<P> HUAC did not treat the Ten with respect either, refusing to allow most of them to speak for more than just a few words at a time . Meanwhile, witnesses who had arranged to co-operate with the Committee (such as the anti-Communist screenwriter Ayn Rand) were allowed to speak at length . </P> <P> Martin Redish suggests that at this time, the First Amendment's right of free expression in these cases was used to protect the powers of the government accuser (s), instead of the rights of the citizen - victims . After witnessing the well - publicized ineffectiveness of the Ten's defense strategy, later defendants chose to plead the Fifth Amendment (against self - incrimination), instead . </P> <P> Public support for the Hollywood Ten wavered, as everyday citizen - observers were never really sure what to make of them . Some of these men later wrote about their experiences as part of the Ten . John Howard Lawson, the Ten's unofficial leader, wrote a book attacking Hollywood for appeasing HUAC . While mostly criticizing the studios for their weakness, Lawson also defends himself / the Ten and criticizes Edward Dmytryk for being the only one to recant and eventually co-operate with HUAC . </P> <P> In his 1981 autobiography, Hollywood Red, screenwriter Lester Cole stated that all of the Hollywood Ten had been Communist Party USA members at some point . Other members of the Hollywood Ten, such as Dalton Trumbo and Edward Dmytryk, publicly admitted to being Communists while testifying before the Committee . </P>

Who were the hollywood ten and what happened to them