British writer and politician
Benn Wolfe Levy (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.
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. 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.
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. 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.
Levy's papers are held at the University of Sussex library.
Credits.
Plays.
Plays written by Levy:
Selected filmography.
Director
Screenwriter
References.
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