Lee Grant
Biography
Lee Grant is an American actress and director. Born on October 31, 1925, in New York City, New York, USA. She made her film debut in 1951 in William Wyler's Detective Story. Grant has appeared in 155 acting credits. She is known for her work in film and television, including a notable role in Detective Story, which earned her an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Grant was also recognized at the 1952 Cannes Film Festival for her performance in Detective Story.
Career overview
Lee Grant made her film debut in 1951 in William Wyler's Detective Story, co-starring Kirk Douglas and Eleanor Parker. This role earned her recognition in the film industry.
Grant's acting career was impacted by the blacklisting she faced in 1952, which limited her work opportunities for the next 12 years. During this period, she found occasional work onstage or as a teacher.
Grant was removed from the blacklist in 1962 and rebuilt her acting career. She went on to appear in 71 TV episodes of Peyton Place from 1965 to 1966.
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Career timeline
Full filmography
- Dangerous Citizen: The Life and Times of Abraham Polonsky (2026) as self
- Sidney Poitier - The Man Who Changed Hollywood (2023) as Self
- Boris Karloff: The Man Behind the Monster (2021) as Self
- Killian & the Comeback Kids (2020) as Ms. Hunter (voice)
- Hal (2019) as Self
- Scandal: The Trial of Mary Astor (2018) as Narrator (voice)
- Truth and Lies: The Family Manson (2017)
- Seeing is Believing: Women Direct (2017) as Self
- Actresses Turned Producer/Directors (2014)
- Reel Herstory: The Real Story of Reel Women (2014) as Self
- Tribute To Burgess Meredith (2006) as Self (voice)
- Baghdad ER (2006) Executive Producer
- Gotta Get Off This Merry-Go-Round: 'Valley of the Dolls' (2006) as Miriam (archive footage)
- Going Shopping (2005) as Winnie
- A Father… A Son… Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2005) Director
- A Father… A Son… Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2005) Producer
- The John Garfield Story (2003) as Self
- The Golden Girls: Lifetime Intimate Portrait Series (2003) Director
- Arthur Miller, Elia Kazan and the Blacklist: None Without Sin (2003) as Self
- Mulholland Drive (2001) as Louise
- The Amati Girls (2001) as Aunt Spendora
- The Omen Legacy (2001) as Self
- The Gun Deadlock (2001) Director
- Hidden Values: The Movies of the Fifties (2001) as Self
- Poor Liza (2000) as Countess Ekaterina
- Dr. T & the Women (2000) as Dr. Harper
- Sidney Poitier: One Bright Light (2000) as Narrator
- Sidney Poitier: One Bright Light (2000) Director
- The Loretta Claiborne Story (2000) Director
- Intimate Portrait: Lauren Bacall (1999) Director
- Confronting the Crisis: Childcare in America (1999) as Narrator
- Confronting the Crisis: Childcare in America (1999) Director
- Confronting the Crisis: Childcare in America (1999) Producer
- Who Is Henry Jaglom? (1997) as Self
- Say It, Fight It, Cure It (1997) as Narrator/Host
- Say It, Fight It, Cure It (1997) Director
- Say It, Fight It, Cure It (1997) Producer
- It's My Party (1996) as Amalia Stark
- The Substance of Fire (1996) as Cora Cahn
- Rod Serling: Submitted for Your Approval (1995) as Narrator
- Inside the Actors Studio (1994) as Self
- Under Heat (1994) as Jane
- Reunion (1994) Director
- Following Her Heart (1994) Director
- Seasons of the Heart (1994) Director
- Intimate Portrait (1993) as Self
- Intimate Portrait (1993) Director
- Intimate Portrait (1993) Writer
- Something to Live for: The Alison Gertz Story (1992) as Carol Gertz
- Earth and the American Dream (1992) as Reader (voice)
- Citizen Cohn (1992) as Dora Cohn
- In My Daughter's Name (1992) as Maureen Leeds
- The Iceman Tapes: Conversations with a Killer (1992) as Narrator
- Women on Trial (1992) as Narrator
- Women on Trial (1992) Director
- Women on Trial (1992) Producer
- Defending Your Life (1991) as Lena Foster
- She Said No (1990) as D.A. Doris Cantore
- Sanford Meisner: The American Theatre's Best Kept Secret (1990) as Self
- Staying Together (1989) Director
- No Place Like Home (1989) Director
- The Hijacking of the Achille Lauro (1989) as Marilyn Klinghoffer
- Battered (1989) as Narrator
- Battered (1989) Director
- Battered (1989) Producer
- Empty Nest (1988)
- Hello Actors Studio (1988) as Self
- Calling the Shots (1988) as Self
- The Big Town (1987) as Ferguson Edwards
- Wedden, dat..? (1986) as Self
- Nobody's Child (1986) Director
- Down and Out in America (1986) as Narrator (voice)
- Down and Out in America (1986) Director
- The Ray Bradbury Theater (1985)
- Mussolini: The Untold Story (1985) as Rachele Mussolini
- Cindy Eller: A Modern Fairy Tale (1985) Director
- What Sex Am I? (1985) as Self
- What Sex Am I? (1985) Director
- Teachers (1984) as Dr. Donna Burke
- A Matter of Sex (1984) Director
- A Billion for Boris (1984) as Sascha Harris
- Will There Really Be a Morning? (1983) as Lillian Farmer
- When Women Kill (1983) as Herself
- When Women Kill (1983) Director
- American Playhouse (1982) Director
- Bare Essence (1982) as Ava Marshall
- Visiting Hours (1982) as Deborah Ballin
- Plaza Suite (1982) as Norma Hubley / Muriel Tate / Karen Nash
- Thou Shalt Not Kill (1982) as Maxine Lochman
- A Crime to Fit the Punishment (1982) as Narrator
- Charlie Chan and the Curse of the Dragon Queen (1981) as Mrs. Sylvia Lupowitz
- The Million Dollar Face (1981) as Evalyna
- For Ladies Only (1981) as Anne Holt
- The Willmar 8 (1981) as Narrator
- The Willmar 8 (1981) Writer
- The Willmar 8 (1981) Director
- Little Miss Marker (1980) as The Judge
- Tell Me a Riddle (1980) as Flight Attendant (voice)
- Tell Me a Riddle (1980) Director
- Backstairs at the White House (1979) as Grace Coolidge
- You Can't Go Home Again (1979) as Esther Jack
- When You Comin' Back, Red Ryder? (1979) as Clarisse Ethridge
- Damien - Omen II (1978) as Ann Thorn
- The Swarm (1978) as Anne MacGregor
- The Mafu Cage (1978) as Ellen
- The Good Doctor (1978) as Various Roles
- Airport '77 (1977) as Karen Wallace
- The Spell (1977) as Marion Matchett
- Voyage of the Damned (1976) as Lili Rosen
- TVTV Looks at the Oscars (1976) as Self
- Perilous Voyage (1976) as Virginia Monroe
- The Stronger (1976) Writer
- The Stronger (1976) Director
- People's Choice Awards (1975) as Self
- Shampoo (1975) as Felicia Karpf
- Fay (1975) as Fay Stewart
- For the Use of the Hall (1975) Director
- The Seagull (1975) as Irina Arkadina
- Dinah! (1974) as Self
- Why Me? (1974) as Narrator/Self
- The Internecine Project (1974) as Jean Robertson
- The American Film Institute Salute to ... (1973) as Self
- Partners in Crime (1973) as Judge Meredith Leland
- What Are Best Friends For? (1973) as Adele Ross
- ABC Afterschool Special (1972) Director
- Lieutenant Schuster's Wife (1972) as Ellie Schuster
- Ransom for a Dead Man (1972) as Leslie Williams
- Portnoy's Complaint (1972) as Sophie Portnoy
- Great Performances (1971) as Irina Arkadina
- Great Performances (1971)
- Film '72 (1971) as Self
- Plaza Suite (1971) as Norma Hubley
- The Neon Ceiling (1971) as Carrie Miller
- There Was a Crooked Man... (1970) as Mrs. Bullard
- The Landlord (1970) as Joyce Enders
- Night Slaves (1970) as Marjorie Howard
- Marooned (1969) as Celia Pruett
- The Big Bounce (1969) as Joanne
- The Dick Cavett Show (1968) as Self - Guest
- Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In (1968) as Self
- The Name of the Game (1968) as Edwina Booker
- The Mod Squad (1968)
- Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell (1968) as Fritzie Braddock
- The Love Song of Barney Kempinski (1968) as Laura
- Ironside (1967) as Francesca Kirby
- Judd, for the Defense (1967)
- In the Heat of the Night (1967) as Mrs. Leslie Colbert
- Valley of the Dolls (1967) as Miriam Polar
- Divorce American Style (1967) as Dede Murphy
- Deadlock (1967) as Virginia Cloyd
- Mission: Impossible (1966) as Susan Buchanan
- ABC Stage 67 (1966) as Laura
- ABC Stage 67 (1966) as Ruth
- The Big Valley (1965) as Rosemary
- Peyton Place (1964) as Stella Chernak
- Pie in the Sky (1964) as Suzy
- The Fugitive (1963) as Millie Hallop
- Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre (1963) as Virginia Cloyd
- Festival (1963) as Lizzie
- The Balcony (1963) as Carmen
- An Affair of the Skin (1963) as Katherine McCleod
- The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962) as Self
- The Mike Douglas Show (1961) as Self
- The Defenders (1961) as Norma Burgess
- The Defenders (1961) as Maria Edwards
- Ben Casey (1961)
- Middle of the Night (1959) as Marilyn
- The World of Sholom Aleichem (1959) as The Goatseller / Avenging Angel
- Three Plays by Tennessee Williams (1958) as Jane (Segment "Moony's Kid Don't Cry")
- Tony Awards (1956) as Self - Presenter
- Playwrights '56 (1955)
- Storm Fear (1955) as Edna
- The Oscars (1953) as Self
- Detective Story (1951) as Shoplifter
- Studio One (1948) as Emily Brooks
- The Philco Television Playhouse (1948)