Lee Grant on her career's brightest and darkest moments

Oscar-winner Lees Grant, the ever-feisty author of "I Said Yes to Everything," sits down with correspondent Michelle Miller for a look backward and forward at her long career as an actress, director, and documentary filmmaker.

[@KarenMillerAttorney]

Loved her Columbo appearance! She was brilliant in that role!!

[@Archer335]

Yes, she was the heartless attorney. Columbo nailed her a good one!

[@edgarlee2802]

One of the best episodes of a brilliant show.

[@jeepguy220]

beautiful in this episode!!

[@gemster18]

I am with you 100%, she was stunning, and extremely sexy and seductive in that episode of Columbo.... A true treasure

[@NoOne-sn2si]

Whip smart and soulless. Just saw that episode tonight... I think it was the Columbo series pilot.

[@EifertD]

She was great in the Heat of the Night, such a convincing actress. It's sad that she had to go through a time when she was not allowed to work. A huge loss to audiences and her fans. Nice to see she is doing so well today.

[@gianidoingmebenman2955]

Always thought she had that brilliantly intelligent, beautiful aura about her.

[@theresabollman8061]

Ms. Grant, you are still beautiful and are one of the best actors to have graced a stage. God bless you!

[@floydfletcher4313]

whatever

[@Irish-Rose]

floyd fletcher She is brilliant. Someone like you could never understand that , because of your very low I.Q.

[@plasticweapon]

@@Irish-Rose she was an excellent actor who would still be beautiful if she hadn't ruined her face.

[@GGiblet]

Yes Theresa! She is so gorgeous💜🌈💜

[@theresabollman8061]

@@GGiblet I still get angry when I think about what she and so many others had stolen from . Years of work they could never get back. We the public lost so much because of it. So odd to think about this because as a post war Baby Boomer I grew up seeing the Communist Party a voting option. Needless to say most Americans wanted (and still want) NOTHING to do with it. But the openness of it as a voting choice kept it from being a danger. It did not align itself with any foreign government. Much like Socialists today. She was dooped into making that speech by a husband who was probably jealous of her success. She has always been a good human being and a Good American... I will always love her.

[@trancehi]

Her role in Columbo (Ransom for a Dead Man) was superb I thought.

[@cmcb09]

***** Wasn't it though, I have a screen cap of her firing the gun that I frequently use as the lock screen on my iPhone lol. Brilliant.

[@trancehi]

Chris Johnson Nice one, she was very sultry and sizzling in the film I thought, great actress.

[@scvandy3129]

You are so right. I was upset that significant credit is ignored / omitted in her autobiography. How does a celebrated actress/director leave out starring in the second pilot -- as a pilot -- for one of the greatest detective series ("Columbo") of all time opposite such a brilliant actor, Peter Falk, from Broadway, film and television -- just like her. "God, Lee, that could have been an entire chapter." A very entertaining, enlightening chapter. "Revised edition, please!"

[@terrimichaels3018]

Damien stepmother went down in a blaze of glory after screaming his name Mark was his brother so sad to this day

[@m.e.d.7997]

IT was and she looked gorgeous in it.

[@DeepScreenAnalysis]

I would not have recognized her to be Lee Grant if I hadn't been told. Her face is completely different but then again, for 89 she looks sensational.

[@danseabreeze1404]

Many people blame that on cosmetic surgery but for people that have never had cosmetic surgery, they might also be unrecognizable from their younger years.

[@pnull]

@@danseabreeze1404 good point

[@DoctorShocktor]

Dan Seabreeze Lol what? Her plastic surgery scars and over stretched skin are more obvious than a road map and could be seen by blind people! Are you kidding?

[@danseabreeze1404]

@@DoctorShocktor I don't think you really read and understood my comment

[@theresabollman8061]

I think she looks amazingly like herself. I guess we all see diferently.

[@charlespatrick8650]

she was 88 when this was posted, 94 on Halloween next month, young soul 👻

[@photo161]

not cool of you to say so, Dude...

[@henrymartin4083]

94! I had the hots for her from the first time I saw her in "Shampoo" at age 10. She's still beautiful.

[@johnnyreyes1610]

Henry Martin she sure is

[@boborrahood]

She's the same age as another Oscar winning actress beauty, Eva Marie Saint.

[@sammyloffredo6414]

I always loved. Lee. Grant God bless her A great. Lady and one of our best actresses. True class

[@sambean9765]

I work with the elderly and its very very rare when someone in their 90s and even in their 80s manage to preserve their physical AND mental abilities intact and not deteriorated.

[@felix121984]

That’s because you work with the deteriorated.

[@patford8488]

Miss Grant was brilliant in The Omen 2. The plot twist at the end, and how she handles the immediate change from devoted wife to apostle of Satan, still gives me chills.

[@Covid--ts5cw]

Like your fig flag.

[@eamonndeane587]

"Here are YOUR DAGGERS!!!!"

[@dzanier]

Very depressing ending to an inferior sequel.

[@skullduggery3377]

@@dzanier - it didn't have the charisma of the original. still, it wasn't a worthless film. the rest of the installments, however, were just straight up ludicrous...lol.

[@dzanier]

@@skullduggery3377 no it didn’t. The remake of the first wasn’t that bad. It’s just that Liev Schreiber and Julia Stiles can’t hold a candle to Gregory Peck and Lee Remick.

[@jimbranca1565]

Lee Grant is one of my favorite actors and a great lady!!

[@michaelneel4828]

My cousin Joe Fioretti is married to Lee & they used to come back to his home in Wilmington & throw the best party's !

[@simon5005]

Always liked Lee Grant...........she definitely had a presence on the screen.

[@JosephRGrych]

I always love seeing her, a great actress!

[@fd4576]

Always loved Lee Grant. I never knew the "disgusting" details of the years that she lost on stage and screen due to idiotic ignorance. A disgrace that could easily happen again if you pay attention to our current social dis-function and lack of empathy for difference. Love you Lee, you're still lovely and brilliant !...... Rock on Girl !!! ( P.S. - check her out in that crazy episode of the "Mod Squad" as the tortured artist mother of a "young" and brilliantly twisted "Richard Dreyfuss", awesome ! Her cinematic skill and character realism was just as impressive here on the small screen as it was on the big. a truly gifted lady.

[@bettiebryant8157]

F D me to l0

[@bobkrohn8053]

She got what she deserved. Trying to destroy the Country that made her wealthy. $15,000,000

[@cinemalover575]

I loved her bit, yet memorable part in "Mulholland Dr."

[@laurastrobel718]

Wow judging from the comment section people either loved her or didn't I always liked her a lot Thought she was beautiful and admired her spirit... Elegant and gritty at the same time So rude of the interviewer to keep grilling her about her age It's really no one's business Clearly Lee always preferred to keep that private She was wise enough to realize early in her career that ageism is part of the game in Hollywood As they say... "A lady never tells her age"...😘

[@janspell2516]

Laura Strobel Ageism is alive & well everywhere.

[@laurastrobel718]

@@janspell2516 sadlly it is😳

[@PungiFungi]

But I think that is one of the major points in her autobio. Her own age obsession as a result of being black listed.

[@laurastrobel718]

@@PungiFungi Thanks for your input🙂

[@Ann-cb2qx]

I always enjoyed the work of this actress. I felt intuitively, that she was someone of real substance .Thank you for the entertainment and education Madam.

[@dobazajr]

She was also brilliant in Voyage of the Damned. Underrated film but she was good in it.

[@eamonndeane587]

Enough to earn her an Oscar Nomination.

[@hastingsgal]

One of my favourite actresses. She is so good as the mum in Plaza Suite! Just hilarious. Also loved her in Columbo. Didn't know about the blacklist but always wondered why her roles seemed fewer than expected.

[@felix121984]

Dick Gladwish I love her very steely gray eyes !

[@carter7937]

I've never seen a 90 + year old lady look so great.

[@Marcel_Audubon]

??? Her face is masklike ... how is that great???????

[@dmitryst5902]

@@maxvolokitin4573 глаза такие же живые и молодые как и в Коломбо, даже та пластика движений сохранилась в 90 лет.

[@DoctorShocktor]

Максим Волокитин What does 90 have to do with horribly overdone plastic surgery?lol. Blind people can see the layers of stretching and stitching ffs.

[@terrenceragin5555]

I love her

[@suzeauster2223]

May Avinu Continue to Bless You 🌈

[@1trschaefer78]

A survivor if every there was one!

[@williamking8033]

She's still got it!

[@freemindthinkerezrapound5071]

Class and style never fades

[@omargoodnesssake]

America is funny and sad. I bet that a lot of people on the “red list” were probably left-leaning liberals. But there’s NEVER been a reckoning, condemnation, or barely a discussion about America’s deep seeded right-wing racism. This country was founded on racism, it’s in every facet of American life, and it’s part of why we have this embarrassment, trump, in the White House. But I never knew about Lee Grant. She’s fascinating!

[@Jehovahsway]

She was brilliant in Columbo and the heat of the night . In 2025 she will be 100 years old shes looks grrat ❤

[@pedromuga4992]

A legend!

[@hubertvancalenbergh9022]

I love her ❤

[@MrRJMGREEN]

She is truly timeless.

[@frothe42]

Just finished Reading "I Said Yes To Everything". Haunting. Hoping to meet this great woman one day soon.

[@frothe42]

She seems like it. This was an actress I forgot about, as she hasn't done anything in years. But her story is compelling, Warren Read​.

[@belindajones1665]

Frederick Rothe III that’s my grandma

[@twerkinthecityhuh6340]

Good for her at her age having her hair fabulously colored

[@Irish-Rose]

Ryan Wrong. My grandmothers hair was thick & gorgeous in her 90’s. It just depends on your genes. And how you take care of yourself. No one in our family shows their age. My grandmother looked like she was 60, & at that time she was 85. Barely a wrinkle. She didn’t have any wrinkles until her 80’s, & even then very few. It’s the same for everyone in our family, but it’s the genes, & none of us smoke

[@ziggy33399]

I just love her, as is...and to ask her age is rude. Bad manners. Let’s restore civility & some sense of etiquette please. You know, it’s about thinking of OTHER people’s feelings, not you own (that’s what etiquette does).

[@tonibenedict5751]

She looks great but like a different person!

[@PrincessDiana1256]

Still beautiful, girlie! I always remember that cute 😊 love that boom I said yes to everything....love it.

[@markpotvin7119]

LEE GRANT IS 92, DON'T TELL HER I TOLD YOU.

[@tribeofjosepht.i.community9977]

Mark Potvin She looks older.

[@terrimichaels3018]

Amazing at that age

[@lindaackerman3507]

Haha..too funny

[@christophepena2212]

@@tribeofjosepht.i.community9977 pfff...she looks older than 92??? don't exagerate!!!...

[@dawnemerson3604]

Love Lee in everything esp Neon ceiling

[@Manuel-zo3wg]

Liked Lee Grant Omen 11 Airport 77

[@redmustangredmustang]

As I am writing this she's still alive at 97.

[@zibbyzubb]

Such an amazing lady.

[@williedaniel8885]

I love you in the Landlord& My Lady Diana Sands

[@duranddavis7710]

You can also see a new interview with Alan Locher on his channel the Locher Room. It’s a very good, well done interview with Lee Grant. And I think she tells her she.

[@dudley5533]

What a shame for her being unfairly blacklisted. Such a waste of talent and spoil of a good reputation. Both as brilliant actress and director, she lost many years of her career because of the treatment she wrongly received.

[@jusme164]

Valley of the dolls!!!!

[@andrewleibs]

What a shame -- she's great, but could have been huge.

[@zentraveler1834]

The woman has two Oscars, a intriguing Hollywood story, and still relevant at 92, as witnessed by this interview and KZbin thread. In the long game, if that’s not huge, I don’t know what is.

[@brothergaryii]

She'll be 88 on Halloween! :)

[@paulbennett4871]

Wonderful woman, very famous when I was growing up, Shampoo big film.....

[@terrifromm5085]

What a life!

[@TheEchovoices]

too much plastic surg

[@jarodcarnarvon5198]

Dang, she is 1 hot beautiful older woman for sure!!

[@chesterthawkins7510]

Wonderful talent. She patterned herself after Ida Lupino.

[@31Alden]

Always elegant, always beautiful .. brilliantly gifted actress and director. Her age is irrelevant.

[@cynthiahawkins2389]

Looking back, this Red Channel thing seems so appallingly stupid.

[@kevingoins9858]

And horribly destructive

[@lugano1999]

In this clip she's 89. She was born in 1925. She revealed her age in this later interview: kzbin.info/www/bejne/a4m0c4uIba2Jq7M

[@pnull]

Michelle Miller is really beautiful.

[@windstorm1000]

Agreed she's gorgeous

[@jansdoe6963]

Another victim of that evil blacklist.

[@sugarjoe50]

Her daughter Dinah Manoff's a cutie!

[@sunnythymes5444]

She's one of my favorites. I knew she and WARREN had a thing.

[@dunning234]

A beautiful face.

[@eileen1820]

Is this beautiful lady wearing Rosary Beads 📿?!

[@LaNuzaWorks]

I was wondering that.too. ✌

[@jlee9735]

does anybody remember the TV series that she did called Fay and why was it cancelled and secondly I wonder if it's in her book but I know that she wasn't pleased that it was cancelled them and the red different things about a bed I've never seen it rerun then I don't think it's been released on DVD yet love to see it

[@scvandy3129]

A bitter memory; yes, in answer to your query, it's briefly in the book. "Fay" will never be rerun because the sitcom's owner(s) can't justify paying the mandated residuals whose totals would be proportionately substantial for such a brief-run (10 segs), mostly forgotten property. Elsewhere, I commented on another thread about the colorful "you-are-there" incident wherein as Johnny Carson's guest on "The Tonight Show" Lee "flips the bird" directly towards the NBC - Burbank camera coinciding with vocalizing the name of the NBC programmer who earlier in the day had (abruptly) cancelled her brand new half hour after the eighth episode. Her letting-off-steam, uninhibited, bold, angry gesture was "the talk of the town" the next day. As Fay, Lee brilliantly delivered a well-crafted line that was picked up for use in "Fay"'s on-air promos. The set-up: Fay's recently divorced after finally having had enough of her husband Jack (the wonderful character actor Joe Silver) chasing everything in a skirt. Arriving late for a pre-arranged meeting Jack apologizes to Fay for his tardiness; bitter, she's having none of it. "What's the matter, Jack? Have to drive your girl friend to cheerleading practice?" Just prior to "Fay" Silver's got a young(er) girl again --- bikini'd Sharon Farrell -- when the two guest star opposite David Janssen in the first Santa Monica-themed/based episode of Janssen's brilliant "Harry O" in 1975, following the detective show's abrupt departure from its San Diego base. 'For the Love of Money' is quite good with Silver being a contributing factor. Lee, of course, had guest starred on Janssen's iconic hit, "The Fugitive" in 1964.

[@traviskoh999]

borned 1925

[@pnutbutrncrackers]

I feel like these pieces are just one-sided foot-kissings. Always the same, always oversimplified. The brilliant and pure treated appallingly by the evil idiots. Annoying.

[@jamesdunn9714]

Lee Grant refers to the Reagan years and homeless people, well ole Ronnie had a lot to do with our current homeless situation as his policies institutions where truly disturbed folks lived and cast them onto the streets. Along with other issues such as starting the USA down the road to being a debtor nation he was one of the worst of presidents. Shame on him.

[@piustwelfth]

The 1980's saw one of the biggest economic booms in American history. Despite inheriting a moribund economy from Democrat Jimmy Carter (double-digit unemployment & inflation with 21.5% prime interest rates!), Pres. Reagan restored America's economic growth and productivity. The American people apparently liked what they saw -- re-electing Pres. Reagan in an overwhelming landslide (49 states) and then electing his VP/successor in another landslide.

[@DoctorShocktor]

David Topchiev yup you’re an extreme dunce

[@Laluz22]

The mid1980s, with the failed Savings and Loans, energy industry losses, real estate crashes, high unemployment- almost as bad as Bush’s 2008-9 recession. Please don’t post fake history.

[@chriskelleher349]

👍🏆🏁👍.

[@PaulP-t9x]

She takes Estrogen. But doesn't want most women to have it.

[@donbrown1284]

It's sad when they don't know when to stop with the plastic surgery...Joan Rivers redux. That said, despite the work done, she looks good for her age, which is 91.

[@everydayperson6575]

She wears wigs because she is bald.

[@judewishedhimselfout]

Aww yes there was no homelessness before Reagan and there's been none since, except perhaps now that Trump is president. (sarcasm)

[@johnyzero2000]

Blacklisted for 12 years? Yet according to IMDB she continued working in the 50's with guest appearances.

[@Ariamaluum]

She was too background to be lead actress. Too stiff.

[@windstorm1000]

Disagree. Fine actress. Just didn't have breaks like Monroe. Didn't help she got blacklisted and lost 12 years. Didn't you listen to this?!

[@pnull]

Whenever someone mentions Lee Grant, I always think of In The Heat of The Night.

[@kathrynbellerose3925]

Dear Ms. Grant: Brave, Beautiful, and an excellent actress. God Bless you.

[@DA90027]

She looks great for almost 90...sharp as a tack

[@geot4647]

She was already ruining her face here, though. Damned shame, since it was nearly flawless.

[@dobazajr]

She had plastic surgery in her youth.

[@DA90027]

@@dobazajr she didn't overdo most her age look near death she still looks like herself

[@DA90027]

@@geot4647 I work with seniors do you how hard it is just to look human at 90? She looks ok here

[@rrook9465]

Have always admired Lee Grant. She is still beautiful inside and out!

[@stevevalkos6308]

she should be proud to say her age, she has looked great at every age

[@ManuelGuzman067]

Had no idea Lee Grant is Jewish .she was gorgeous when she was young .fav 🎥 of her .Airport 77. Damien Omen 11

[@humboldtharry4248]

She was intense in The Omen, I’ll never forget those eyes

[@kllwc7772]

Funny,insightful,informative interview 😍I loved her in the 🎭Omen🎭 film and I am curious about her film work.Very cool that her documentary won an Oscar ...

[@Jonathanbroder]

She is an INCREDIBLE actress. Born to be one. Hope you see this Ms. Grant. You're friggin' awesome.

[@TopandTang]

I've always loved her...watch the pilot for "Columbo"!!!!

[@evasivy855]

I am in the middle of her autobiography right now, and it starts kind of slow and confusing, and then picks up. When it picks up, you're in for a ride!

[@juanitaperla5603]

Her hair still looked very nice here, but her face was unrecognizable -- too much plastic, pulling, and fillers.

[@50franny]

Always loved her acting.

[@lindaackerman3507]

I love Lee Grant, she looks amazing what ever age she is really who cares. Her fabulous daughter dinah manoff was a main character in the movie Grease with John travolta, she was one of the pink ladies..best movie ever..♥

[@reesemorgan2259]

She lost the most fertile years as an actress - hence the early facelift. I understand why she won't give her age now. What the government did to her and many others was cruel.

[@skygazer6898]

Lee is happy to reveal her age. She is 94 now.

[@poussinhamzah4013]

I always remember her in Peyton Place as Stella Chernak, especially when she lied at Rodney Harrington's trial !

[@christhomas5761]

She got a facelift at 30 ? There shouldn`t be anything to lift at that age.

[@piustwelfth]

It's apparent from the video that she obviously has a hang-up with age and aging.

[@juanitaperla5603]

Jews start plastic surgery early -- usually with a nose job in high school.

[@CatsArePeopleToo]

chris thomas- Exactly what I said!

[@jaysmith6305]

Plaza suite ... wonderful actress ...hilarious love her

[@zoeyblu111]

Cant believe that reporter made such a big deal about her AGE...and had to put her on the spot... Come on michelle really ?

[@katiejo1095]

Yes, you are beautiful.

[@HelloooThere]

Lee Grant was the original casting for Dorothy on the Golden Girls...that is, if they were unable to get Bea Arthur

[@jessewarren7404]

A real honest to goodness beauty with tremendous class, she was/is great in everything she does. Valley of the Dolls, Columbo I saw again recently, she was soo good.... Introduced once to her by Harvey Perry in NYC at the play he was directing, Of Mice and Men. Unforgettable!

[@mariavela3398]

She knew how to express herself as an actress. I always wondered what had happened to her. Now I know. Barbara Streisand always reminded me of her. I thought it was only Arthur Miller that was black listed as a communist. She could not work for 12 years. Once I do not see any of my favorite actors any more, I have a feeling something is going on with them.

[@theresag1969]

Lee Grant, is one smart woman.

[@danielstanwyck2812]

i don't know if michelle miller is still doing these kinds of interviews or any kind of interviews, but she is not adept at it at all; the little smirk that crosses her lips has to go.

[@teeniebeenie8774]

love u lee uve alwys been so awesome !!!!

[@alexanderpatrick4866]

Wonderful in every way!

[@elizabethmelchor7764]

An awesome actress and lady who looks absolutely amazing!

[@scvandy3129]

Yes, an amazing actress. Agreed. But her "amazing" looks are just that, frighteningly amazing. Self induced.