The McCarthy-era blacklist of the late 1940s and 1950s destroyed several careers, including that of a young actress just starting out in Hollywood. At the height of her achievement, she was rejected not for her actions, but for her relationship with the man she loved.
Her name was unwelcome in the film and television industries for more than a decade, but she refused to fade away. When she finally returned to Hollywood, she rebuilt her career and rose to new heights. Along the way, she fell in love with a man who has been her dedicated partner for decades.
The Hollywood Blacklist: 12 Years of Silence
Her breakthrough performance in “Detective Story” in 1951 gained her critical praise and cemented her place as one of Hollywood’s most promising talents.
However, her marriage to Arnold Manoff, a screenwriter blacklisted for purported Communist affiliations, would wreck her career just as it began.
For 12 years, she was denied film and television roles. Offers dried up, and her promising career was ruined.
Manoff, whom she had married young, was dictatorial and dismissive of her goals. He saw her more as a caregiver for his two children from a previous marriage than as a companion. He belittled her and insisted she stay at home.
Determined to stand up for herself, she accepted the threat, preferring independence to being in a toxic relationship. With her marriage behind her and the blacklist losing its hold on Hollywood, she took the chance to return to the spotlight.
A Resilient Comeback and Hollywood Success
In 1965, she resumed her place in the spotlight by appearing in the hit television series “Peyton Place.” Her performance of Stella Chernak was so captivating that it garnered her an Emmy Award and signaled her triumphant return to Hollywood.
She gave critically lauded performances in “The Landlord” (1970) and “Voyage of the Damned” (1976), garnering Academy Award nods for both.
In 1975, she won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her stunning performance in the cult classic “Shampoo,” co-starring with Warren Beatty.
Her revival went beyond acting. She began directing, focusing on hard-hitting documentaries that garnered her considerable acclaim.
Finding Love with a Younger Husband
She met Joe Feury, a man 12 years her junior whose kind-hearted, easygoing character contrasted sharply with her former husband’s domineering approach.
Unlike her previous marriage, which was plagued with conflict and manipulation, her second spouse regarded her as an equal partner.
As their marriage grew stronger, she defied another Hollywood expectation: she refused to fade away with age, instead inspiring audiences with her beauty and vigor.
Despite these misgivings, she has beaten the odds and is still working as an actress and director in her senior years. Lee Grant’s beauty, despite her advanced age, continues to captivate audiences.
Grant’s journey from Broadway sensation to Oscar-winning icon is one of tenacity, reinvention, and drive to succeed in the face of overwhelming difficulties.
