Madge Meredith
Hollywood actress whose career was stalled by three years in jail
MADGE MEREDITH, who has died aged 96, rose from being a cashier in the cafeteria at 20th Century Fox to become the star of B-movies such as Child of Divorce and The Falcon’s Adventure (both 1946); but her career ended abruptly when she was convicted of complicity in the assault and kidnapping of her former manager, Nicholas Gianaclis, and sent to prison.
She was born Marjorie May Massow in Iowa Falls, on July 15 1921. As a child she had a stammer, but still won a scholarship to the Rice School of Theatre in Massachusetts. From there she went to New York to study, moving to Hollywood in 1941.
Unable to find acting work, she took a job in the canteen at 20th Century Fox, where, in 1943, she was spotted behind the counter by the actress Jennifer Jones, who suggested she take a screen test. The studio offered her a contract, but with the proviso that she get a “new nose”. Surgery was arranged and in November 1943 Marjorie Massow became Madge Meredith.
But after small roles in a clutch of films, in 1945 Fox dropped her contract. That same year she was introduced to Nicholas “The Greek” Gianaclis. He appointed himself as her manager and took control of her life. He found her a small part in Kitty (1945), a costume drama set in London during the 1780s and starring Paulette Goddard and Ray Milland, after which she progressed to larger roles, including the Randolph Scott western Trail Street (1947).
But before the film was released, Madge Meredith had fallen out with Gianaclis in a disagreement over a house he had helped her buy in the Hollywood Hills. By December 1946 he had evicted her. She, in turn, sued him and in 1947 a judge ruled that she was the legal owner of the property.
But on July 2 1947 Gianaclis told the police that Madge Meredith had ordered three men to beat and kidnap him and his bodyguard two days earlier. She was arrested and after a four-week trial she was convicted – along with the three men who had attacked Gianaclis – of kidnapping, assault with a deadly weapon and conspiracy. In January 1948 she was sentenced to serve five years to life in prison. “I know in my own heart I’m innocent of any crime,” she told reporters, “some day, someone will believe the truth about what I say.”
Hollywood was aghast. Even Humphrey Bogart came out in support of her. (He told the actress Beverly Roberts that Madge Meredith was “too cute to be a criminal”.) The actress Zasu Pitts began campaigning on her behalf, writing endless letters in support of her friend.
In March 1951, a prisoner in San Quentin jail revealed that Gianaclis himself had staged the kidnapping, partly, it seemed, to gain control over her property, but also because Madge Meredith had spurned his sexual advances. On July 15 1951, her 30th birthday, Madge Meredith was released. Later, Gianaclis, a Greek immigrant, had his US citizenship revoked due to “poor character”.
After her release she returned to work with a starring role on television as Olga Trapani in The Rocco Case (1952), and appeared in To Hell and Back (1955), the true story of Audie Murphy, the most decorated soldier in US history. She also played a slightly over made-up slave girl in The Ten Commandments (1956), as well as appearances in several television series.
After retiring in 1964 she devoted the rest of her life to working on behalf of victims of injustice.
Latterly she lived in Hawaii. Reflecting, in 2000, on her prison experience, she said: “Whatever happens one must never lose hope.”
Madge Meredith is survived by her husband, Mack Hatayama, and a son and daughter.