Blondell returned to Hollywood in 1950. Her performance in her next film, "The Blue Veil" (1951), earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. She played supporting roles in "The Opposite Sex" (1956), "Desk Set" (1957), and "Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?" (1957). She received considerable acclaim for her performance as Lady Fingers in Norman Jewison's "The Cincinnati Kid" (1965), garnering a Golden Globe nomination and National Board of Review win for Best Supporting Actress. John Cassavetes cast her as a cynical, aging playwright in his film "Opening Night" (1977). Blondell was widely seen in two films released not long before her death – "Grease" (1978), and the remake of "The Champ" (1979) with Jon Voight and Rick Schroder. She also appeared in two films released after her death – "The Glove" (1979), and "The Woman Inside" (1981).