] [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]] in the [[British House of Commons|House of Commons]] (1945–1950), and a successful playwright. He was educated at [[Repton School]] and [[University College, Oxford]] and served in uniform in both World Wars.


==Playwright and parliamentarian==
==Playwright and parliamentarian==
Before entering politics, Levy was a successful playwright who also wrote screenplays. The best known of his screenplays, for [[James Whale]]'s macabre horror film ''[[The Old Dark House]]'' (1932), was written in collaboration with [[R. C. Sherriff]], based on the novel ''Benighted'' (1927) by [[J. B. Priestley]]. Earlier he had been the dialogue writer for ''[[Blackmail (1929 film)|Blackmail]]'' (1929); directed by [[Alfred Hitchcock]], it was the first British sound film.<ref name=nytimes>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1973/12/08/archives/benn-w-levy-73-playwright-dies-stage-and-film-director-served-as-a.html|title=Benn W. Levy, 73, Playwright, Dies|first=Special To the New York|last=Times|date=8 December 1973|publisher=|via=NYTimes.com}}</ref> Levy directed one film, ''[[Lord Camber's Ladies]]'' (1932), which was the only film produced by Hitchcock which he did not himself direct.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.screenonline.org.uk/film/id/439585/index.html|title=BFI Screenonline: Lord Camber's Ladies (1933)|website=www.screenonline.org.uk}}</ref>
Before entering politics, Levy was a successful playwright and screenwriter. He was the dialogue writer for ''[[Blackmail (1929 film)|Blackmail]]'' (1929); directed by [[Alfred Hitchcock]], it was the first British sound film.<ref name=nytimes>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1973/12/08/archives/benn-w-levy-73-playwright-dies-stage-and-film-director-served-as-a.html|title=Benn W. Levy, 73, Playwright, Dies|date=8 December 1973|work=The New York Times}}</ref> Later, he wrote the adapted screenplay for [[James Whale]]'s macabre horror film ''[[The Old Dark House (1932 film)|The Old Dark House]]'' (1932) in collaboration with [[R. C. Sherriff]], based on the novel ''Benighted'' (1927) by [[J. B. Priestley]]. Levy directed one film, ''[[Lord Camber's Ladies]]'' (1932), which was the only film produced by Hitchcock which he did not himself direct.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.screenonline.org.uk/film/id/439585/index.html|title=BFI Screenonline: Lord Camber's Ladies (1933)|website=screenonline.org.uk}}</ref>


Levy was first elected at the [[United Kingdom general election, 1945|1945 general election]], for the [[Eton and Slough (UK Parliament constituency)|Eton and Slough]] constituency, and stood down at the [[United Kingdom general election, 1950|1950 general election]]. Politically, Levy was on the left of the Labour Party and became an active member of the [[Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament]]).<ref name=nytimes/> As a sympathiser with the [[Zionist movement]], he also opposed Foreign Secretary [[Ernest Bevin]] over Bevin's policies towards [[Mandatory Palestine|Palestine]] and [[Israel]].
Levy was first elected at the [[1945 United Kingdom general election|1945 general election]], for the [[Eton and Slough (UK Parliament constituency)|Eton and Slough]] constituency, and stood down at the [[1950 United Kingdom general election|1950 general election]]. Politically, Levy was on the left of the Labour Party and later became an active member of the [[Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament]].<ref name=nytimes/> As a sympathiser with the [[Zionist movement]], he also opposed Foreign Secretary [[Ernest Bevin]] over Bevin's policies towards [[Mandatory Palestine|Palestine]] and [[Israel]].


As an MP, Levy made an unsuccessful effort to abolish theatrical censorship in Britain, and towards the end of his life, he was the principal author of a report opposing the arguments for censorship made by [[Frank Pakenham, 7th Earl of Longford|Lord Longford]], the anti-pornography campaigner. He was married for more than 40 years to the American-born screen and stage actress [[Constance Cummings]]; they had one daughter and one son.<ref name=nytimes/>
As an MP, Levy made an unsuccessful effort to abolish theatrical censorship in Britain, and towards the end of his life, he was the principal author of a report opposing the arguments for censorship made by [[Frank Pakenham, 7th Earl of Longford|Lord Longford]], the anti-pornography campaigner. He was married for more than 40 years to the American-born screen and stage actress [[Constance Cummings]]; the couple had one daughter and one son.<ref name=nytimes/>


Levy's papers are held at the [[University of Sussex]] library.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thekeep.info/collections/getrecord/GB181_SxMs37|title=The Keep News and Blog|website=The Keep}}</ref>
Levy's papers are held at the [[University of Sussex]] library.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thekeep.info/collections/getrecord/GB181_SxMs37|title=The Keep News and Blog|website=The Keep|access-date=22 February 2018|archive-date=26 September 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180926205630/http://www.thekeep.info/collections/getrecord/GB181_SxMs37|url-status=dead}}</ref>


==Credits==
==Credits==
===Plays===
===Plays===
Plays written by Levy:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.doollee.com/PlaywrightsL/levy-benn-w.html|title=doollee.com - the playwrights database of modern plays|website=www.doollee.com}}</ref><ref>{{IBDB name|id=4483}}</ref>
Plays written by Levy:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.doollee.com/PlaywrightsL/levy-benn-w.html|title=doollee.com – the playwrights database of modern plays|website=doollee.com|access-date=12 February 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080706192505/http://www.doollee.com/PlaywrightsL/levy-benn-w.html|archive-date=6 July 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{IBDB name|id=4483}}</ref>
*''This Woman Business'' - 1925
*''This Woman Business'' (1925)
*''Mud and Treacle'' - 1928
*''Mud and Treacle'' (1928)
*''A Man with Red Hair'' - 1928
*''A Man with Red Hair'' (1928)
*''Mrs Moonlight'' - 1928
*''Mrs Moonlight'' (1928)
*''Art and Mrs Bottle'' - 1929
*''Art and Mrs Bottle'' (1929)
*''Topaz'' - 1930
*''Topaz'' (1930)
*''Ever Green'' - 1930
*''[[Ever Green]]'' (1930)
*''Springtime for Henry'' - 1931
*''Springtime for Henry'' (1931)
*''Hollywood Holiday'' - with [[John van Druten]], 1931
*''[[Hollywood Holiday]]'' with [[John van Druten]] (1931)
*''The Devil Passes'' - 1932
*''The Devil Passes'' (1932)
*''Young Madame Conti'' - with [[Hubert Griffiths]], 1936
*''Young Madame Conti'' with [[Hubert Griffiths]] (1936)
*''Madame Bovary'' - 1937
*''Madame Bovary'' (1937)
*''If I Were You'' - 1938
*''If I Were You'' (1938)
*''The Jealous God'' - 1939
*''The Jealous God'' (1939)
*''Clutterbuck'' - 1946
*''Clutterbuck'' (1946)
*''Rape of the Belt'' - 1957
* ''[[Return to Tyassi]]'' (1950)
*''Rape of the Belt'' (1957)


===Selected filmography===
===Selected filmography===
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* ''[[Lord Camber's Ladies]]'' (1932) produced by [[Alfred Hitchcock]]
* ''[[Lord Camber's Ladies]]'' (1932) produced by [[Alfred Hitchcock]]
'''Screenwriter'''
'''Screenwriter'''
* ''[[The Hate Ship ]]'' (1929)
* ''[[The Hate Ship]]'' (1929)
* ''[[The Informer (1929 film)|The Informer]]'' (1929)
* ''[[The Informer (1929 film)|The Informer]]'' (1929)
* ''[[Waterloo Bridge (1931 film)|Waterloo Bridge]]'' (1931), directed by [[James Whale]]
* ''[[Devil and the Deep]]'' (1932)
* ''[[Devil and the Deep]]'' (1932)
* ''[[The Old Dark House]]'' (1932) directed by [[James Whale]]
* ''[[The Old Dark House (1932 film)|The Old Dark House]]'' (1932), directed by James Whale
* ''[[Topaze (1933 American film)|Topaze]]'' (1933) directed by [[Harry d'Abbadie d'Arrast]]
* ''[[Topaze (1933 American film)|Topaze]]'' (1933) directed by [[Harry d'Abbadie d'Arrast]]
* ''[[Unfinished Symphony (film)|Unfinished Symphony]]'' (1934) directed by [[Anthony Asquith]]
* ''[[Unfinished Symphony (film)|Unfinished Symphony]]'' (1934) directed by [[Anthony Asquith]]
* ''[[The Dictator (1935 film)|The Dictator]]'' (1935) directed by [[Victor Saville]]


==References==
==References==
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== External links ==
== External links ==
{{Commons category|Benn W. Levy}}
{{Commons category|Benn W. Levy}}
* {{imdb name|506349}}
*[https://archive.org/download/Lux04/Lux_39-06-26_Mrs_Moonlight.mp3 ''Mrs. Moonlight''] on [[Lux Radio Theater]]: 26 June 1939
*[https://archive.org/download/Lux04/Lux_39-06-26_Mrs_Moonlight.mp3 ''Mrs. Moonlight''] on [[Lux Radio Theater]]: 26 June 1939
*[https://archive.org/download/Romance_339/Romance43-08-30020MrsMoonlight.mp3 ''Mrs. Moonlight''] on '''Theater of Romance:''' 30 August 1943
*[https://archive.org/download/Romance_339/Romance43-08-30020MrsMoonlight.mp3 ''Mrs. Moonlight''] on '''Theater of Romance:''' 30 August 1943
* {{Hansard-contribs | mr-benn-levy | Benn Levy }}
* {{Hansard-contribs | mr-benn-levy | Benn Levy }}
*[https://archives.parliament.uk/collections/getrecord/GB61_LEV Parliamentary Archives, Papers of Benn Wolfe Levy, MP MBE (1900–1973)]

{{S-start}}
{{S-start}}
{{s-par|uk}}
{{s-par|uk}}
{{s-new | constituency }}
{{s-new | constituency }}
{{s-ttl
{{s-ttl
| title = [[Member of Parliament]] for [[Eton and Slough (UK Parliament constituency)|Eton and Slough]]
| title = [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]] for [[Eton and Slough (UK Parliament constituency)|Eton and Slough]]
| years = [[United Kingdom general election, 1945|1945]]&ndash;[[United Kingdom general election, 1950|1950]]
| years = [[1945 United Kingdom general election|1945]]–[[1950 United Kingdom general election|1950]]
}}
}}
{{s-aft | after = [[Fenner Brockway, Baron Brockway|Fenner Brockway]] }}
{{s-aft | after = [[Fenner Brockway, Baron Brockway|Fenner Brockway]] }}
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[[Category:1900 births]]
[[Category:1900 births]]
[[Category:1973 deaths]]
[[Category:1973 deaths]]
[[Category:UK MPs 1945–50]]
[[Category:UK MPs 1945–1950]]
[[Category:Royal Air Force personnel of World War I]]
[[Category:Royal Air Force personnel of World War I]]
[[Category:Royal Navy personnel of World War II]]
[[Category:Royal Navy personnel of World War II]]
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[[Category:Alumni of University College, Oxford]]
[[Category:Alumni of University College, Oxford]]
[[Category:British dramatists and playwrights]]
[[Category:British dramatists and playwrights]]
[[Category:Jewish British politicians]]

Latest revision as of 16:26, 14 October 2023

Benn Wolfe Levy
Benn Levy and Constance Cummings in 1935
Member of Parliament
for Eton and Slough
In office
26 July 1945 – 3 February 1950
Preceded byConstituency established
Succeeded byFenner Brockway
Personal details
Born(1900-03-07)7 March 1900
Died7 December 1973(1973-12-07) (aged 73)
Political partyLabour
Spouse
​
(m. 1933)​
Children2

Benn Wolfe Levy[1] (7 March 1900 – 7 December 1973) was a Labour Party Member of Parliament in the House of Commons (1945–1950), and a successful playwright. He was educated at Repton School and University College, Oxford and served in uniform in both World Wars.

Playwright and parliamentarian[edit]

Before entering politics, Levy was a successful playwright and screenwriter. He was the dialogue writer for Blackmail (1929); directed by Alfred Hitchcock, it was the first British sound film.[2] Later, he wrote the adapted screenplay for James Whale's macabre horror film The Old Dark House (1932) in collaboration with R. C. Sherriff, based on the novel Benighted (1927) by J. B. Priestley. Levy directed one film, Lord Camber's Ladies (1932), which was the only film produced by Hitchcock which he did not himself direct.[3]

Levy was first elected at the 1945 general election, for the Eton and Slough constituency, and stood down at the 1950 general election. Politically, Levy was on the left of the Labour Party and later became an active member of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament.[2] As a sympathiser with the Zionist movement, he also opposed Foreign Secretary Ernest Bevin over Bevin's policies towards Palestine and Israel.

As an MP, Levy made an unsuccessful effort to abolish theatrical censorship in Britain, and towards the end of his life, he was the principal author of a report opposing the arguments for censorship made by Lord Longford, the anti-pornography campaigner. He was married for more than 40 years to the American-born screen and stage actress Constance Cummings; the couple had one daughter and one son.[2]

Levy's papers are held at the University of Sussex library.[4]

Credits[edit]

Plays[edit]

Plays written by Levy:[5][6]

  • This Woman Business (1925)
  • Mud and Treacle (1928)
  • A Man with Red Hair (1928)
  • Mrs Moonlight (1928)
  • Art and Mrs Bottle (1929)
  • Topaz (1930)
  • Ever Green (1930)
  • Springtime for Henry (1931)
  • Hollywood Holiday with John van Druten (1931)
  • The Devil Passes (1932)
  • Young Madame Conti with Hubert Griffiths (1936)
  • Madame Bovary (1937)
  • If I Were You (1938)
  • The Jealous God (1939)
  • Clutterbuck (1946)
  • Return to Tyassi (1950)
  • Rape of the Belt (1957)

Selected filmography[edit]

Director

Screenwriter

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 29 November 2017. Retrieved 16 August 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  2. ^ a b c "Benn W. Levy, 73, Playwright, Dies". The New York Times. 8 December 1973.
  3. ^ "BFI Screenonline: Lord Camber's Ladies (1933)". screenonline.org.uk.
  4. ^ "The Keep News and Blog". The Keep. Archived from the original on 26 September 2018. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
  5. ^ "doollee.com – the playwrights database of modern plays". doollee.com. Archived from the original on 6 July 2008. Retrieved 12 February 2008.
  6. ^ Benn Levy at the Internet Broadway Database

External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Benn W. Levy.
Parliament of the United Kingdom
New constituency Member of Parliament for Eton and Slough
1945–1950 		Succeeded by
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Benn_Levy&oldid=1180112508"