Cinema: Born Recently

Actress Judy Holliday won Hollywood’s top honor last year for her portrayal of the dumb blonde in Born Yesterday. In answer to a subpoena, Judy made an important personal appearance last March before the Senate Internal Security Subcommittee. Subject of the inquiry: her connection, for the past decade or so, with Communist-front organizations. In making the minutes public last week, the committee drew no conclusions, made no recommendations; but the session sounded as if Oscar-winning Actress Holliday was still skillfully playing the dumb blonde—this time for higher stakes. Excerpts:

Q.: Have you ever on any [occasion other than the Paul Robeson Peekskill riots—TIME, Sept. 5, 1949] sent a telegram protesting or asking for protection for certain groups?

Judy: I once sent a telegram to Washington about something. I think probably to our Senator, but I don’t know just what.

Q.: Which Senator?

Judy: Whoever it was, or maybe it was the President. I do remember it was something about protesting something by telegram to Washington.

Q.: About what? . . .

Judy: I don’t know … It was something that I considered outrageous.

Q.: . . . Affirm or deny that you were among those who sent greetings to the Moscow Art Theater on its soth anniversary . . .

Judy: I sent greetings . . . Do you want to know why I did it? . . .I didn’t send greetings to Moscow. I sent it to actors. To me the Moscow Theater, like the Abbey Players or the Old Vic, have been a theatrical tradition that I have been brought up to respect … It was a wonderful way to show that artists could still respect each other no matter what their political backgrounds were.

Q.: Are you in the habit of sending telegrams to the theatrical groups wishing them well on their first appearance or anything of that sort?

Judy: Only when I feel it … For instance, when the Old Vic came here, I did feel it.

Q.: Old who?

Judy: Old Vic. That’s the old English theater group . . .

Q.: When were you told that [organizations to which Judy had lent her name] were Communists?

Judy: I have been told every day for the past year practically … by Columbia [Pictures], by lawyers, by people that I have hired to investigate me. I wanted to know what I had done.

Q. (in an incredulous tone): You hired people to investigate you?

Judy: I certainly did; because I had gotten into a lot of trouble.

Q.: What do you mean by you had gotten into a lot of trouble?

Judy: Yes . . . When people appealed emotionally as being just, as being democratic, or being a protest against something that was happening that was not democratic, I say yes … I don’t say yes to anything now except cancer, polio, and cerebral palsy, and things like that … I have been awakened to a realization that I have been irresponsible and slightly—more than slightly—stupid. When I was solicited I always simply said, “Oh, isn’t that too bad. Sure, use my name . . .”

Also released last week was the testimony of three other big-name entertainers who have Communist-front histories. Like Judy Holliday, each testified under oath that he was not and never had been a Communist.

¶Television Comedian Sam Levenson, who appeared at his own request to scotch rumors about his loyalty, said: “I would like to say simply . . . that my father and mother came from [Russia] … I was also born on the other side. I am an extremely grateful American citizen … I believe that I cannot survive as a performer under Communism or fascism. . .”

¶Folk Singer Burl Ives admitted that he had performed at many Communist-sponsored gatherings: “I believe that most . . . sounded like very positive and good-things to do. They were known as good causes, so I sang . . .”

¶Actor Philip Loeb said : “I was thrown off the air [The Goldbergs] because my name was in Red Channels … I think my name was connected with all [the Communist or Communist-front organizations j that were in Red Channels.” Question: “Do you think that Communists have laudable purposes?” . . . Loeb: “I don’t approve . . .”