Chapter 21
In 1946, Howard Hughes nearly killed himself testing a new aircraft over Beverly Hills, and he spent weeks in the hospital before convalescing at Grant’s home. In 1947, when Hughes had recovered, he and Grant went on a cross country flight and their plane fell out of radio contact, leading the press to report that they were missing and presumed dead. On his return to Hollywood, Grant was unhappy making The Bishop’s Wife (1947), and he wanted to trade roles with his co-star David Niven, but producer Samuel Goldwyn refused his requests. While Grant hoped to make films in Britain with Alexander Korda, the plans eventually fizzled out. Nevertheless, he enjoyed a trip to London and Bristol, where he visited his mother again. On the voyage home, he met his future wife, the young actress Betsy Drake. The comedy Mr Blandings Builds His Dream House (1948), was made at a time when the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) was investigating communist subversion in Hollywood. Grant’s co-stars, Myrna Loy and Melvyn Douglas, were committed to resisting the investigation and promoting First Amendment rights. Grant, however, was reluctant to take a stand, believing that actors had no place making political pronouncements. It was only when Charlie Chaplin was attacked a few years later that Grant finally spoke out against the investigations.