Madge Evans

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.
Known For: Acting
Birthday: 1909-07-01
Place of Birth: New York City, New York, USA
Also Known As: Margherita Evans, Madge Evans Kingsley, Margherita "Madge" Evans

Movies List of Madge Evans

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The Volunteer

1917 Movie
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The Bard of Broadway

1930 Movie
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The Tunnel

1935 Movie
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David Copperfield

1935 Movie
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Dinner at Eight

1933 Movie
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True Blue

1918 Movie
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Helldorado

1935 Movie
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Heartbreak

1931 Movie
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Broadway to Hollywood

1933 Movie
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The Mayor of Hell

1933 Movie
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Love Net

1918 Movie
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Death on the Diamond

1934 Movie
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The New South

1916 Movie
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Hallelujah, I'm a Bum

1933 Movie
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The Nuisance

1933 Movie
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Piccadilly Jim

1936 Movie
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Guilty Hands

1931 Movie
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Sinners in Paradise

1938 Movie
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Are You Listening?

1932 Movie
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Exclusive Story

1936 Movie
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Son of India

1931 Movie
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Day of Reckoning

1933 Movie
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The Thirteenth Chair

1937 Movie
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West of Broadway

1931 Movie
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Wanted, A Mother

1918 Movie
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Lovers Courageous

1932 Movie
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Made on Broadway

1933 Movie
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Beauty for Sale

1933 Movie
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Pennies from Heaven

1936 Movie
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Army Girl

1938 Movie
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Huddle

1932 Movie
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Moonlight Murder

1936 Movie
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Espionage

1937 Movie
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Fugitive Lovers

1934 Movie
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Hell Below

1933 Movie
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Age of Indiscretion

1935 Movie
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The Show-Off

1934 Movie
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Sporting Blood

1931 Movie
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Fast Life

1932 Movie
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Calm Yourself

1935 Movie
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Stolen Orders

1918 Movie
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Paris Interlude

1934 Movie
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The Web of Desire

1917 Movie
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Men Without Names

1935 Movie
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The Hidden Scar

1916 Movie
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Husband and Wife

1916 Movie
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The Revolt

1916 Movie
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Classmates

1924 Movie
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The Devil's Toy

1916 Movie
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Grand Canary

1934 Movie
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Stand Up and Cheer!

1934 Movie
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Envy

1930 Movie
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Seventeen

1916 Movie
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The Seven Sisters

1915 Movie