SUMMARY FOR THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
June 15, 1951
TO: Mr. D.M. Ladd
FROM: A.H. Belmont
SUBJECT: Judy Holliday
PURPOSE:
To submit for your approval a memorandum to the Attorney General attaching a summary of information in Bureau files concerning Judy Holliday, the movie and stage actress, and [The rest of this paragraph has been censored by the FBI.]
BACKGROUND
By memorandum dated June 4, 1951, Mr. Nichols advised Mr. Tolson that [Name censored by the FBI. Known to be the secretary of the Attorney General.] telephonically requested a summary of information concerning Judy Holliday who had talked with the Attorney General over that weekend. Mr. Nichols advised [Secretary's name censored by the FBI] that Judy Holliday has been connected with numerous front organizations. The Attorney General however desired full details for his own information.
[The next sentence has been censored by the FBI.]
Judy Holliday's maiden name and the names of her parents first came to light in the April 2, 1951, issue of "Life". This article also stated that an uncle, Joseph Gollomb, had exercised considerable influence over her during her formative years. [The next two paragraphs have been censored by the FBI.]
During the investigation of another [word too obscured to read] November, 1945, it was learned that Mary(sic) Tuvim moved from 1 W. 95th Street to 57 W. 75th Street, New York City, about October, 1943. Investigation at 57 W. 75th Street developed information from the building superintendent that the only Tuvim at this address was a housewife named Mrs. Tuvim and her daughter, Judie(sic) Holliday, whom he identified as an actress and radio performer.
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INFORMATION RE JUDY HOLLIDAY BEING
FORWARDED TO ATTORNEY GENERAL:
A 15-page summary of information is attached for transmittal to the Attorney General. For your convenience, this memorandum is condense as follows:
Judy Holliday was born in New York City in 1923. She is married to David Oppenheim, Director of Recording, Masterworks Division, Columbia Records. She received an "Oscar" in 1951 for her movie portrayal of a "dumb blonde" in "Born Yesterday".
A security investigation of her has been conducted and was closed in September, 1950. No positive evidence of Communist Party membership was developed. [The next sentence has been censored by the FBI]. Her father and mother have been separated since 1929. Her uncle, Joseph Gollomb, has been described as her "intellectual mentor". She resides in New York City.
Judy Holliday has been identified as an officer, member, sponsor, entertainer, and signer of statements of 17 Communist dominated, or influenced organizations. Five of these have been cited by the Attorney General, three by the House Committee on Un-American Activities, three by the California Committee on Un-American Activities and six have been otherwise described as subject to Communist influence.
Her most prominent Communist activity was in behalf of the so-called "Hollywood Ten", the unfriendly witnesses who were convicted of contempt of the House Committee on Un-American Activities for refusing to answer questions of the Committee in October, 1947. She was a sponsor of the Scientific and Cultural Conference for World Peace held from March 25 to 27, 1949, in New York City under the auspices of the National Council of the Arts, Sciences and Professions and in the same year was a member of the Executive Board of NCASP.
The book "Red Channels" published in June, 1950, by "Counterattack" listed some of the Communist front affiliations of Judy Holliday. She was referred to as a supporter of Communist front groups by Vincent Hartnett, co-author of "Red Channels", at an address before the Countersubversive Conference of the American Legion held on April 1, 1951, at Richmond, Virginia.
Washington newspapers of April 5, 1951 quote a statement by Judy Holliday denying present or past membership in the Communist Party; further, she stated she was not a member of any organization listed by the Attorney General as subversive. She claimed that the linking of her name to such groups in the past had been done without her knowledge that the organizations were subversive.
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RECOMMENDATION
That the attached memorandum be forwarded to the Attorney General with the above-described summary regarding Judy Holliday.
[The last paragraph on this page has been censored by the FBI.]
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June 15, 1951
The Attorney General
Director, FBI
JUDY HOLLIDAY
Pursuant to a request made by your secretary, [Name censored by the FBI] of Assistant Director L.B. Nichols of ths Bureau, there is attached hereto for your confidential information a summary memorandum concerning Judy Holliday, the movie and stage actress.
You are also advised that security investigations are being initiated of Judy Holliday's [The rest of this paragraph has been censored by the FBI].
Attachment
SB:rl:jmr