By Lubna Abdel-Aziz Few among us have seen or even heard of one Edward R Murrow, yet he is considered the patron saint of all broadcasting, author of one of the most important chapters in the history of communications. He was the seminal force in "the creation and development of electronic newsgathering, both as a craft and as a profession." Murrow remains the most distinguished and most renowned figure in the history of American broadcasting journalism, 40 years after his death. While dozens of books have examined, reviewed and praised the legendary broadcaster, the first screen tribute is emerging as one of the major films of the season. Good Night and Good Luck, a title borrowed from Murrow's own sign-off phrase, has garnered endless critical accolades, won several prestigious awards, at the recent Venice and New York Film Festivals, and will soon enchant audiences around the world. The son of a news anchor, actor/director George Clooney grew in the shadow of Dad's idols, and was especially fascinated by the illustrious legendary Edward R Murrow. Good Night and Good Luck chronicles the real live conflicts that took place in the early days of television journalism, from late 1953 to early 1954, between newsman Murrow and Senator Joseph McCarthy and the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) which sought to expose communist influence in American Life. Suspects were accused, tried, and condemned without sufficient cause or evidence, giving rise to a new word McCarthyism, meaning "falsely charged". McCarthy had won a national following fuelled by the nation's frustrations by the public over the Korean war, the Sino/Soviet alliances, and the USSR atomic weapons. "The Red Scare" peaked with the conviction of Alger Hiss and the execution of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg in 1951. A mood of hysteria prevailed, creating general panic over communist subversives, and the witch-hunt for communists by McCarthy began. Murrow waged a fierce battle on the airwaves against McCarthy's hearings and his scare-mongering tactics. The senator responded by accusing Murrow himself of being a communist. The duel was won by Murrow who was instrumental in bringing about the end of the McCarthy inquisition, and the ultimate downfall of McCarthy himself. McCarthy lost the support of the public and was condemned by the Senate for abusing his colleagues, in 1954. He died in 1957, a bitter and disappointed loser. Clooney's docudrama, is shot in black and white, like the 1950s television, with David Strathairn playing Murrow, Clooney, his producer Fred Friendly, and McCarthy playing himself by using newsreel clips obtained from the actual hearings. The film subtly draws parallels between communist fears of yesteryear, and terrorism hysteria of today. Born Egbert Roscoe Murrow in Greensboro, North Carolina in 1908, Egbert changed his name to Edward in college and joined CBS (Columbia Broadcasting Corporation) in 1935. His tenure spanned broadcasting from its infancy to the advent of television in the 1950s, and CBS became the most popular and most trusted news medium. As WW II correspondent, Murrow's overseas radio broadcasts, during the London Blitz and the Battle of Britain, was considered high drama, with bombs exploding in the background. With his rich, full expressive voice, Murrow used the airwaves to inform and comfort a jittery nation during the war years. Back home, aside from taking on McCarthy, he was the first to initiate the celebrity talk show tradition, now rampant on the airwaves. Murrow's "Person to Person" ran for eight years, hosting a wide array of celebrities every Friday evening. He visited the homes of Harry Truman, Marilyn Monroe, John Steinbeck, and Jacqueline Kennedy, among others. Murrow revived the ideals of America's forefathers, of free speech and the sanctity of individual rights and liberties. His persona embodied the virtues of courage, integrity, social responsibility, ever so lacking on today's media scene. Wrote David Halberstam: "Murrow was one of those rare legendary figures who was as good as his myth." He received nine Emmy Awards for his distinguished achievements which numbered 5,000 broadcasts during his 25 year career in broadcasting, and is credited with inventing the tradition of TV news, "setting standards of excellence that remain unsurpassed". It is no wonder then, that the fabulous Clooney, of TV and movie fame, would be passionately drawn to such a media giant. Unlike many of his fellow Hollywoodians, Clooney marches to the beat of a different drummer. What drives him more than fame or fortune is justice, integrity and excellence. The son of a respected journalist, Clooney learned from childhood, to champion good causes. He publicly fought the infamous "paparazzi" institution following the death of Princess Diana, who in turn, punished him by refusing to cover his appearances anywhere. During his filming of Three Kings he is known to have lost his cool and punched director David O Russel for demeaning some extras on the set. He often sacrificed portions of his salary for the privilege of working with certain directors. Despite being the biggest star on the successful medical series E.R. he was the lowest paid regular. Even after achieving enormous success in films, he never held out for better wages, as others have, and honoured his contract to the end, without much fuss. He boycotted the TV tabloid Hard Copy for its provocative behaviour with stars. He fought with the magazine TV Guide for not using a cover picture of ER co-star Eriq La Salle following several photo sessions for that purpose, clearly accusing the magazine of racial discrimination. His most famous activity was organising America -- A Tribute to Heroes following the 11 September attacks, raising $150 million for victims' families, and setting up a major telethon to benefit tsunami victims. He paid a fine for three unknown actors who were expelled from the Screen Actors Guild for defying a strike, while other better known actors were not. Champion of the underdog, and a "good guy" all around, Clooney is gradually developing into an iconic figure in a town now greatly in need of icons. George Timothy Clooney was born in Lexington Kentucky to Nina, a former beauty queen, and Nick a respected news journalist. From both parents he inherited his good looks and his pursuit of excellence. His aunt, the legendary singer Rosemary Clooney, admired her young nephew's comedic talents at family gatherings. When Clooney expressed more interest in baseball than college, aunt Rosie, then married to film actor/director Jose Ferrer, invited her nephew to seek his fortune in Hollywood. While going to auditions, George supported himself by selling insurance, drawing caricatures, and selling lemonade. He was called to audition for Ridley Scott's Thelma and Louise but lost the role to another unknown, Brad Pitt. A notorious practical joker, Clooney paid Pitt back during the filming of Ocean's 11, by soaking Pitt daily with buckets of ice water. With a string of successes behind him including unusual, out of the mainstream choices, like Coen brothers O Brother Where Art Thou, for which he won a Golden Globe Award, and Soderbergh's Out of Sight, Clooney turned his attention to directing. His first attempt Confessions of a Dangerous Mind was a critical success, with all his buddies popping up to give him a helping hand. His second effort, Good Night and Good Luck had critics raving. Clooney spends most of his non-working days at his recently purchased villa, overlooking Lake Como in Italy. Once married, he has dated some of Hollywood's belles including Charlize Theron and Renée Zellwegger, but remains a confirmed bachelor. Where does George Clooney go from here? Only to bigger and better things with personal and professional integrity as his major virtues. There is no stopping the rise of this rare filmmaker, who could have chosen to depend entirely on his killer looks, but prefers projects with substance and significance instead: "I want to be involved in films that have staying power." Amen! "We will not walk in fear one of another, ' The fault dear Brutus is not in our stars, but in ourselves. ' Good night, and Good Luck." Edward R Murrow (1908-1965) See it Now, CBS Program, 1954
