The end of the blacklist took more than a decade, and involved a lot of people, including President John F. Kennedy. The process also weakened the production code and dissolved the studio system. Afterward, some victims of the blacklist struggled to move on. www.youmustrememberthispodcast.com
Lucille LeSueur Goes to Hollywood
Lucille LeSueur, raised in midwestern poverty, was brassy and beautiful, tough and smart. She traded sexual favors on the path to becoming movie star Joan Crawford. When she arrived in Hollywood, the town was ruled by a king and queen: Lucille’s future future in-laws Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks. www.youmustrememberthispodcast.com
The Blacklist: Born Yesterday: Judy Holliday
Judy Holliday won an Oscar for her first starring film role, “Born Yesterday.” She was idiosyncratic and unique, which made her memorable, but it also made for a short career at a time when conformity was equated with safety. www.youmustrememberthispodcast.com
The Blacklist: Lena Horne + Paul Robeson
During the Communist witch-hunts, Lena Horne was forced to choose between her career and her friendships — including her relationship with her mentor and friend Paul Robeson, the “singer, actor and political firebrand.” [You Must Remember This podcast] www.youmustrememberthispodcast.com
The Blacklist: On the Waterfront: Elia Kazan
Elia Kazan eventually decided that naming names before the House Un-American Activities Committee was the lesser of two evils, but he hated the decision the rest of his life. [You Must Remember This podcast] www.youmustrememberthispodcast.com
The Blacklist: The Trials of the Hollywood Ten
In 1947, ten “unfriendly” witnesses refused to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee about Communism in Hollywood. They believed the Constitution would protect them. www.youmustrememberthispodcast.com