Madge Bellamy
Encyclopedia
Madge Bellamy was an American film actress who was a popular leading lady in the 1920s and early 1930s. Her career declined in the sound era, and ended following a romantic scandal in the 1940s.
in 1899 as Margaret Derden Philpott to William Bledsoe Philpott (1864-19??), a professor of English
and Annie Margaret Derden (1880–1960). The family was of English and Irish heritage. Her father was an 1884 graduate of Texas A&M University
. Besides teaching English, he taught history and languages, and he also edited many scholarly works. Her parents were married on June 22, 1898 in Hillsboro, Hill County, Texas.
Madge Bellamy was raised in San Antonio, Texas
until she was 6 years old, and the family later moved to Brownwood, Texas
, where her father taught at the local college. When she was 10 years old, the Philpotts moved to Denver, Colorado
. Bellamy became interested in acting even as a young girl, and she soon appeared in several plays.
She ran away to New York City
at age 17, and she was soon working as an actor and dancer on Broadway
. In 1918, she played the lead role in Pollyanna on Broadway and in the touring show. She appeared in Dear Brutus, Dream Girl, and Peg O' My Heart
on Broadway. In November 1920, she signed an exclusive contract with Thomas H. Ince
's newly formed Triangle film company to appear in the film called Passing Thru, which was released in the fall of 1921.
(1921), Lorna Doone
(1922), and The Iron Horse
(1924).
Bellamy made a successful transition to sound film
in 1928 with the hit Mother Knows Best, but after a dispute with Fox in 1929 she left the studio and could not find work again until 1932 when she began appearing in B movies. She may be best-known for the 1932 film White Zombie
, in which she starred opposite Bela Lugosi
. Her only marriage was brief and childless.
, contended the actress never hit Murphy despite firing several shots at him at close range, and Ehrlich described that as proof that Bellamy had merely intended to scare her lover.
Bellamy acknowledged having an affair with the married Murphy, a scandalous admission at the time. But attorney Ehrlich characterized her as a wronged woman. He said she had always refused any gifts or support from her rich lover, relying instead on Murphy's promise to marry her once he was divorced. When Murphy married someone else, Ehrlich said, the humiliated actress set out to teach him a lesson. Amid all the claims and counter-claims, the publicity-shy Murphy soon stopped cooperating with investigators. The charge against Bellamy was eventually dropped.
Bellamy made her last screen appearance in Northwest Trail
in 1945. She lived in poverty for much of her post-screen life, worked selling tools in a shop and was unsuccessful in her attempts at becoming a published novelist. In the 1980s, however, she sold her property during the California real estate
boom and by her account made more money than she had during her years in films.
, aged 90. Her autobiography, A Darling of the Twenties, was published shortly after her death.
Early life
Madge Bellamy was born in Hillsboro, TexasHillsboro, Texas
Hillsboro is a city in and the county seat of Hill County in Central Texas. The population was 8,232 at the 2000 census.Hillsboro, located on Interstate 35 where I-35E and I-35W meet south of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, is the primary center for trade and commerce in Hill County...
in 1899 as Margaret Derden Philpott to William Bledsoe Philpott (1864-19??), a professor of English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and Annie Margaret Derden (1880–1960). The family was of English and Irish heritage. Her father was an 1884 graduate of Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...
. Besides teaching English, he taught history and languages, and he also edited many scholarly works. Her parents were married on June 22, 1898 in Hillsboro, Hill County, Texas.
Madge Bellamy was raised in San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
until she was 6 years old, and the family later moved to Brownwood, Texas
Brownwood, Texas
Brownwood is a city in and the county seat of Brown County, Texas, United States. The population was 18,813 at the 2000 census.-History:The original site of the Brown County seat of Brownwood was on the east of Pecan Bayou. A dispute arose over land and water rights, and the settlers were forced...
, where her father taught at the local college. When she was 10 years old, the Philpotts moved to Denver, Colorado
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
. Bellamy became interested in acting even as a young girl, and she soon appeared in several plays.
She ran away to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
at age 17, and she was soon working as an actor and dancer on Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
. In 1918, she played the lead role in Pollyanna on Broadway and in the touring show. She appeared in Dear Brutus, Dream Girl, and Peg O' My Heart
Peg o' My Heart
"Peg o' My Heart" is a popular song written by Alfred Bryan and Fred Fisher. It was published on March 15, 1913 and it featured in the 1913 musical Ziegfeld Follies. The song was first performed publicly by Irving Kaufman in 1912 at The College Inn in New York City after he had stumbled across a...
on Broadway. In November 1920, she signed an exclusive contract with Thomas H. Ince
Thomas H. Ince
Thomas Harper Ince was an American silent film actor, director, screenwriter and producer of more than 100 films and pioneering studio mogul. Known as the "Father of the Western", he invented many mechanisms of professional movie production, introducing early Hollywood to the "assembly line"...
's newly formed Triangle film company to appear in the film called Passing Thru, which was released in the fall of 1921.
Career
Bellamy made her film debut in 1920. After 4 years with Famous Players her contract was picked up by Fox Film Corporation. Her best known films include Love Never DiesLove Never Dies (1921 film)
Love Never Dies is a 1921 silent drama film directed by King Vidor.-Cast:* Lloyd Hughes - John Trott* Madge Bellamy - Tilly Whaley* Joseph Bennett - Joel Eperson* Lillian Leighton - Mrs. Cavanaugh* Fred Gamble - Sam Cavanaugh...
(1921), Lorna Doone
Lorna Doone (1922 film)
Lorna Doone is a 1922 film version of Richard Doddridge Blackmore's novel of the same name.Directed by French director Maurice Tourneur in the United States, the film starred Madge Bellamy and John Bowers. In 2001, a digital restoration of the film was financed by Georgia cinephile Jesse Sharp,...
(1922), and The Iron Horse
The Iron Horse (film)
The Iron Horse is a silent film directed by John Ford in 1924. It was produced by Fox Film. -Synopsis:The film presents an idealized image of the construction of the American first transcontinental railroad. It culminates with the scene of driving of the golden spike at Promontory Summit on May...
(1924).
Bellamy made a successful transition to sound film
Sound film
A sound film is a motion picture with synchronized sound, or sound technologically coupled to image, as opposed to a silent film. The first known public exhibition of projected sound films took place in Paris in 1900, but decades would pass before sound motion pictures were made commercially...
in 1928 with the hit Mother Knows Best, but after a dispute with Fox in 1929 she left the studio and could not find work again until 1932 when she began appearing in B movies. She may be best-known for the 1932 film White Zombie
White Zombie (film)
White Zombie is a 1932 American independent Pre-Code horror film directed and produced by brothers Victor Halperin and Edward Halperin, respectively. The screenplay by Garnett Weston tells the story of a young woman's transformation into a zombie at the hands of an evil voodoo master. Béla Lugosi...
, in which she starred opposite Bela Lugosi
Béla Lugosi
Béla Ferenc Dezső Blaskó , commonly known as Bela Lugosi, was a Hungarian actor of stage and screen. He was best known for having played Count Dracula in the Broadway play and subsequent film version, as well as having starred in several of Ed Wood's low budget films in the last years of his...
. Her only marriage was brief and childless.
Scandal and decline
In San Francisco in 1943, Bellamy was accused of assault with a deadly weapon for shooting (or shooting at) her wealthy lover, Stanwood Murphy. The incident generated much publicity and effectively ended her already fading career. The facts of the case remain somewhat cloudy. Shortly after the shooting, Bellamy was quoted as saying, "I only winged him, which is what I meant to do. Believe me, I'm a crack shot". Some show business references state outright that she shot him. But her defense attorney, the legendary Jake EhrlichJake Ehrlich
- Biography :Born near Rockville, Montgomery County, Maryland. Known as "the Master," Jake Ehrlich had a fifty year career as a defense and divorce attorney in San Francisco. He authored a dozen books on the law, the Bible, and his own life story...
, contended the actress never hit Murphy despite firing several shots at him at close range, and Ehrlich described that as proof that Bellamy had merely intended to scare her lover.
Bellamy acknowledged having an affair with the married Murphy, a scandalous admission at the time. But attorney Ehrlich characterized her as a wronged woman. He said she had always refused any gifts or support from her rich lover, relying instead on Murphy's promise to marry her once he was divorced. When Murphy married someone else, Ehrlich said, the humiliated actress set out to teach him a lesson. Amid all the claims and counter-claims, the publicity-shy Murphy soon stopped cooperating with investigators. The charge against Bellamy was eventually dropped.
Bellamy made her last screen appearance in Northwest Trail
Northwest Trail
Northwest Trail is a 1945 American contemporary Northwestern film directed by Derwin Abrahams shot in Cinecolor at Lake Hemet, California. It stars Bob Steele, Joan Woodbury and Madge Bellamy making a comeback appearance in her final film.-Plot:...
in 1945. She lived in poverty for much of her post-screen life, worked selling tools in a shop and was unsuccessful in her attempts at becoming a published novelist. In the 1980s, however, she sold her property during the California real estate
Real estate
In general use, esp. North American, 'real estate' is taken to mean "Property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals, or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this; an item of real property; buildings or...
boom and by her account made more money than she had during her years in films.
Death
Madge Bellamy died of heart failure in Upland, CaliforniaUpland, California
Upland is a city in San Bernardino County, California, located at an elevation of 1,242 feet . As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 73,732, up from 68,393 at the 2000 census. It was incorporated on May 15, 1906, after previously being named North Ontario.-History and culture:Upland...
, aged 90. Her autobiography, A Darling of the Twenties, was published shortly after her death.