What Makes Sammy Run?

What Makes Sammy Run? by Budd Schulberg was first published in 1941. Set in the mid to late 1930s, it follows the rise of the ruthless and clever Sammy Glick through Hollywood. Schulberg was himself a screenwriter, and was the son of a powerful Hollywood producer. Written as an analysis of the power-hungry nature of many Hollywood executives, Schulberg faced a significant amount of pushback against the novel both before and after it was published. Though Schulberg himself was Jewish, many accused him of antisemitism due to the ruthless Sammy being Jewish. Schulberg argued against this criticism, citing the fact that the majority of his characters (and the majority of Sammy’s victims) were also Jewish, and that Sammy was not a one note caricature, but a complex psychological study.

This study guide uses the 1941 Random House edition.

Content Warning: This book contains instances of sexist, racist, and ableist language and attitudes typical to the period. There are also discussions of antisemitism and the rise of fascism in the lead up to World War II.

Plot Summary

The novel’s narrator, Al Manheim, is working as a Broadway reviewer at a New York newspaper when Sammy Glick is hired as the new copy clerk.