Blossom Rock facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Blossom Rock
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| Born |
Edith Marie Blossom McDonald
August 21, 1895 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
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| Died | January 14, 1978 (aged 82) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
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| Resting place | Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale, Memory Slope #1183 |
| Other names |
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| Occupation | Actress, vaudevillian |
| Years active | 1923–1966 |
| Spouse(s) |
Clarence Warren Rock
(m. 1926; died 1960) |
| Relatives | Jeanette MacDonald (sister) |
Edith Marie Blossom MacDonald (born August 21, 1895 – died January 14, 1978) was an American actress. She was also known by her stage names Blossom Rock and Marie Blake. Blossom Rock performed in vaudeville shows, on stage, in movies, and on television.
Her younger sister was the famous actress and singer Jeanette MacDonald. Blossom Rock is best known for playing "Grandmama" in the 1960s TV show The Addams Family. This show was a funny and spooky sitcom.
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Blossom Rock's Early Life and Family
Blossom Rock was born on August 21, 1895, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She was the second of three daughters. Her parents were Anna May and Daniel McDonald. Later, her family changed the spelling of their last name to MacDonald.
When she was young, Blossom first performed in vaudeville shows with her younger sister, Jeanette. Vaudeville was a popular type of entertainment with many different acts, like singing, dancing, and comedy. Blossom also had an older sister, Elsie Wallace MacDonald. Elsie was also a vaudeville performer. She later ran a dance school until 1962.
On September 26, 1926, Blossom married actor Clarence Warren Rock in Manhattan. They performed together as a vaudeville act called "Rock and Blossom" from 1925 to 1929. Clarence Rock passed away in 1960. Blossom and Clarence did not have any children.
Blossom Rock's Acting Career
Blossom Rock started her film career using the name Marie Blake. She began working for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) in 1937. Her first movie was My Dear Miss Aldrich. Her first important role where she was named in the credits was in Love Finds Andy Hardy (1938).
She then played a well-known role as Sally, the hospital switchboard operator. This was in nine films of MGM's popular Dr. Kildare series. These movies were made from 1938 to 1942.
In the 1950s, Blossom Rock started using her real name again. She became most famous for playing "Grandmama" on The Addams Family. This TV show was on the ABC network from 1964 to 1966. In October 1964, she even appeared in public as Grandmama at a haunted house. This event was at The Children's Museum of Indianapolis.
Later Years and Passing
In December 1967, Blossom Rock had a stroke. This affected her ability to speak. Because of this, she could not join her fellow cast members for the 1977 TV movie Halloween with the New Addams Family. However, she reportedly watched the film from the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital.
Blossom Rock passed away at age 82 on January 14, 1978. She died in Los Angeles, California. She was buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California.
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Blossom Rock
