Born in New York City. Novelist and screenwriter who entered American film with Charles Vidor's BLIND ALLEY (1939) at Columbia. After WW II, his credits include AN ACT OF MURDER and THE DARK PAST (1948), HALLS OF MONTEZUMA (1951), MY SIX CONVICTS (1952), THE JUGGLER (1953, also novel and assoc. producer), THE CAINE MUTINY (1954, add'l dialogue), UNTAMED (1955), TRIBUTE TO A BAD MAN (1956, story), THE VINTAGE (1957) and THE PLAINSMAN (1966). Blankfort served as president of the Writers Guild of America, West from 1967-1969.  Nominated for Writing (Screenplay) 1950: BROKEN ARROW (as a front for Albert Maltz) Originally, Blankfort had been listed for this nomination. Blankfort fronted for Maltz who was a blacklisted writer at the time. Following research by the Writers Guild of America West in July 1991, the Academy officially attributed the nomination to Maltz and removed Blankfort. 1 nomination, subseqently unattributed