The McCarthy Era: Hollywood Black List

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The Hollywood Blacklist began in the 1940s and lasted until 1960. Some of the more notable people, celebrities and entertainment industry members who had their careers damaged are listed below. Not listed are the thousands of people who had their lives ruined (some committed suicide) and careers shattered as a result of forces within the government going after unions, homosexuals, teachers, civil rights activists and voices of dissent. Let us learn from this ugly time in our history.

John Garfield, actor

Lena Horne’s civil rights activism and friendship with Paul Robeson and others marked her as a Communist sympathizer. (Public Domain Photo)

Lena Horne’s civil rights activism and
friendship with Paul Robeson and others
marked her as a Communist sympathizer. (Public Domain Photo)

Lena Horne, singer and actress     

Lillian Hellman, playwright and screenwriter

Burl Ives, folk singer and actor

Paul Robeson, singer and actor

Orson Welles was criticised for working with members of the Communist Party such as Marc Blitzstein in the 1930s. (Public Domain Photo)

Orson Welles was criticised for working
with members of the Communist Party
such as Marc Blitzstein in the 1930s. (Public Domain Photo)

Orson Welles, actor, director and writer

Leonard Bernstein, conductor and composer

Eddie Albert, actor 

Josh White, singer, activist and song writer

Harry Belafonte, actor, singer, and activist

Pete Seeger, folk singer

Ossie Davis, actor and activist

Lee J. Cobb, actor

Dolores Del Rio, actor

Howard Da Silva, actor

Howard Fast, writer

José Ferrer, actor

Jerry Fielding, musician and composer,

Jack Gilford, actor and comedian

Barbara Bel Geddes, actor

Ruth Gordon, actor and screenwriter

Lee Grant, actor

Zero Mostel, actor and comedian

Edward G. Robinson, actor

Henry Morgan, actor

Kim Hunter, actor

Arthur Miller was blacklisted by Hollywood when he refused to testify in front of the HUAC. (Public Domain Photo)

Arthur Miller was blacklisted by
Hollywood when he refused to testify in
front of the HUAC. (Public Domain Photo)

Arthur Miller, playwright

John Ireland, actor

Burgess Meredith, actor

Bill Scott, voice actor and cartoon writer

Sam Jaffe, actor

Sam Levene, actor

Judy Holiday, actor and comedian

Bill Melendez, animator and voice actor

Artie Shaw, jazz musician

Ruby Dee, actor, screenwriter, activist

Dashiell Hammett, writer

Langston Hughes, writer

William L. Shirer, journalist and broadcaster (wrote The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich)

Dalton Trumbo, writer   

John Hernandez (785 Posts)

John Hernandez lives in Oracle. He is retired and enjoys writing and traveling. He is active in the Oracle Historical Society. He covers numerous public events, researches historical features and writes business/artist profiles.


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