Kennedy, Madge (1890–1987)

American actress. Born in Chicago, Illinois, in 1890; died in Woodland Hills, California, on June 9, 1987; daughter of Gordon Kennedy and Carolyn (Warner) Kennedy; married Harold Bolster; married William B. Hanley, Jr. (a radio producer), in 1934 (died 1959); no children.

Selected theater:

made professional debut in The Genius (1910); succeededMargaret Lawrence as Elsie Darling in Over Night (1911); appeared in the title role in Little Miss Brown (Forty-eighth Street Theater, New York, 1912), as Anne Grey in The Co-respondent (Poughkeepsie, New York, May 1913), as Blanche Hawkins in Twin Beds (Fulton Theater, New York, August 1914), as Blanche Wheeler in Fair and Warmer (Eltinge Theater, New York, November 1915), in the dual role of Mary Brennan and Margaret Waring in Cornered (Astor Theater, New York, December, 1920), as Elizabeth Dean in Spite Corner (Little Theater, New York, September 1922), as Poppy McGargle in Poppy (Apollo Theater, New York, September 1923), as Miriam Holt in Badges (49th Street Theater, New York, December 1924), as Joyce Bragdon in Beware of Widows (Elliott Theater, New York, December 1925), as Diana Wynne in Love in a Mist (Gaiety Theater, New York, April 1926), as Mary McVittey in The Springboard (Mansfield Theater, New York, October 1927), as Mary Hutton in Paris Bound (Music Box Theater, New York, December, 1927); toured as Susan in The Perfect Alibi and as Mary in Michael and Mary (1930); succeededGertrude Lawrence as Amada Prynne in Private Lives (Times Square Theater, May 1931); appeared as Joyce Burroughs in Bridal Wise (Cort Theater, New York, May 1932), as Fanny Grey in Autumn Crocus (Studebaker Theater, Chicago, January 1934).

Selected filmography:

Baby Mine (1917); Nearly Married (1917); The Danger Game (1918); The Fair Pretender (1918); The Service Star (1918); Friendly Husband (1918); The Kingdom of Youth (1918); A Perfect Lady (1918); Day Dreams (1919); Leave It to Susan (1919); Through the Wrong Door (1919); Strictly Confidential (1919); The Blooming Angel (1920); Dollars and Sense (1920); The Truth (1920); Oh Mary, Be Careful (1921); The Girl With a Jazz Heart (1921); The Highest Bidder (1921); The Purple Highway (1923); Three Miles Out (1924); Scandal Street (1925); Bad Company (1925); Lying Wives (1925); Oh Baby! (1926); The Marrying Kind (1952); The Rains of Ranchipur (1955); Three Bad Sisters (1956); The Catered Affair (1956); Lust for Life (1956); Let's Make Love (1960); They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (1969); The Baby Maker (1970); The Day of the Locust (1975); The Marathon Man (1976).

Madge Kennedy was recruited from the Broadway stage by Sam Goldwyn in 1917 and played successfully in silent movies through the 1920s, mainly in demure lady-like roles. While her screen career flourished, she also made occasional appearances on Broadway, notably in Poppy (1923) with W.C. Fields. Kennedy disappeared from films during the 1930s and 1940s, but made a strong comeback in the early 1950s as a character actress. Her later films include The Marrying Kind (1952), The Rains of Ranchipur (1955), Lust for Life (1956), They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (1969), The Day of the Locust (1975), and Marathon Man (1976). She also appeared on Broadway in A Very Rich Woman in 1965. Most critics believe that Kennedy's talents were better realized during her later film career, and often cite her portrayal of the elderly tenant of a shabby boarding house in The Day of the Locust as one of her best.

Kennedy married radio producer William B. Hanley, Jr., in 1934, and after his death in 1959, lived alone in Woodland Hills, California. She died at the age of 96.