Madge Meredith: A Hollywood Starlet’s Dramatic Life from Kidnapping to Redemption
Madge Meredith, a Hollywood star, faced the bizarre twist of playing a kidnap victim in films, only to be convicted of orchestrating a real kidnapping just a year later. After spending three years in prison, her case generated shockwaves in Tinseltown, and despite a rocky career, she continued to act and later switched to real estate while advocating for other victims of injustice until her passing.
Madge Meredith, who left this mortal coil at the ripe old age of 96, certainly had a Hollywood story that’s more dramatic than a soap opera. Born Marjorie May Massow in Iowa Falls in 1921, she went from having a stammer to starring as a kidnap victim on-screen, only to find herself convicted of masterminding a real kidnapping plot just a year later. You couldn’t script it any better!
Her stint in Tinseltown came crashing down when she was found guilty of plotting to abduct her former manager, sparking shockwaves across Hollywood – yes, even Humphrey Bogart, who swooned, “she’s too cute to be a criminal!” Her friends turned into a mini legal army, rallying to free her, and after three years in the pokey, the governor decided it was all a bit ridiculous, calling her case “more fantastic than any moving picture.”
After her release on her 30th birthday, Madge hoped to resurrect her acting career but found herself mostly in supporting roles. Despite her fall from grace, she dabbled in Hollywood again, appearing with the likes of Audie Murphy in films like To Hell and Back. Yet, her biggest drama would always be off-screen.
The whole kidnapping kerfuffle stemmed from a feud over a Hollywood Hills house with Gianaclis, her manager, and the drama was straight out of a b-movie script. Poor Madge claimed he wasn’t just after her property but had a tiny crush too, and the whole situation spiralled from there. Talk about having a dramatic personal life!
Madge’s impressive resume includes playing a slave in The Ten Commandments which seems paradoxical considering her own trials. After her silver screen days, she turned to selling estates and advocating for victims of injustice from sun-soaked Hawaii, where the only drama is whether the piña colada is chilled enough! She leaves behind a husband, a daughter, and an adopted son, proving that even in a tumultuous life, there’s always room for family.
Madge Meredith’s life reads like a roller coaster of Hollywood misadventure, blending glitz, drama, and a dash of crime. She transformed from a stutter-prone child into a silver screen star, only to become a headline headline for all the wrong reasons. This unforgettable journey reminds us that sometimes, truth really is stranger than fiction!
Original Source: www.heraldscotland.com
