Madge Evans
Lovely Madge Evans was the perennial nice girl in films of the 1930s. By then, she had been in front of the camera for many years, starting with Fairy Soap commercials at the age of two (she sat on a bar of soap holding a bunch of violets with the tag line reading "have you a little fairy in your home?"). 'Baby Madge' also lent her name to a children's hat company. In 1914, aged five, she was picked out by talent scouts to appear in the William Farnum movie The Sign of the Cross (1914), followed by The Seven Sisters (1915) with Marguerite Clark. By the end of the following year, she had amassed some twenty film credits, appearing with such noted contemporary stars as Pauline Frederick or Alice Brady. All of her early films were made on the East Coast, at studios in Ft.Lee, New Jersey. In 1917 (aged eight), Madge made her Broadway debut in 'Peter Ibbetson' with John Barrymore and Lionel Barrymore. She resumed her stage career in 1926 as an ingenue with 'Daisy Mayme' and the following year appeared with Billie Burke in Noel Coward's costume drama 'The Marquise' (1927). Her pleasing looks and personality soon attracted the attention of Hollywood and she was eventually signed by MGM in 1931. During the next decade, she appeared in several A-grade productions, notably as Lionel Barrymore's daughter in MGM's Dinner at Eight (1933) and as the dependable Agnes Wickfield in one of the best-ever filmed versions of David Copperfield (1935). She co-starred opposite James Cagney in the gangster movie The Mayor of Hell (1933), Spencer Tracy in The Show-Off (1934) and listened to Bing Crosby crooning the title song in Pennies from Heaven (1936). Madge received praise for her performance as the star of Beauty for Sale (1933) and The New York Times review of January 13 1934 described her acting in Fugitive Lovers (1934) (opposite Robert Montgomery ) as 'spontaneous and captivating'. Many of her 'typical American girl' roles did not allow her to express aspects of the greater acting range she undoubtedly possessed. Too often she was cast as the 'nice girl' - and those rarely make much of a dramatic impact. On the few occasions she was assigned the role of 'other woman' , such as the Helen Hayes-starrer What Every Woman Knows (1934), audiences found her character difficult to believe and disassociate from her all-round wholesome image. When her contract with MGM expired in 1937, Madge wound down her film career and, following her 1939 marriage, concentrated on being the wife of celebrated playwright Sidney Kingsley. She last appeared on stage in one of his plays, "The Patriots", in 1943.
Filmography
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
as Self (archive footage)
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
as Self (archive footage)
Army Girl
as Julie Armstrong
Army Girl
as Julie Armstrong
Sinners in Paradise
as Anne Wesson
Sinners in Paradise
as Anne Wesson
The Thirteenth Chair
as Helen "Nell" O'Neill
The Thirteenth Chair
as Helen "Nell" O'Neill
Espionage
as Patricia Booth
Espionage
as Patricia Booth
Pennies from Heaven
as Susan Sprague
Pennies from Heaven
as Susan Sprague
Piccadilly Jim
as Ann Chester
Piccadilly Jim
as Ann Chester
Moonlight Murder
as Toni Adams
Moonlight Murder
as Toni Adams
Exclusive Story
as Ann Devlin
Exclusive Story
as Ann Devlin
The Tunnel
as Ruth McAllan
The Tunnel
as Ruth McAllan
Men Without Names
as Helen Sherwood
Men Without Names
as Helen Sherwood
Calm Yourself
as Rosalind Rockwell
Calm Yourself
as Rosalind Rockwell
Age of Indiscretion
as Maxine Bennett
Age of Indiscretion
as Maxine Bennett
Helldorado
as Glenda Wynant
Helldorado
as Glenda Wynant
What Every Woman Knows
as Lady Sybil Tenterden
What Every Woman Knows
as Lady Sybil Tenterden
Death on the Diamond
as Frances Clark
Death on the Diamond
as Frances Clark
Grand Canary
as Lady Mary Fielding
Grand Canary
as Lady Mary Fielding
Stand Up and Cheer!
as Mary Adams
Stand Up and Cheer!
as Mary Adams
The Show-Off
as Amy Fisher Piper
The Show-Off
as Amy Fisher Piper
Fugitive Lovers
as Letty Morris
Fugitive Lovers
as Letty Morris
Dinner at Eight
as Paula Jordan
Dinner at Eight
as Paula Jordan
Day of Reckoning
as Dorothy Day
Day of Reckoning
as Dorothy Day
Broadway to Hollywood
as Anne Ainsley
Broadway to Hollywood
as Anne Ainsley
Beauty for Sale
as Letty Lawson
Beauty for Sale
as Letty Lawson
The Mayor of Hell
as Dorothy Griffith
The Mayor of Hell
as Dorothy Griffith
Hell Below
as Joan
Hell Below
as Joan
The Nuisance
as Dorothy Mason
The Nuisance
as Dorothy Mason
Made on Broadway
as Claire
Made on Broadway
as Claire
Hallelujah, I'm a Bum
as June Marcher
Hallelujah, I'm a Bum
as June Marcher
Fast Life
as Shirley
Fast Life
as Shirley
Huddle
as Rosalie
Huddle
as Rosalie
Are You Listening?
as Laura O'Neil
Are You Listening?
as Laura O'Neil
The Greeks Had a Word for Them
as Polaire
The Greeks Had a Word for Them
as Polaire
Lovers Courageous
as Mary Blayne
Lovers Courageous
as Mary Blayne
West of Broadway
as Anne
West of Broadway
as Anne
Heartbreak
as Countess Vima Walden
Heartbreak
as Countess Vima Walden
Guilty Hands
as Barbara 'Babs' Grant
Guilty Hands
as Barbara 'Babs' Grant
Envy
as Helen
Envy
as Helen
The Bard of Broadway
The Bard of Broadway
Classmates
as Sylvia
Classmates
as Sylvia
On the Banks of the Wabash
as Lisbeth
On the Banks of the Wabash
as Lisbeth
Home Wanted
as Madge Dow
Home Wanted
as Madge Dow
Three Green Eyes
as Child
Three Green Eyes
as Child
Love Net
as Patty Barnes
Love Net
as Patty Barnes
The Power and the Glory
as Deanie Consadine
The Power and the Glory
as Deanie Consadine
Neighbors
as Clarissa Leigh
Neighbors
as Clarissa Leigh
The Volunteer
as Self
The Volunteer
as Self
The Burglar
as Editha
The Burglar
as Editha
The Corner Grocer
as Mary Brian, age 8
The Corner Grocer
as Mary Brian, age 8
Maternity
as Constance
Maternity
as Constance
The Web of Desire
as Marjorie
The Web of Desire
as Marjorie
Husband and Wife
as Bessie
Husband and Wife
as Bessie
The Master Hand
as Jean as a Child
The Master Hand
as Jean as a Child
The Seven Sisters
as Clara
The Seven Sisters
as Clara