Madge Meredith

Madge Meredith (born Marjorie May Massow; July 15, 1921 – September 16, 2017) was an American film actress who appeared in numerous films and television series between 1944 and 1964. However, she may have been best known for her wrongful conviction for kidnapping.

Early years

Meredith was born Marjorie May Massow in Iowa Falls, Iowa, Her father F.A. Massow was a construction superintendent. She focused on dramatics in high school, which helped her manage her stammer. She received a tuition-only scholarship to the Rice School of the Theater in Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts. Because her family's funds were limited, Meredith worked at the school to pay for her room and board.

In 1941, Meredith and her family moved to Culver City, California in hopes of finding work for her in films. In June 1943, a friend helped her obtain a job in a coffee shop at the 20th Century-Fox studios.

In 1946, after an uncredited appearance in the previous year's Kitty, Meredith signed a contract with RKO Pictures. She soon had roles in Child of Divorce (1946), The Falcon's Adventure (1946) and Trail Street (1947).

Following her conviction and imprisonment related to a kidnapping case, Meredith resumed her career in 1952, appearing in uncredited roles in To Hell and Back (1955), Tea and Sympathy (1956), The Ten Commandments (1956) and The Guns of Fort Petticoat (1957), her final feature film.

Following her film career, Meredith appeared on many television series such as Sea Hunt, Northwest Passage, Tales of the Vikings, The Best of the Post and The Littlest Hobo.

Kidnapping case On July 2, 1947, a warrant was issued for Meredith's arrest charging her and three men with the kidnapping and beating of Nick Gianaclis, Meredith's business manager and Verne Davis, his bodyguard. Meredith denied involvement in the kidnapping and claimed that Gianaclis was trying to exact revenge after she had sued him over the purchase of a house, a lawsuit that was decided in her favor. She also claimed that he became angry when she resisted his romantic advances.

On December 12, 1947, the jury in a four-week trial found Meredith and two co-defendants guilty of five felony charges. Meredith proclaimed her innocence, but her attorney's motion for a new trial was denied. On May 9, 1949, Meredith entered the California Correctional Institution near Tehachapi to begin serving her sentence.

In March 1951, the parole board recommended Meredith's released after it decided that she had been unjustly convicted.

On July 14, 1951, California's governor Earl Warren ordered Meredith's release from prison, commuting her sentence to time served. He observed: "This is a bizarre case, perhaps more fantastic than any moving picture in which the defendant acted, but certainly having many of the attributes of a scenario." with whom she had one child, a daughter. The couple separated in 1956, and divorced in 1958. She later married Mack Hatayama, with whom she adopted a son.

Later years After retiring from acting, Meredith devoted her time to helping other victims of injustice.

She died at her home in Volcano, Hawaii in 2017 at the age of 96, survived by her husband, a son and a daughter.

Filmography Year Title Role Notes 1944 Take It or Leave It Kate Collins as Marjorie Massow In the Meantime, Darling Mrs. Cook as Marjorie Massow 1945 Kitty Minor Role uncredited 1946 Child of Divorce Joan Carter Benton The Falcon's Adventure Louisa Braganza 1947 Trail Street Susan Pritchett 1953 Tumbleweed Sarah Blanden 1955 To Hell and Back Corinne uncredited 1956 Tea and Sympathy Alumna uncredited The Ten Commandments Slave uncredited 1957 The Guns of Fort Petticoat Hazel McCasslin uncredited