The birthdate of Lee Grant (did she get her name from combining warring Civil War generals?) is a mystery. We know that she was born on October 31, but the year — 1925? 1927? 1929? — differs depending on the source. Lee tried to keep the real age hidden as she tried to keep working in Hollywood.

Speaking of working in Hollywood, that close-to-ten-year gap on her resume is not a mystery. After being nominated for an Oscar for her first movie role, in 1951's "Detective Story", Lee was called to testify in front of the House Un-American Activities Committee. She was asked to give dirt on her ex-husband, playwright Arnold Manoff (Jew, natch). She refused and was blacklisted, finding only minimal work for the next decade.

As the ban was lifted, Lee made a triumphant return to television in 1965. She starred on "Peyton Place", for which she won an Emmy, and got that Oscar a decade later for "Shampoo".

Jewish? Well, she played the title character's mother in the adaptation of "Portnoy's Complaint". It shouldn't be a mystery...