Edition: U.S. / Global

Paul Jarrico, 82, Blacklisted Screenwriter

Published: October 30, 1997

Paul Jarrico, a screenwriter and producer whose blacklisted status in the 1950's limited the distribution of the film ''Salt of the Earth'' until its release on videocassette three decades later, died on Tuesday in a car accident in California. He was 82 and lived in Ojai, Calif.

The California Highway Patrol said that he was killed when his car ran off the Pacific Coast Highway and rammed into a tree.

Mr. Jarrico was driving home from a ceremony marking the 50th anniversary of investigative hearings on Communist influence in Hollywood by the House Committee on Un-American Activities. The hearings led to the labeling of many film writers and directors as ''subversives.'' Those on the blacklist were shunned by the industry and in many cases either left the country or worked under assumed names.

At the anniversary tribute, he and other survivors of the 1947 blacklist received a standing ovation. Representatives of four Hollywood talent guilds offered apologies for their organizations' complicity in what amounted to a witch hunt.

Mr. Jarrico defiantly produced what was considered his crowning achievement, ''Salt of the Earth,'' in 1953, openly using blacklisted talent. The movie chronicled a long strike by Mexican-American zinc miners in New Mexico. It was shown in only a handful of theaters in the United States.

Mr. Jarrico was honored especially for asking that his name continue to be withheld from his work until all others on the blacklist had their credits restored as well.

''He not only challenged the fear and actions of the blacklist era,'' said Daniel Petrie Jr., president of the Writers Guild of America, ''he worked tirelessly to assure that those writers who were denied the credit for their work would have their credits restored.''

''Salt of the Earth'' was written by Michael Wilson, an Academy Award winner, and directed by Herbert Biberman, both of whom were blacklisted. The movie won awards in Europe and was recently listed by the Library of Congress among its films to be preserved for posterity. It was issued on videocassette in 1986 by a small company, Voyager, and quickly gained a following, mainly by word of mouth.

Born in Los Angeles, Mr. Jarrico started writing while still in school and got his first screenwriting job with Columbia Pictures, shortly after graduating from the University of Southern California. He later wrote for various studios, with time out for service in the Merchant Marine in World War II.

His first feature film was ''No Time to Marry'' (1937). He also wrote the Oscar-nominated ''Tom, Dick and Harry'' (1941) and ''The Girl Most Likely,'' a 1957 remake for which he received no credit.

His name was left off ''The Las Vegas Story'' in 1952 after he refused to testify before the House committee. Nor did he receive any credit for ''Five Branded Women'' (1960), or ''Treasure of the Aztecs'' (1965), although he was listed as Peter Achilles in the credits for ''All Night Long'' (1963) and ''Who Killed Johnny Ringo'' (1966).

At the time Mr. Jarrico was working mostly in Europe, where he spent some 20 years. His primary bases were London and Paris, but he also lived in Rome, Berlin, Prague, Zurich and Geneva. After returning to the United States, he lectured and worked as a story editor for television series.

He is survived by his wife, Lia Benedetti, and a son, Bill, of Springfield, Ill.

Photo: Paul Jarrico (The Writers Guild)