15 Artists That Were Blacklisted as Communists by the American Government

Craig Davies for Art-Sheep

When one thinks of Hollywood in the ’40s and ’50s, it’s easy to imagine pin-up, glamour and historical stars and movies, such as Rita Hayworth and Casablanca, however, there was a flip side to the industry’s fame and allure, as the war had managed to taint even the artistic milieu. During this era, exhibiting Communist tendencies or inclinations was enough reason to cause the end of one’s career. To be featured in the blacklists created to mark individuals as leftists had resulted in a big number of artists being banned from playing in, virtually, every medium available, from film to TV to the radio, sometimes only on the basis of rumors and allegations.

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A total of 151 professionals blacklisted and named by Counterattack, a right-wing journal, were forced to either cease their careers for a period of time before resuming them, like Lena Horne, and others, such as John Garfield, had their careers terminated for life. The lists were comprised of artists from a variety of different professions: actors, poets, journalists, musicians and authors, with very notable personalities included, namely, Arthur Miller, Langston Hughes and Orson Welles.

Burl Ives: The actor and folksinger was involved with labor unions, which led to suspicion. He denied affiliation with the Communist Party and cooperated with the HUAC, which got him removed from the blacklist but led to the belief among former friends in the folk community that he had sold out.

Orson Welles: The film director, pictured in 1949, was a vocal political leftist whose classic movie Citizen Kane was believed by some to espouse Communist ideology.

Judy Holliday: The actress and singer, pictured in 1951, was blacklisted from radio and TV for several years.

Burgess Meredith: After appearing on the blacklist, the actor endured a seven-year absence from the movies.

Pete Seeger: The folksinger, pictured in 1946, was an open member of the Communist Party. He refused to name names before HUAC in 1955, which led to a conviction of contempt of Congress and a 10-year sentence that was later overturned.

Artie Shaw: The clarinetist and bandleader, pictured in 1949, was brought before HUAC for having attended Communist meetings. He claimed to have attended purely out of interest in social justice, though some who knew him claimed that his affiliation ran deeper.

Uta Hagen: The German actress, pictured in 1948, found her opportunities limited after appearing on the blacklist, in part due to her affiliation with Paul Robeson.

Langston Hughes: The poet, pictured in 1958, was affiliated with some Communist-linked groups, and his poetry sometimes appeared in Communist newspapers.