@alisondblake Hey Allison, remember me? I’m the guy who grew up next door to Madge on Holliston in Pasadena who emailed you a few years ago. Just saying Hi! 😁
This is a great video guest star spotlight. It is so interesting learning about the stars careers and life other than how I associate them with I Love Lucy. I love her character in the hat shop in Ricky Loses His Temper. Great job!
Excellent video full of facts and history which I always enjoy. I never knew she was involved in the Manhattan Project and I have studied a good amount of information about it. Although, many of the project details and the names of the people involved were kept secret for decades; so it's no surprise she was never mentioned. Like you, I find it inspirational that she pursued her dreams later in life. It gives me hope that it's never too late to follow your dreams no matter how old you are. As always, thank you for your hard work and effort keep it up.
Brian Rebmann I’m glad you enjoyed it! I also thought it was really interesting she worked on the Manhattan Project. It’s something you wouldn’t expect.
Back in the 1960s, Madge Blake moved into a very modest apartment complex (which is still standing today) at 415 N. Holliston Avenue in Pasadena, CA. That address just happened to be next door to the house I grew up in as a child. It didn’t take long for word to get out that “Aunt Harriet” from Batman had just moved into our neighborhood, and before you knew it, every kid within a ten-mile radius descended upon her home for a chance to see this “T.V. star”. The line of kids trying to get her autograph went from her apartment front door, all the way out of her apartment complex, and then went down the sidewalk in front of the complex. The manager of that apartment complex would occasionally shoo us kids off by saying “You kids stop bothering that woman and go home!”, only to have the line form again an hour later. Madge must’ve had a stack of 8” x 10” black & white glossy photographs to give out, because she actually took the time to stand in her doorway and talk to each and every child who knocked on her door that month, giving each child an autographed photograph. What a sweet old woman she was! Madge really loved to bake. She would occasionally invite my brother or myself into her apartment to help her bake cookies. She ended up being like a grandmother to my brother and I. When I heard the story about Madge once baking Adam West a cake for saving her job, I thought to myself, “Yep, that sure sounds like Madge alright!” A few years ago I was lucky enough to contact Madge’s granddaughter, who is a professional skater and an entertainer in her own right. It was really neat being able to tell her stories about her grandmother. She said she remembered visiting her grandmother at those apartments back in the 1960s. And, believe it or not, the neighbors on the other side of my house were the Van Halen family, where Eddie Van Halen lived - but that is an entirely different story!😉
She can bake a cake and a bomb to boot! Loved all of her roles, but Mrs. Mondello in Larry Hides out is priceless! I'd heard about the cake waiting for Adam West. That was sooo like her character. Great spot on one of my favorite characters!
I never knew about Madge Blake until I went to find family graves in Glendale and encountered her grave beside theirs. Older relatives were able to tell me she was my grandmother's cousin and had an acting career. I am so glad to see these old films because Madge Blake possessed a wonderful acting talent with a keen sense of timing, and such an expressive face. Through these videos I am delighted to see that she also looks very much like my grandmother. Thank you for postiing this video. Marjorie Bach Mota
Marjorie... I am the eldest granddaughter of Madge Blake and wondering how and if we are related. I remember her sister, Esther, and her brother Ralph. Her cousin was Milburn Stone played "Doc" on Gunsmoke. The "acting" gene came from her mother's side of the family ... Alice Stone. Thank you for posting... wow. It is a small world, after all...💖
@@alisondblake Yes, you and I are related. I had to diagram out the family tree to make sure how. Since my grandmother Grace Yaple Bach was Madge Blake's first cousin, you and I are also first cousins twice removed. It was a pleasure to hear fom you. Your message also brought me back to the site and again I saw my beloved grandmother's beautiful face in your grandmother's lovely smile. I would be happy to share genealogical research and/or family photos with you, but I suppose that would have to be done away from this site. I am not sure how we can get in contact, because it is probably not appropriate to leave email or phone # in the comments. Best regards, Margie
Alison, I did not see your longer reply. I have been looking at old pictures on the Cummings side of the family. The photos were so formal and everyone one was so serious for the camera. Therefore I could not detect the signature animated faces of Madge Blake and Grace Yaple in them. Even Uncle Willis (one of the twins) was subdued, and I remember him as having fine sense of humor. So I look at the RUclipss now and then to see the Madge Blake smiles.
I saw her on an old Lassie episode. She played a crabby old lady renting a cottage on the lake where the boys wanted to fish and she wouldn't let them. It was really cute!
She kept flubbing her lines in a scene, but Adam West felt that it right for her character to flub her lines since she was always so worried about Bruce and Dick. However, the producers did reduce role in the third season of Batman to two appearances and when she finally passed, Adam West said he did not attend her funeral in 1969.
I always liked Madge Blake. If you only see her in her daffier roles it's an eye opener when you see her in more intelligent and level headed roles, like as the hat shop owner. It's so funny that the real reason she was added to the Batman TV show was because the network was afraid of showing two unmarried males living together under the same roof. Also, it added to the tension of Bruce and Dick being discovered by her character as Batman and Robin. The character of Aunt Harriet was newly created for the TV show and so they added the character to the comic books as well. It's also funny that she is widely remembered as being associated with both Superman and Batman.
She passed away @ age 69... 3 months before her 70th b'day. She fell in the shower and broke her leg. She was living alone in a small apt in Pasadena. I don't know how long she lay in the shower with no help. I was 13 and when I came home from school there was a note on our front door that my Dad (her son) had gone to the hospital and later that night we learned she had died. I have "read" that she had a heart attack. She had two sons and, sadly, in the bios I've read, it only mentions her having one son. My uncle was the eldest son and had no children. He was very devoted to her. My father was the younger son, and I am one of her four grandchildren whom she adored and spent every holiday with during her very busy acting career. We were so proud of her and absolutely loved and adored her, as well! Oh, I miss her so...🙏🙏🙏
MADGE BLAKE... My magnificent GRANDMOTHER (in REAL life)...🙏💖🙏
Wow!! This is so wonderful to see!!
@alisondblake Hey Allison, remember me? I’m the guy who grew up next door to Madge on Holliston in Pasadena who emailed you a few years ago. Just saying Hi! 😁
This was interesting hear about her life like that I'm happy to watch that
Loved her voice, I like her guest spot on the Addams family as the principal. Thank you for this video
Thank you. Very interesting information. Never give up on your dream.
Joan Clayton Johnson I’m glad you enjoyed it!
This is a great video guest star spotlight. It is so interesting learning about the stars careers and life other than how I associate them with I Love Lucy. I love her character in the hat shop in Ricky Loses His Temper. Great job!
Excellent video full of facts and history which I always enjoy. I never knew she was involved in the Manhattan Project and I have studied a good amount of information about it. Although, many of the project details and the names of the people involved were kept secret for decades; so it's no surprise she was never mentioned. Like you, I find it inspirational that she pursued her dreams later in life. It gives me hope that it's never too late to follow your dreams no matter how old you are. As always, thank you for your hard work and effort keep it up.
Brian Rebmann I’m glad you enjoyed it! I also thought it was really interesting she worked on the Manhattan Project. It’s something you wouldn’t expect.
Amazing infimormation...thank you!!
Back in the 1960s, Madge Blake moved into a very modest apartment complex (which is still standing today) at 415 N. Holliston Avenue in Pasadena, CA. That address just happened to be next door to the house I grew up in as a child.
It didn’t take long for word to get out that “Aunt Harriet” from Batman had just moved into our neighborhood, and before you knew it, every kid within a ten-mile radius descended upon her home for a chance to see this “T.V. star”. The line of kids trying to get her autograph went from her apartment front door, all the way out of her apartment complex, and then went down the sidewalk in front of the complex.
The manager of that apartment complex would occasionally shoo us kids off by saying “You kids stop bothering that woman and go home!”, only to have the line form again an hour later. Madge must’ve had a stack of 8” x 10” black & white glossy photographs to give out, because she actually took the time to stand in her doorway and talk to each and every child who knocked on her door that month, giving each child an autographed photograph. What a sweet old woman she was!
Madge really loved to bake. She would occasionally invite my brother or myself into her apartment to help her bake cookies. She ended up being like a grandmother to my brother and I. When I heard the story about Madge once baking Adam West a cake for saving her job, I thought to myself, “Yep, that sure sounds like Madge alright!”
A few years ago I was lucky enough to contact Madge’s granddaughter, who is a professional skater and an entertainer in her own right. It was really neat being able to tell her stories about her grandmother. She said she remembered visiting her grandmother at those apartments back in the 1960s.
And, believe it or not, the neighbors on the other side of my house were the Van Halen family, where Eddie Van Halen lived - but that is an entirely different story!😉
She was an actress someone special
Yes, she was!
You agree with that.
She can bake a cake and a bomb to boot! Loved all of her roles, but Mrs. Mondello in Larry Hides out is priceless! I'd heard about the cake waiting for Adam West. That was sooo like her character. Great spot on one of my favorite characters!
Michael Taylor Thanks! I’m glad you enjoyed it! She was so special.
I never knew about Madge Blake until I went to find family graves in Glendale and encountered her grave beside theirs. Older relatives were able to tell me she was my grandmother's cousin and had an acting career. I am so glad to see these old films because Madge Blake possessed a wonderful acting talent with a keen sense of timing, and such an expressive face. Through these videos I am delighted to see that she also looks very much like my grandmother. Thank you for postiing this video. Marjorie Bach Mota
Marjorie... I am the eldest granddaughter of Madge Blake and wondering how and if we are related. I remember her sister, Esther, and her brother Ralph. Her cousin was Milburn Stone played "Doc" on Gunsmoke. The "acting" gene came from her mother's side of the family ... Alice Stone. Thank you for posting... wow. It is a small world, after all...💖
@@alisondblake Yes, you and I are related. I had to diagram out the family tree to make sure how. Since my grandmother Grace Yaple Bach was Madge Blake's first cousin, you and I are also first cousins twice removed. It was a pleasure to hear fom you. Your message also brought me back to the site and again I saw my beloved grandmother's beautiful face in your grandmother's lovely smile. I would be happy to share genealogical research and/or family photos with you, but I suppose that would have to be done away from this site. I am not sure how we can get in contact, because it is probably not appropriate to leave email or phone # in the comments. Best regards, Margie
@@alisondblake Yes we are first cousins twice removed. I left a longer reply but I am not sure if it went through.
Alison, I did not see your longer reply. I have been looking at old pictures on the Cummings side of the family. The photos were so formal and everyone one was so serious for the camera. Therefore I could not detect the signature animated faces of Madge Blake and Grace Yaple in them. Even Uncle Willis (one of the twins) was subdued, and I remember him as having fine sense of humor. So I look at the RUclipss now and then to see the Madge Blake smiles.
I saw her on an old Lassie episode. She played a crabby old lady renting a cottage on the lake where the boys wanted to fish and she wouldn't let them. It was really cute!
Aww, that’s nice!!
: Madge Blake was great in batman
Jonathan Gordon Yes, she was!
Liked her in every thing Loved her in the Real McCoys she had that perfect voice for the parts she played
Melv Lawson She was amazing!
Bewitched: The witches are out. Season 1, episode 7. October 29th, 1964. She played Mary.
I remember her always threatening Larry Mondello with “Just wait till your father gets home from Cincinnati!”.
She kept flubbing her lines in a scene, but Adam West felt that it right for her character to flub her lines since she was always so worried about Bruce and Dick. However, the producers did reduce role in the third season of Batman to two appearances and when she finally passed, Adam West said he did not attend her funeral in 1969.
She would've made a great Aunt Bee. I get her confused with the dress shop owner!
jjgreek1 I’m sure you’re not the only one!
I always liked Madge Blake. If you only see her in her daffier roles it's an eye opener when you see her in more intelligent and level headed roles, like as the hat shop owner. It's so funny that the real reason she was added to the Batman TV show was because the network was afraid of showing two unmarried males living together under the same roof. Also, it added to the tension of Bruce and Dick being discovered by her character as Batman and Robin. The character of Aunt Harriet was newly created for the TV show and so they added the character to the comic books as well. It's also funny that she is widely remembered as being associated with both Superman and Batman.
I think she was great. Thank you for providing the additional information about why her character was added to “Batman.” It makes sense!
I enjoyed her watch on leave it to Beaver as Larry mondello smother Larry Mandela was the kids always get beaver in trouble
So sad that she wasn't that old when she passed away in 1969 at the age of 70.. :-(
adam pagan I know. 😢
She passed away @ age 69... 3 months before her 70th b'day. She fell in the shower and broke her leg. She was living alone in a small apt in Pasadena. I don't know how long she lay in the shower with no help. I was 13 and when I came home from school there was a note on our front door that my Dad (her son) had gone to the hospital and later that night we learned she had died. I have "read" that she had a heart attack. She had two sons and, sadly, in the bios I've read, it only mentions her having one son. My uncle was the eldest son and had no children. He was very devoted to her. My father was the younger son, and I am one of her four grandchildren whom she adored and spent every holiday with during her very busy acting career. We were so proud of her and absolutely loved and adored her, as well! Oh, I miss her so...🙏🙏🙏