Lee Grant

Actress / Director
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The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

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About
About this interview

In her three-and-a-half hour Archive interview, Lee Grant discusses her long and distinguished career in stage, television and film. She describes her breakthrough role in the stage and film versions of "Detective Story." She talks about her early television work in the anthology series The Play's the Thing and Danger. She talks about her role as a regular on the daytime serial Search For Tomorrow. Grant describes in detail the Hollywood Blacklist period, which affected her and her husband of the time, Arnold Manoff. She talks about her difficulty in getting any work in film and television, with the exception of a few scattered television appearances on anthology series. She discusses her eventual removal from the Blacklist and her continued work in films and television. She recalls her Emmy-winning role on the prime time serial Peyton Place. She talks about her sitcom Fay, which followed her Oscar win for the film "Shampoo." She talks about her television directorial debut on the special The Shape of Things. She also discusses her many appearances in front of and behind the camera with television movies and documentaries in the 1980s and 1990s. Henry Colman conducted the interview on May 10, 2000 in New York, NY.

"I have made some very, very good and tough documentaries that have changed some things. And coming from my blacklisted background, where I was unable to do so much for so long, the ability to take this journey into situations and people's lives and to give them my letter to the world, is a very important part for me. And of course, I love directing films, too."

People Talking About ...
Lee Grant
Highlights
Lee Grant on her work on Peyton Place, and on working with producer Paul Monash
Lee Grant on her relationship with Arnold Manoff and their experiences with the Hollywood Blacklist
Lee Grant on her Emmy-winning guest starring role in the pilot for Columbo, "Ransom for a Dead Man"
Lee Grant on testifying before the House Un-American Activities Committee
Lee Grant on directing the series Intimate Portrait for Lifetime
Lee Grant on making her Broadway debut in "Joy to the World" and appearing in the Broadway show "Detective Story," which proved to be her big break
Full Interview

Chapter 1
On her early life and influences; on appearing with the Metropolitan Opera at the age of four; on her early experience seeing television and her earliest acting jobs
On changing her name to Lee Grant, and on her singing career; on working with Sanford Meisner at the Neighborhood Playhouse; on understudying in "Oklahoma!"

Chapter 2
On making her Broadway debut in "Joy to the World" and appearing in the Broadway show "Detective Story," which proved to be her big break; on appearing in the film version of "Detective Story," and on adjusting her performance for film
On her relationship with Arnold Manoff and their experiences with the Hollywood Blacklist

Chapter 3
On testifying before the House Un-American Activities Committee; on her friends and co-workers reaction to having been blacklisted, and on what her life was like when she was on the blacklist
On the fate of her then-husband Arnold Manoff, who'd been blacklisted, and on how other writers and actors dealt with the Hollywood Blacklist; on her feelings on those who named names to the House Un-American Activities Committee like Elia Kazan, and on the end of the blacklist; on how television actors were looked upon, and on early television appearances

Chapter 4
On working in early live television; on appearing on Search for Tomorrow; on appearing on various episodes of Danger
On working with Fred Coe on various series like Playwrights '56, and on appearing on The Defenders with E.G. Marshall; on appearing on various episodes of Kraft Television Theatre, produced by David Susskind
On appearing on two episodes of The Nurses, produced by Herb Brodkin; on being cast on Peyton Place, and on her Peyton Place character "Stella Chernak"

Chapter 5
On her work on Peyton Place, and on working with producer Paul Monash; on the cast of Peyton Place; on winning an Emmy for her performance on Peyton Place
On the popularity of and audience reaction to Peyton Place; on appearing on several shows including Judd for the Defense, starring Sam Wanamaker; on appearing on the ABC Stage 67 production of "The Love Song of Barney Kempinski" and "The People Trap"
On appearing in the feature films: "In the Heat of the Night," "Valley of the Dolls," "The Landlord"

Chapter 6
On co-starring in the 1971 made-for-television movie The Neon Ceiling; on her Emmy-winning guest-starring role in the pilot for Columbo, "Ransom for a Dead Man"; on starring in Plaza Suite; on her short-lived sitcom Fay, and its abrupt cancellation
On winning an Academy Award for her work in "Shampoo"; on her transition to directing; on directing The Shape of Things; on her documentaries for the America Undercover series; on Down and Out in America

Chapter 7
On directing documentaries; on directing Nobody's Child, and various other made-for-television movies; on acting in various made-for-television movies
On directing the series Intimate Portrait for Lifetime; on her then-current projects, including directing an episode of American Masters; on how opportunities for women in television have changed over the years
On how the Hollywood Blacklist affected television as a whole; on her mentors; on advice to aspiring actors
On the then-future of television; on how she'd like to be remembered; on various people with whom she has worked in her career
Shows

ABC Stage 67

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Lee Grant on appearing in the ABC Stage 67 production of The "Love Song of Barney Kempinski", and "The People Trap"

American Masters

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Lee Grant on her then-current projects, including directing an episode of American Masters

Columbo

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Lee Grant on her Emmy-winning guest-starring role in the pilot for Columbo, "Ransom for a Dead Man"

Danger

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Lee Grant on appearing on various episodes of Danger

Defenders, The

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Lee Grant on appearing on The Defenders with E.G. Marshall

Emmy Awards, The (Primetime and Daytime)

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Lee Grant on working with Mia Farrow who played "Allison MacKenzie" on Peyton Place
Lee Grant on winning an Emmy for her performance on Peyton Place
Lee Grant on her Emmy-winning guest starring role in the pilot for Columbo, "Ransom for a Dead Man"

Fay

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Lee Grant on her sitcom Fay, and its abrupt cancellation

Judd for the Defense

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Lee Grant on appearing on several shows including Judd for the Defense starring Sam Wanamaker

Kraft Television Theatre

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Lee Grant on appearing on various episodes of Kraft Television Theatre, produced by David Susskind

Neon Ceiling, The

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Lee Grant on co-starring in the made-for-television movie The Neon Ceiling

Nobody's Child

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Lee Grant on directing Nobody's Child, and various other made-for-television movies

Nurses, The

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Lee Grant on appearing on two episodes of The Nurses produced by Herb Brodkin

Oboler Comedy Theatre

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Lee Grant on appearing on Oboler Comedy Theatre, and on the challenges of working in live television

Peyton Place

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Lee Grant on being cast on Peyton Place, and on her character, "Stella Chernak"
Lee Grant on her work on Peyton Place, and on working with producer Paul Monash
Lee Grant on working with Ryan O'Neal, who played "Rodney Harrington" on Peyton Place
Lee Grant on the cast of Peyton Place
Lee Grant on winning an Emmy for her performance on Peyton Place
Lee Grant on the popularity of and audience reaction to Peyton Place

Playwrights '56

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Lee Grant on working with Fred Coe on various series like Playwrights '56

Search For Tomorrow

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Lee Grant on appearing on Search for Tomorrow

Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, The

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Lee Grant on causing a stir on The Tonight Show when she appeared shortly after the cancellation of her sitcom Fay
Topics

Advice

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Lee Grant on advice to aspiring actors

Creative Influences and Inspiration

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Lee Grant on her mentors

Diversity in Television

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Lee Grant on how opportunities for women in television have changed over the years

Emmy Awards

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Lee Grant on winning an Emmy for her performance on Peyton Place

Historic Events and Social Change

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Lee Grant on how opportunities for women in television have changed over the years

Hollywood Blacklist

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Lee Grant on her relationship with Arnold Manoff and their experiences with the Hollywood Blacklist
Lee Grant on testifying before the House Un-American Activities Committee
Lee Grant on her friends and co-workers reaction to having been blacklisted, and on what her life was like when she was on the blacklist
Lee Grant on the fate of her then-husband Arnold Manoff, who'd been blacklisted, and on how other writers and actors dealt with the Hollywood Blacklist
Lee Grant on her feelings on those who named names to the House Un-American Activities Committee like Elia Kazan, and on the end of the blacklist
Lee Grant on appearing on Search for Tomorrow and on being fired because of the blacklist
Lee Grant on how the Hollywood Blacklist effected television as a whole

Industry Crossroads

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Lee Grant on her relationship with Arnold Manoff and their experiences with the Hollywood Blacklist
Lee Grant on testifying before the House Un-American Activities Committee
Lee Grant on her friends and co-workers reaction to having been blacklisted, and on what her life was like when she was on the blacklist
Lee Grant on the fate of her then-husband Arnold Manoff, who'd been blacklisted, and on how other writers and actors dealt with the Hollywood Blacklist
Lee Grant on her feelings on those who named names to the House Un-American Activities Committee like Elia Kazan, and on the end of the blacklist
Lee Grant on appearing on Search for Tomorrow and on being fired because of the blacklist
Lee Grant on how the Hollywood Blacklist affected television as a whole

Pivotal Career Moments

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Lee Grant on her mentors

Television Industry

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Lee Grant on her relationship with Arnold Manoff and their experiences with the Hollywood Blacklist
Lee Grant on testifying before the House Un-American Activities Committee
Lee Grant on her friends and co-workers reaction to having been blacklisted, and on what her life was like when she was on the blacklist
Lee Grant on the fate of her then-husband Arnold Manoff, who'd been blacklisted, and on how other writers and actors dealt with the Hollywood Blacklist
Lee Grant on her feelings on those who named names to the House Un-American Activities Committee like Elia Kazan, and on the end of the blacklist
Lee Grant on appearing on Search for Tomorrow and on being fired because of the blacklist
Lee Grant on how the Hollywood Blacklist affected television as a whole
Lee Grant on advice to aspiring actors
Lee Grant on the then-future of television

Women

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Lee Grant on how opportunities for women in television have changed over the years
Professions

Actress

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Lee Grant on working with Sanford Meisner at the Neighborhood Playhouse
Lee Grant on advice to aspiring actors

Performers

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Lee Grant on working with Sanford Meisner at the Neighborhood Playhouse
Lee Grant on advice to aspiring actors
Genres

Classic Anthology Series

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Lee Grant on working with Fred Coe on various series like Playwrights '56, and on appearing on The Defenders with E.G. Marshall
Lee Grant on appearing in the ABC Stage 67 production of The "Love Song of Barney Kempinski", and "The People Trap"

Daytime/Primetime Serials

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Lee Grant on appearing on Search for Tomorrow
Lee Grant on starring on Peyton Place

Legal Dramas

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Lee Grant on appearing on several shows including Judd for the Defense starring Sam Wanamaker
People

Walter Bernstein

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Lee Grant on Walter Bernstein

Herbert Brodkin

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Lee Grant on appearing on two episodes of The Nurses produced by Herb Brodkin

Albert Brooks

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Lee Grant on Albert Brooks

Fred Coe

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Lee Grant on working with Fred Coe on various series like Playwrights '56 and The Defenders

Joseph Feury

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Lee Grant on her husband and producing partner Joseph Feury, and on her daughter Dinah Manoff

David Janssen

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Lee Grant on David Janssen

Grace Kelly

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Lee Grant on Grace Kelly

Arnold Manoff

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Lee Grant on her relationship with Arnold Manoff and their experiences with the Hollywood Blacklist
Lee Grant on the fate of her then-husband Arnold Manoff, who'd been blacklisted, and on how other writers and actors dealt with the Hollywood Blacklist
Lee Grant on separating from her first husband Arnold Manoff

E. G. Marshall

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Lee Grant on appearing on The Defenders with E.G. Marshall

Sanford Meisner

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Lee Grant on working with Sanford Meisner at the Neighborhood Playhouse

Paul Monash

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Lee Grant on her work on Peyton Place, and on working with producer Paul Monash

Joseph Papp

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Lee Grant on Joseph Papp

Barbara Stanwyck

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Lee Grant on Barbara Stanwyck

David Susskind

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Lee Grant on appearing on various episodes of Kraft Television Theatre , produced by David Susskind

All Interviews

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