In the 1950s, actor and director Lee Grant was one of Hollywood’s most promising talents. But then she was blacklisted for her political beliefs and spent nearly a decade out of work. It wasn’t until the 1960s that she was able to resume her career.
So why was Lee Grant blacklisted?
Grant had been a member of the Communist Party in the 1940s, at a time when membership wasn’t yet illegal. But after the party became associated with anti-Americanism during the Cold War, Grant left it.
However, she didn’t distance herself from other progressive causes. She continued to speak out against racism and sexism, and she supported Henry Wallace’s third-party presidential bid in 1948 (a campaign that many saw as being too close to communism). These activities caught the attention of the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), which began investigating her in the early 1950s.
On December 3, 1947, the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) held hearings in Los Angeles to investigate Communist activity in the motion picture industry. Ten “unfriendly” witnesses, including actors Lee Grant and Edward G. Robinson, were subpoenaed to testify.
Grant was blacklisted after she refused to answer HUAC’s questions about her past political affiliations.
She was later able to resume her career after winning an Academy Award for her performance in Shampoo (1975).
What Did Lee Grant Do?
Lee Grant was an American actress and director. She began her career in the 1950s with a series of supporting roles in films such as “The Little Foxes” and “In the Heat of the Night”. In the 1960s, she won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in “Shampoo”, and went on to receive nominations for her work in “The Sterile Cuckoo” (1969), “They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?” (1969), and “Valentino” (1977).
In addition to her acting career, Grant also directed several documentaries including “Downhill Racer” (1969) and “You’re Gonna Miss Me” (1989).
Did Lee Grant Have Cosmetic Surgery?
Lee Grant is an American actress and director. She has won two Oscars, for her performances in Shampoo (1975) and Voyage of the Damned (1976). Grant began her career in theatre in the 1950s before moving into television and film.
Her early films include The Unguarded Moment (1956) and Touch of Evil (1958). In the 1960s, she moved into more serious roles with films such as The Balcony (1963) and Seconds (1966). She also appeared in Valerie (1969), which was nominated for a BAFTA Award.
Grant has always been open about her appearance and has never denied rumours that she has had cosmetic surgery. In an interview with New York magazine in 1976, she said “I’ve had my face lifted, my eyes done, my teeth capped, my chin implanted. I’ve had every kind of plastic surgery imaginable.” More recently, Grant spoke about her decision to have surgery in an interview with The Telegraph in 2012.
She said “I was never happy with my nose…So I had it fixed.” She also explained that she decided to have a facelift at the age of 72 because she “wanted to look [her] best” for directing gigs. While Grant has been open about undergoing cosmetic surgery, it’s impossible to know exactly what procedures she has had done.
However, based on her comments it seems likely that she has had a rhinoplasty (nose job), blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery), dental work and a facelift.
Conclusion
Lee Grant was an actress who was blacklisted during the McCarthy era. She was accused of being a communist and her career suffered as a result.
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