Obituary: Paul Jarrico

The screenwriter Paul Jarrico was one of Hollywood's unsung heroes, writes Adrian Turner [further to the obituary by Dick Vosburgh, 5 November].

When I was writing a book about the making of David Lean's Lawrence of Arabia, Jarrico gave me access to the private papers of his brother-in-law Michael Wilson, who had preceded Robert Bolt as the screenwriter on Lean's picture. My research, along with that of several other film historians, became part of Jarrico's campaign to persuade Columbia Pictures to give Wilson joint screen credit along with Bolt.

Because Bolt was still alive, Jarrico's campaign was brushed aside, but after Bolt's death in 1995 Jarrico's polite but always persistent pressure finally paid off: Wilson was awarded a posthumous Oscar nomination and Columbia gave a public assurance that Wilson's name would be incorporated into the credits of the picture.

Jarrico, a small-framed man of immense charm and integrity, had won what may have been the last significant battle against the blacklist.