Freedom of Information Act

FBI famous persons listing

The English political satirist George Orwell was never investigated by the FBI; however, FBI collected 79 pages; their records contain correspondence in 1949 between Orwell’s publisher and J. Edgar Hoover, as well as miscellaneous information regarding him and his published works.

George Orwell AKA of ERIC BLAIR

File No.: 62-69317

Pages: 90 Reviewed, 79 Released, 11 Withheld

FAMOUS PERSONS LISTING (REFRESHED IN 2000)

HISTORICAL INTEREST

American Friends Service Committee — 3,498 pages

This committee was originally formed in the 1920's to send funds for relief efforts to Soviet Russia. The file covers the activities of the Committee from the 1920's through the 1970's.

Clyde A. Tolson — 2,141 pages

This file contains Associate Director Tolson's personnel records and copies of memoranda that were maintained in his office.

Freedom of Information-Privacy Acts

Reference Manual — 846 pages

This manual is used by FBI personnel as a reference guide when processing FBI files under the Freedom of Information-Privacy Acts. It contains copies of the Freedom of Information-Privacy Acts and various other regulations, as well as policy memoranda.

Supreme Court — 3,474 pages

The file contains correspondence between J. Edgar Hoover and Supreme Court Marshals regarding security issues at the Supreme Court and requests for background investigations on Supreme Court employees. The file also contains information concerning cases heard before the Supreme Court that were of specific interest to the FBI.

FAMOUS PERSONS

Martin Dies — 50 pages

This Congressman from Texas was known as the founder of the House Un-American Activities Committee. The file contains correspondence between him and J. Edgar Hoover, as well as the results of investigations regarding potential extortion violations.

Vito Marcantonio — 993 pages

Congressman Marcantonio was the subject of an FBI security matter investigation during the 1940's and 1950's in view of his extensive affiliation with members of the Communist Party and known communist front groups.

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis — 4 pages

This file contains information about coordinating security for a planned trip to Ireland in 1967 by the former First Lady and her children.

Aristotel Onassis — 4,296 pages

In 1954, the FBI investigated Onassis for Fraud Against the Government. He was charged with violating the citizenship provision of the shipping laws which requires that all ships displaying the American flag be owned by United States citizens. Onassis pled guilty and agreed to pay seven million dollars to the United States Government. The file also contains newspaper articles about Onassis and his shipping business.

Jack London — 47 pages

The American author was never the focus of an FBI investigation, but he is mentioned in FBI files as co-founder of the Inter-Collegiate Socialist Society. This society was of interest to the FBI because of its views on socialism.

Roy Wilkins — 967 pages

Roy Wilkins was an influential member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). He was a civil rights advocate who became affiliated with Martin Luther King, Jr. The FBI investigated threats against Wilkins' life and proposed extortion plots.

William Faulkner — 18 pages

The FBI investigated a possible extortion violation in 1957 when the wife of the famous author received several phone calls asking for $500 for certain information about her husband.

George Orwell — 79 pages

The English political satirist was never investigated by the FBI; however, FBI records contain correspondence in 1949 between Orwell's publisher and J. Edgar Hoover, as well as miscellaneous information regarding him and his published works.

Albert Einstein — 1,427 pages

An investigation was conducted by the FBI regarding the famous physicist because of his affiliation with the Communist Party. Einstein was a member, sponsor, or affiliated with thirty-four communist fronts between 1937-1954. He also served as honorary chairman for three communist organizations.

Joseph McCarthy — 4,296 pages

The U.S. Senator, famous for conducting the McCarthy hearings regarding communism in the United States, was never the focus of an FBI investigation. FBI records contain extortion investigations and correspondence between McCarthy and J. Edgar Hoover.

GANGSTER ERA

Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel — 2,421 pages

The FBI investigated the infamous gangster for racketeering, murder, and numerous other criminal activities. Siegel was murdered on June 19, 1947 in Los Angeles, California, at the mansion of Virginia Hill, his mistress. The FBI determined that Bugsy Siegel was responsible, either directly or indirectly, for at least thirty murders.

FAMOUS PERSONS LISTING (FULL LAST LIST)

1. Baker, Josephine 12/17/99
2. Ball, Lucille 1/12/98
3. Black, Hugo 2/25/00
4. Brecht, Bertolt 9/30/99
5. Chavez, Cesar and United Farm Workers 7/9/99
6. Darrow, Clarence 10/29/99
7. Dies, Martin 1/28/00
8. Donovan, William J. 8/31/99
9. DuBois, W. E. B. 8/31/99
10. Einstein, Albert 1/28/00
11. Fard, Wallace D 6/3/98
12. Faulkner, William 1/28/00
13. Flynn, Errol 6/3/98
14. Ford, Henry 12/17/99
15. Hammer, Armand/Occidental Petroleum 9/30/99
16. Hoffman, Abbie (Abbott) 2/25/00
17. Hoover, J. Edgar 9/30/99
18. Kennedy, John F., Jr. 8/17/00
19. Kennedy, Joseph P. 11/30/99
20. Kennedy, Robert F. 8/31/99
21. Lennon, John 6/3/98
22. Levison, Stanley 10/29/99
23. Lewis, John L. 11/30/99
24. Lindbergh, Charles 11/30/99
25. Little, Malcolm X 11/30/99
26. London, Jack 1/28/00
27. Mann, Thomas 2/25/00
28. Mantle, Mickey 6/3/98
29. Marcantonio, Vito 1/28/00
30. Marshall, Thurgood 6/3/98
31. McCarthy, Joseph 1/28/00
32. Monroe, Marilyn 2/15/01
33. Muhammad, Elijah 10/29/99
34. Onassis, Aristotle 1/28/00
35. Onassis, Jacqueline Kennedy 1/28/00
36. Orwell, George 1/28/00
37. Picasso, Pablo 6/3/98
38. Presley, Elvis 7/24/97
39. Purvis, Melvin 10/29/99
40. Reich, Wilhelm 2/25/00
41. Robeson, Paul and Eslanda 6/3/98
42. Robinson, Jackie 7/24/97
43. Rockefeller, Nelson 2/25/00
44. Rogers, Will 6/3/98
45. Roosevelt, Eleanor 4/28/00
46. Rudolph, Arthur 12/17/99
47. Rukeyser, Muriel 2/25/00
48. Sinatra, Frank 4/18/01
49. Spellman, Francis Cardinal 6/3/98
50. Steinbeck, John 9/30/99
51. Von Braun, Wernher 7/30/99
52. Wayne, John 1/12/98
53. Wilkins, Roy 1/28/00
54. Winchell, Walter 7/30/99
55. Windsor, Duke and Duchess 12/9/02
56. Wright, Richard Nathaniel 12/17/99
57. Zwillman, Abner "Longie" 4/28/00