Actor Gary Cooper being questioned by the Congressional
committee.
On October 20, 1947, the notorious Red Scare kicked into high gear
in Washington, as a Congressional committee begins investigating
Communist influence in one of the world’s richest and most
glamorous communities: Hollywood.
After World War II, the Cold War began to heat up between the
world’s two superpowers—the United States and the communist-
controlled Soviet Union. In Washington, conservative watchdogs
worked to out communists in government before setting their
sights on alleged “Reds” in the famously liberal movie industry.
In its investigation, the House Un-American Activities Committee
grilled a number of prominent witnesses, asking bluntly “Are you
or have you ever been a member of the Communist Party?” Some
witnesses—including director Elia Kazan, actors Gary Cooper and
Robert Taylor and studio honchos Walt Disney and Jack Warner—
gave the committee names of colleagues they suspected of being
communists.
A small group known as the “Hollywood Ten” (below) resisted,
complaining that the hearings were illegal and violated their
First Amendment rights. They were all convicted of obstructing
the investigation and served jail terms.
A group of Hollywood stars pose against the Capitol dome as they arrived
in Washington, D.C. for a session of the committee.
