Transcript of Judy Holliday's Testimony - Page 3
Mr. Arens: Now, I put it to you as a fact and ask you to affirm or deny the fact that on November 30, 1946, you marched in a picket line in front of pier 53 in a strike sponsored by the water-front section of the Communist Party?
Miss Holliday: I don't know anything that I ever did sponsored by the Communist Party.
Senator Watkins: This has reference to this picket line? Were you in the picket line?
Miss Holliday: I was in a picket line; but I don't know ----
Senator Watkins: Was it about the time mentioned by counsel?
Miss Holliday: I don't know. What was the date?
Mr. Arens: In 1946, you were in a picket line?
Miss Holliday: I don't know whether it was 1946. I was in one picket line in my life. I think I told you about this.
Mr. Arens: When was this picket line episode that you do have a recollection about?
Miss Holliday: I don't know. May I tell you how I have a recollection?
Mr. Arens: Yes.
Miss Holliday: I was told that I marched in a picket line in front of the Spanish consulate. I knew very well that I never did.
Senator Watkins: Where was this?
Miss Holliday: This was when Columbia was trying to find out things. This was last year. I knew that I never did and at the time I was sure that I had never been in any picket line. But then I remembered that at one time I had a picture taken with some people who were striking, but I don't know when I did it or what it was about. In fact, I was sure I had never done it.
Senator Watkins: Do you know where it happened?
Miss Holliday: No.
Senator Watkins: The one you are talking about?
Miss Holliday: No.
Senator Watkins: It would be in New York; would it not?
Miss Holliday: Yes; it would have to be.
Senator Watkins: That is what I am trying to find out.
Miss Holliday: Yes.
Mr. Arens: You do have a recollection of being in a picket line?
Miss Holliday: Yes. Not a picket line; but I had a publicity picture taken.
Senator Watkins: Who arranged that?
Miss Holliday: I don't know, and I don't know what it was for.
Senator Watkins: Most of your publicity matters you know pretty well, or they are explained to you by your agent as to why it is being done?
Miss Holliday: This sort of thing I don't think would have been arranged by an agent because I don't think it would have been publicity for me, but probably for the picketers. I don't think it appeared anywhere, because I never saw it.
Senator Watkins: You did not go simply because someone told you. Did you not go over of your own free will? Did you not ask questions about it?
Miss Holliday: Undoubtedly I was asked to go. This is the way I found myself in everything. People asked me to do things, and I would ask questions about it, but very often I was asked to do so many things in so many different places and for so many different causes that would sort of slip away from me. What was it?
Senator Watkins: That was in 1946.
Miss Holliday: What was it for, strikers?
Mr. Arens: I do not want to be in a position of testifying, I want to be in the position of interrogating you.
Miss Holliday: I thought maybe I could remember.
Mr. Arens: Do you have a recollection of about where you were in this picket line in New York City in which you did have your photograph taken?
Miss Holliday: You mean Manhattan?
Mr. Arens: Yes.
Miss Holliday: No.
Mr. Arens: What can you tell us about the incident that you were in? Were you in a bathing suit or what?
Miss Holliday: It was cold.
Mr. Arens: With whom did you have your photograph taken?
Miss Holliday: With striking people.
Mr. Arens: Did you make any inquiry with respect to who was striking or why they were striking?
Miss Holliday: I must have at the time undoubtedly. Maybe I didn't, but they undoubtedly told me before I went because you don't just go anywhere.
Mr. Arens: Let us see first of all if we can place the time, this occurrence that you do recall. Was it as long ago as 1945?
Miss Holliday: It could have been, I don't know.
Mr. Arens: It was some few years ago, was it?
Miss Holliday: Yes.
Mr. Arens: Was it approximately 1946 as you recollected it?
Miss Holliday: I don't recollect.
Mr. Arens: You said a few moments ago that you recollected having your photograph taken with some strikers?
Miss Holliday: Yes, but I don't recollect the time.
Mr. Arens: Can you give us any idea of the approximate year which it might have been?
Senator Watkins: The occasion would be rather impressive to you, would it not?
Miss Holliday: The occasion should be something I remember. The only way I can remember it, and it was a very slight thing, I didn't march. I would remember if I was protesting something. I went and had a picture taken and left. That is about what it was. The only reason I remember that was because I was accused of picketing some place else, and I said "Wait a minute, you once had your picture taken in a picket line," but I didn't remember where it was or why it was.
Senator Watkins: Did any of your friends ask you to have that picture taken?
Miss Holliday: Somebody asked me.
Senator Watkins: You do remember somebody asked you?
Miss Holliday: They must have, because I wouldn't wander off over to strikers and ask to have my picture taken.
Mr. Arens: Do you any difficulty with your memory?
Miss Holliday: No. The only difficulty is that I met a tremendous lot of people and I get a lot of requests and phone calls. We get about 50 a day, and you just can't pay much attention to them unless you know them first.
Senator Watkins: This is back in 1946. Your prominence in the motion picture world has taken place largely since that time, has it not?
Miss Holliday: Yes.
Senator Watkins: Well, at that particular time you were on the way up. Do you not think you could remember?
Miss Holliday: If that is true, I am not saying that it isn't, but so many things have been untrue. But, if that is true, then I was already in a play.
Mr. Arens: What do you mean by "if that is true"? You have already told us that you had your picture taken with picketers?
Miss Holliday: I don't know whether that is the one.
Mr. Arens: That is an incident in which you had your picture taken?
Miss Holliday: Yes, but I wasn't picketing.
Mr. Arens: About a month prior to the time you had your picture taken in this incident, did you actually march in a picket line in front of the Spanish Consulate on Madison Avenue in New York City?
Miss Holliday: No; I never did.
Senator Watkins: You know where that is in New York City?
Miss Holliday: No; I don't.
Senator Watkins: Do you know where Madison Avenue is?
Miss Holliday: I know where Madison Avenue is, certainly.
Senator Watkins: What part of New York did you live in earlier in your life?
Miss Holliday: Seventy-fifth Street West.
Mr. Arens: That was in October of 1946, and the Communist Party strike concerning which we were interrogating you here occurred in November 1946, approximately a month prior to the Spanish Consulate incident.
Miss Holliday: I have no recollection of any Spanish Consulate incident. When I was asked about that previously I didn't know where the Spanish Consulate was. Since then I have been told, but I have no memory of that at all.
Senator Watkins: I would like to inquire a little further about you having the picture taken with strikers. Do you recall where in New York City that was?
Miss Holliday: No.
Senator Watkins: Do you not recall that it was at about Pier 53 in New York City?
Miss Holliday: Where would that be?
Senator Watkins: I used to live in New York City for about 5 years, but I never had occasion to go down to the piers.
Mr. Rifkind: About Eighteenth or Nineteenth Street.
Senator Watkins: It could be. It is along the water front. It seems to me that a person in your profession has to have a trained memory.
Miss Holliday: Now, I am getting one, but I didn't know then that I needed one. Now I am so careful that I don't side on anything and I don't answer anything. I have answering services saying that I am not in. I didn't know I would have to have that kind of memory.
Senator Watkins: I just assumed that if you went down to pier, if it happened on a pier, that you would recall that circumstance. Incidentally, did you get a copy of the picture?
Miss Holliday: No. This friend of mine just told me that I did a benefit on a battleship and you would think I would remember that because it is even more impressive than a pier, but I have to just take her word for it. We did an awful lot of things.
Senator Watkins: Not that kind?
Miss Holliday: All kinds.
Senator Watkins: You just said that this is the only incident that you can remember having your picture taken with a picket line. The question was with respect to whether it was down a pier in the East River.
Miss Holliday: It could have been.
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