Top 10 Celebrities Who Were Blacklisted by McCarthyism
In the late 40s and early 50s, U.S. senator Joseph McCarthy lead a crazed witch-hunt against people whom he and his followers deemed "communists" or "communist sympathizers". This was the start of a political movement known as McCarthyism. Among the hundreds of Americans blacklisted and investigated were notable celebrities who were alive at the time. Here were some of them who were investigated and/or blacklisted.
Albert Einstein was a German-born theoretical physicist who developed the theory of relativity, one of the two pillars of modern physics. His work is also known for its influence on the philosophy of science. The famous scientist was also a firm socialist, a fact that was enough for J. Edgar Hoover to call for him to be barred from entering the US.
But Albert Einstein lived in the United States...
Sir Charles Spencer "Charlie" Chaplin, KBE (16 April 1889 – 25 December 1977) was an English comic actor, filmmaker, and composer who rose to fame in the silent era. He is considered one of the most important figures in the history of the film industry. Chaplin had made his political views very clear in movies like The Great Dictator, and this made him a clear target of McCarthyists, so much so he was banned from entering the US at one point.
Yes Chaplin was done dirty, but also remember he was in a paternity suit and married women WAY younger than him.
George Orson Welles was an American actor, director, writer, and producer who worked in theatre, radio, and film. The director of Citizen Kane faced accusations of being a communist, with said movie being used as "evidence" for it.
Kaye was blacklisted and investigated following an attempt to form a committee with other Hollywood stars in protest of McCarthyism.
The star of I Love Lucy endured an FBI investigation for allegedly registering as a communist supporter in the 30s.
Arthur Asher Miller (October 17, 1915 – February 10, 2005) was an American playwright, essayist, and figure in 20th-century American theater. He was often in the public eye, particularly between the late 1940s and early 1960s. During this time, he was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, testified ...read more. The famous playwright was convicted for "contempt of Congress" after admitting to supporting communist groups and refusing to name affiliates.
James Mercer Langston Hughes (February 1, 1902 – May 22, 1967) was an American poet, social activist, novelist, playwright, and columnist from Joplin, Missouri. ...read more. Hughes was well-known for his support of communist ideas, which was enough for Congress to make him testify. This later prompted Hughes to go completely silent on politics.
Credited as the "father of the atomic bomb", Oppenheimer was blacklisted following supposed ties to the Communist Party, stripping him of his rising political influence.
Now this is one I can agree with. He was done very dirty, but he still lived a distinguished life.
Leonard Bernstein was an American composer, conductor, author, music lecturer, and pianist. He was among the first conductors born and educated in the US to receive worldwide acclaim. The famous composer was continuously spied on by the FBI for his left-wing views and was blacklisted by CBS in the 50s.
Mostel defied the authorities in good humor and was blacklisted for years. In that time, his theater career flourished; he won a Tony in 1961 for his performance in Ionesco's 'Rhinoceros' and in 1965 for 'Fiddler on the Roof'.
Eleanora Fagan, professionally known as Billie Holiday, was an American jazz musician and singer-songwriter with a career spanning nearly thirty years.
The famous activist and author was indicted because of his pro-socialist views.
Emanuel Goldenberg, known professionally as Edward G. Robinson, was an American actor, born on December 12, 1893, in Romania. A popular star on stage and screen during Hollywood's Golden Age, he appeared in 40 Broadway plays and more than 100 films during a 50-year career. He is best remembered for ...read more.
Isaac Asimov, born Isaak Ozimov (c. January 2, 1920 – April 6, 1992) was an American author and professor of biochemistry at Boston University. He was known for his works of science fiction and popular science.
Peter "Pete" Seeger was an American folk singer and social activist. A fixture on nationwide radio in the 1940s, he also had a string of hit records during the early 1950s as a member of the Weavers, most notably their recording of Lead Belly's "Goodnight, Irene", which topped the charts for 13 weeks ...read more.
John Ernst Steinbeck, Jr. was an American author of twenty-seven books, including sixteen novels, six non-fiction books, and five collections of short stories.