I read the following article about Madge Blake who played the mother of Larry Mondello on the Leave It To Beaver series. Toward the end of the article it says she was offered the part of Aunt Bee but had to turn it down and recommended her close friend, Frances Bavier, anyone hear this before? Her is the article: Madge Blake: Her career started when she was fifty and was the epitome of what the perfect mother, sister or aunt should be both in physical appearance and demeanor. She was short, plump, matronly with a warm smile and a sweet voice. She was born in Kinsley, Kansas the daughter of a Methodist circuit rider. Madge Blake came to Los Angles with her family after her father accepted a religious clerical position. Nearby Hollywood enhanced her desire for a stage career, however, her father was stern in his discouragement and becoming a movie star became only a dream. During World War II, she joined millions of woman across the nation who filled the manpower shortage by working to help the war effort. Both Madge and her husband worked for the government and their job necessitated top secret clearance as they worked in Utah during construction of the detonator for the atomic bomb. With all her commitments completed and a grandmother, she pursued her dream and enrolled at the Pasadena Playhouse and studied acting at age fifty. She started performing in nearby Riverside appearing in stage productions where she was noticed by Fannie Brice who paved the way toward an acting career. Madge made her film debut in 1949 with an uncredited appearance in 'Adam's Rib' with Kathern Hepburn and Spencer Tracy. A prolific twenty years of television and movie appearances followed. Film credits: 'A Life of Her Own, Queen for a Day, Finders Keepers, an American in Paris, The Bad and the Beautiful, Singin in the Rain, The Long Trailer, Brigadoo, Sergeants 3, Follow Me, Boys and her final film was Batman.' Television credits: 'The Real McCoys as Flora MacMichael, Leave it to Beaver as Mrs Mondello, The Joey Bishop Show as Mrs Barnes and Batman as Aunt Harriet.' Madge made guest appearances on many television shows: 'I Love Lucy, Mr Lucky, Lassie, The Dick Van Dyke Show, The Addams Family and Bewitched.' In a bit of trivia: She was offered the role of Aunt Bee on the Andy Griffith Show but was unable to accept as she was under contract with the Leave it Beaver show, but was able to recommend her close friend Frances Bavier. Death put an end to her cherished second career when she fell in her Pasadena home and sustained a fractured ankle. She was admitted to Huntington Memorial Hospital where she passed away at age 69, the result of a heart attack. She was interred beside her mother in the family plot at Grand view Cemetery
In a message dated 6/27/2013 12:03:02 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, wbmutbb-requ...@wbmutbb.com writes: Send WBMUTBB mailing list submissions to wbmutbb@wbmutbb.com To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit http://wbmutbb.com/mailman/listinfo/wbmutbb_wbmutbb.com or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to wbmutbb-requ...@wbmutbb.com You can reach the person managing the list at wbmutbb-ow...@wbmutbb.com When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than "Re: Contents of WBMUTBB digest..." Please do not quote the entire WBMUTBB Digest when you reply. To Send to the Digest, address message to: wbmutbb@wbmutbb.com WBMUTBB Digest Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/wbmutbb@wbmutbb.com/ Today's Topics: 1. Andy Griffith Museum update (Jeff Koontz) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message: 1 Date: Wed, 26 Jun 2013 09:44:25 -0700 (PDT) From: Jeff Koontz <hey2goo...@yahoo.com> To: "wbmutbb@wbmutbb.com" <wbmutbb@wbmutbb.com> Subject: Andy Griffith Museum update Message-ID: <1372265065.87090.yahoomail...@web121603.mail.ne1.yahoo.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 http://www.mtairynews.com/pages/full_story/push?article-Artist+bringing+-May berry-+scenes+to+life%20&id=22979524&instance=top_stories A nice article about some updates to the lower level of the Andy Griffith Museum in the Mount Airy News. It's BIG! Jeff http://www.andygriffithmuseum.com? ------------------------------ Subject: Digest Footer ************************************************** ~ Visit our sponsor ~ Weaver's Department Store ~ http://www.WeaversDepartmentStore.com/ ************************************************** You must send your comments to the Digest from the address you used to join WBMUTBB or your message will not be posted. Only members may post to this mailing list. To remove yourself from the WBMUTBB Digest mailing list go to: http://www.tagsrwc.com/wbmutbb/joinwbmutbb.htm To change your email address, first unsubscribe using the link above and then re-subscribe using the same link to subscribe. Also visit: iMayberry Community http://iMayberryCommunity.com Mayberry Historical Society - http://www.mayberry.info Two Chairs No Waiting Podcast - http://www.TwoChairsNoWaiting.com/ ------------------------------ End of WBMUTBB Digest, Vol 14, Issue 183 **************************************** _______________________________________________ WBMUTBB mailing list WBMUTBB@wbmutbb.com http://www.mayberry.com/tagsrwc/wbmutbb/
