PDA

View Full Version : Pert Kelton Blacklisted!!!

The Great One
12-06-2006, 07:45 AM
Pert Kelton's name appears in "Red Channels", the book that listed and
described reputed Communists and/or Communist sympathisers in television and radio. When Gleason moved to CBS Perton was not to be a part of the Honeymooners cast and he claimed to the press that the reason for that
was that she had "heart trouble". I was wondering if anyone knows if Gleason later in his life ever gave an interview where he talked about this issue in more detail and the real reasons for Kelton's departure. I would appreciate any info that anyone can post on this message board about this topic. Thanks! :)
T-Greg
12-06-2006, 10:02 AM
I'm not sure if Gleason ever spoke publicly about it, but Kelton and many other celebrities became targets of Senator Joe McCarthy as Communist sympathizers. He made it a personal crusade. Many of their careers were ruined by it. She found very little work after that, mostly character appearances on TV shows:

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0447125/

She did come back to play Alice's mother in the Miami episode "Riffi Brooklyn Style".
W.B.
12-06-2006, 05:02 PM
Pert Kelton's name appears in "Red Channels", the book that listed and
described reputed Communists and/or Communist sympathisers in television and radio. When Gleason moved to CBS Perton was not to be a part of the Honeymooners cast and he claimed to the press that the reason for that
was that she had "heart trouble".
The funny thing was that William Henry III's The Great One bio on Gleason parroted the line that Ms. Kelton suffered heart trouble leading her to bow out - but added that her "heart condition" was aggravated by the blacklist. Talk about straddling the fence . . .
The Great One
12-06-2006, 08:58 PM
The funny thing was that William Henry III's The Great One bio on Gleason parroted the line that Ms. Kelton suffered heart trouble leading her to bow out - but added that her "heart condition" was aggravated by the blacklist. Talk about straddling the fence . . .

Do you know in what chapter that story appears in?
W.B.
12-07-2006, 12:44 AM
Do you know in what chapter that story appears in?
Why, in Chapter Six, on p. 123.
The Great One
12-07-2006, 03:04 PM
Why, in Chapter Six, on p. 123.

Thanks!!!