Roland Kibbee (15 February 1914 inMonongahela, Pennsylvania – 5 August 1984 inEncino, California) was an American screenwriter and producer. He was a frequent collaborator and friend of actor-producerBurt Lancaster.[1]
Kibbee began his career writing for radio in 1931, working withJack Lescoulie, and later collaborated withNat Hiken, writing for the seriesThe Grouch Club, which starred Lescoulie. After this, Kibbee worked onFred Allen's staff and wrote forGroucho Marx, before serving in the U.S. Air Force duringWorld War II.[2] Following his military service, he collaborated withJoseph Fields to write the screenplay for theMarx Brothers 1946 filmA Night in Casablanca.[3]
He frequently worked on films forBurt Lancaster, includingThe Crimson Pirate (1952),Vera Cruz (1954),The Devil's Disciple (1959), andValdez Is Coming (1971). For a time they teamed to form "Norlan Productions". Together they wrote, produced and directedThe Midnight Man (1974).
Some of his best-known films wereA Night in Casablanca (1946),The Crimson Pirate (1952),The Appaloosa (1966) andValdez Is Coming (1971).
Prominent TV producer and writerNorman Lear also acknowledged that while he would sometimes do the opening monologues forThe Tennessee Ernie Ford Show, Kibbee was in fact the show's main writer.[4] In a 2015 interview with Variety, Lear credited both Kibbee and Hiken as his two mentors.[4]
He also wrote for TV shows, among themThe Virginian,It Takes a Thief (which he created) andColumbo.
Kibbee wonEmmy awards for his work on the short-lived 1961 seriesThe Bob Newhart Show,Columbo andBarney Miller.[5]
Late in his career, Kibbee co-wrote the book for the 1976Yul Brynner musicalHome Sweet Homer, which closed onBroadway after one performance.[6]
In the early '50s, Kibbee was named as a former member of the Communist party by screenwriterMartin Berkeley along with 155 others.[7] Kibbee had become a member in 1937, "by way of the Hollywood Anti-Nazi League and out three years later by way of the Nazi-Soviet Pact"[8]
He was also named by his colleague andHecht-Lancaster executiveHarold Hecht. Kibbee was then required to testify before the committee which he did, believing to have mostly named those who had named him.[7]
Kibbee broke off with Hecht but continued to work for the company on a freelance basis. He retained his friendship with Lancaster, allegedly warning to distance himself from Hecht.[7] Lancaster had been a vocal critic of theHouse Un-American Activities Committee.
Kibbee is one of the interview subjects inNaming Names, the definitive history of the Hollywood Blacklist by journalistVictor Navasky. The author discovered that like many who had testified, Kibbee was mistaken and had in fact given names that were not previously known to the committee.[8]
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