Madeline Lee (actress) facts for kids

Madeline Lee Gilford (born Madeline Lederman; May 30, 1923 – April 15, 2008) was an American actress. She worked in movies, on stage, and on radio. She was also a social activist, which means she worked to bring about social change. Later in her life, she became a theatrical producer, helping to create plays for the stage.

Madeline Lee Gilford was married to actor Jack Gilford. They were married from 1949 until he passed away in 1990.

Early Life and Acting Career

Madeline Lee was born in the Bronx, New York City, on May 30, 1923. Her parents were Polish Jewish immigrants. She started acting when she was only three years old. Her older sister, Fran Lee, was also an actress.

Madeline Lee may have appeared in early Our Gang episodes. These were short films made in Brooklyn in the 1920s. She also acted on the radio, appearing on The Henry Morgan Show. In 1944, she performed in a play called Embezzled Heaven with Ethel Barrymore.

A documentary film about her life is being made. It is called Calling All Women. The film talks about her work as an activist and producer. It includes interviews with famous actors like Richard Dreyfuss and Martin Sheen.

Becoming a Social Activist

Madeline Lee Gilford started working for social causes when she was young. She helped organize the National Student Union at Walton High School. This led to her being expelled from the school.

She met her future husband, Jack Gilford, at a political meeting in 1947. They were both interested in left-wing causes. Madeline and Jack got married in 1949. They stayed together for 40 years until Jack's death.

The McCarthy Era Challenges

During the 1950s, a time known as the McCarthy Era, many people in the entertainment industry were accused of being communists. Madeline and Jack Gilford were both called to testify before a government committee. This committee was called the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC).

They were both put on a "blacklist." This meant it was very hard for them to find work. A famous choreographer named Jerome Robbins named them during his testimony. Madeline was called to testify in 1953.

A newspaper article from 1953 said she used her rights from the U.S. Constitution to avoid answering questions. She used the First, Fourth, Fifth, and Eighth Amendments. She was asked about a May Day Parade she joined in 1942.

Madeline reportedly told the HUAC committee, "Look, I'm a comedian, not Joan of Arc." She meant she wasn't a hero or a heretic. This response would have been very brave.

Both Madeline and Jack struggled to find acting jobs. They had to borrow money from friends to live. Madeline found some work, often behind the scenes. She said there was no blacklist on Broadway.

They both started working more often in the early 1960s. Jack Gilford made a comeback in the play A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum in 1962. This play starred Zero Mostel, a friend of the couple. It was choreographed by Jerome Robbins, who had testified against them.

Later Career and Activism

Madeline Lee Gilford continued her work as a social activist after the McCarthy Era. She took part in many demonstrations during the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s. She was very close to the stage when Martin Luther King Jr. gave his famous I Have A Dream speech in 1963. Many years later, in 1999, she was arrested for civil disobedience. This means she broke a law on purpose to protest something.

In 1978, Gilford wrote a book with Kate Mostel. Kate was the wife of Zero Mostel. The book was called 170 Years in Show Business. It shared stories about their lives and other famous people they knew.

In the 1980s, Gilford became a Broadway theater producer. She also worked as a casting director, helping to choose actors for plays. She helped produce the play The World of Sholom Aleichim in 1982. Her husband, Jack, starred in it. She also co-produced the Broadway musical Rags in 1986.

She kept acting until shortly before she passed away. She appeared on TV shows like Law & Order. Her movie roles included The Birdcage, The Savages, and Sex and the City.

Death

Madeline Lee Gilford passed away on April 15, 2008. She was 84 years old. She died in her apartment in Greenwich Village, New York City. She was survived by her daughter, Lisa, and two sons, Joe and Sam. She also had three grandchildren.

Her funeral was held on April 17, 2008. She was buried at Mount Hebron Cemetery in Flushing, Queens.

See also

In Spanish: Madeline Lee Gilford para niños