Madge Blake

Infobox Person
name = Madge Blake
birth_name = Madge Cummings
birth_date = birth date|1899|05|31
birth_place = Kinsley, Kansas
death_date = death date and age|1969|02|19|1899|05|31
death_place = Pasadena, California
death_cause = Heart attack
resting_place = flagicon|USA Grand View Memorial Park Cemetery, Glendale
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nationality = American
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occupation =Actress
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Madge Blake, née Cummings (b. May 31, 1899, Kinsley, Kansas - d. February 19, 1969, Pasadena, California) was an American character actress most famous for her role as Aunt Harriet Cooper on ABC's Batman TV series of the 1960s.

Early life

Her father, Albert, was a Methodist minister and discouraged her entry into acting. As such, she stayed out of acting until later in life and performed such jobs as testing equipment destined for the Manhattan Project. She was the niece of actor Milburn Stone and used his influence to help her into acting, starting with small local roles.

Acting career

In addition to her "Batman" role, Blake portrayed the baffled Margaret Mondello, mother of Larry Mondello (played by Rusty Stevens) on "Leave It to Beaver" (1957), gushy gossip columnist Dora Bailey in "Singin' in the Rain" (1952), and was a model for one of the fairies in Disney's animated version of "Sleeping Beauty" (1959).

Blake also played the role of "Flora McMichael", a romantic interest to Walter Brennan's "Grandpa Amos McCoy" in ABC's "The Real McCoys", a popular 1950s and 1960s situation comedy about a West Virginia family that relocated to southern California.

Prior to her role in "Batman", she appeared in the pilot episode of "The Addams Family" (broadcast in the U.S in September 1964) as Miss Comstock, an official from the Addams' children's school. Blake also appeared in a memorable episode of "I Love Lucy" in 1957 with George Reeves guest-starring as Superman.

At one point, the producers of "Batman" wanted to fire Blake for unknown reasons. Adam West, with whom she'd become friends, stood up for her and she kept her job. The next day, he found a freshly baked cake in his dressing room. To this day, West considers that one of the greatest compliments he's ever been paid.Fact|date=February 2007

Declining health

Declining health saw her role as Aunt Harriet reduced, and with the introduction of "Batgirl" in the third and final season of "Batman" she only appeared in two episodes that season as a guest role. She died of a heart attack at the age of sixty-nine, not long after the series was cancelled.

She is interred in the Grand View Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale.

Filmography

*"Adam's Rib" (1949)
*"A Life of Her Own" (1950)
*"Between Midnight and Dawn" (1950)
*"Finders Keepers" (1951)
*"The Prowler" (1951)
*"M" (1951)
*"No Questions Asked" (1951)
*"Queen for a Day" (1951)
*"Rhubarb" (1951)
*"A Millionaire for Christy" (1951)
*"An American in Paris" (1951)
*"Singin' in the Rain" (1952)
*"Skirts Ahoy!" (1952)
*"Washington Story" (1952)
*"Something for the Birds" (1952)
*"The Iron Mistress" (1952)
*"It Grows on Trees" (1952)
*"The Bad and the Beautiful" (1952)
*"It Happens Every Thursday" (1953)
*"The Band Wagon" (1953)
*"Dangerous Crossing" (1953)
*"The Long, Long Trailer" (1954)
*"Rhapsody" (1954)
*"Fireman Save My Child" (1954)
*"Brigadoon" (1954)
*"Ricochet Romance" (1954)
*"Ain't Misbehavin"' (1955)
*"The Private War of Major Benson" (1955)
*"It's Always Fair Weather" (1955)
*"The Tender Trap" (1955)
*"Glory" (1956)
*"Please Murder Me" (1956)
*"The Solid Gold Cadillac" (1956)
*"Kelly and Me" (1957)
*"Designing Woman" (1957)
*"Loving You" (1957)
*"All Mine to Give" (1957)
*"The Heart Is a Rebel" (1958)
*"Please Don't Eat the Daisies" (1960)
*"Sergeants 3" (1962)
*"Looking for Love" (1964)
*"The Trouble with Angels" (1966)
*"The Last of the Secret Agents?" (1966)
*"Batman" (1966)
*"Follow Me, Boys!" (1966)

External links

*
* [http://www.geocities.com/~1966/mblake.htm 1966 Batman TV Heroes - Madge Blake]

Persondata
NAME = Blake, Madge
ALTERNATIVE NAMES = Cummings, Madge
SHORT DESCRIPTION = Actor
DATE OF BIRTH = 1899-05-31
PLACE OF BIRTH = Kinsley, Kansas, United States
DATE OF DEATH = 1969-02-19
PLACE OF DEATH = Pasadena, California, United States