Blossom Rock
Edith Marie Blossom MacDonald, also known as Blossom Rock, was an American actress of vaudeville, stage, film and television. During her career she was also billed as Marie Blake or Blossom MacDonald. Her younger sister was screen actress and singer Jeanette MacDonald. Rock is best known for her role as "Grandmama" on the 1960s macabre/black comedy sitcom The Addams Family.
Personal life
Blossom Rock was born on August 21, 1895, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She was the second of three daughters born to Anna May and Daniel McDonald. The family later changed the spelling of their last name to MacDonald. As a youth, Blossom first performed in vaudeville with her younger sister, Jeanette. She had an elder sister, Elsie Wallace MacDonald, who had also been a vaudeville performer and then operated a dance school until 1962.
She married actor Clarence Warren Rock, on September 26, 1926, in Manhattan, and they performed as a vaudeville act titled "Rock and Blossom" from 1925 to 1929. Clarence Rock died in 1960, and the couple had no children.
Career
Rock adopted the name Marie Blake for her film career, beginning as a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer contract player in 1937 with an uncredited appearance in My Dear Miss Aldrich. Her first credited major part was Love Finds Andy Hardy, and she then played her most notable onscreen role as Sally, the hospital switchboard operator, in the nine films that comprised MGM's popular Dr. Kildare series from 1938 to 1942. She once had the same agent as Irene Ryan, whose similar career later caused Rock to fire him.
Rock returned to using her real name in the 1950s, and later gained her biggest fame by playing "Grandmama" on the ABC sitcom The Addams Family, which was originally broadcast from 1964 to 1966. In October 1964, she made a public appearance in character at a haunted house at The Children's Museum of Indianapolis.
Illness and death
Rock suffered a stroke in December 1967 that affected her speech and prevented her from reuniting with fellow castmates for the 1977 television film Halloween with the New Addams Family. However, she reportedly watched the film from the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital. She died at age 82 on January 14, 1978, in Los Angeles, and was interred in Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale
Selected filmography
My Dear Miss Aldrich as Telephone Operator Thoroughbreds Don't Cry as Hospital Telephone Operator Mannequin as Mrs. Schwartz Love Is a Headache as Hillier's Secretary Woman Against Woman as Miss Van Horn — Ellen's New Nursemaid Love Finds Andy Hardy as AugustaRich Man, Poor Girl as Mrs. GusslerThree Loves Has Nancy as Second Woman Getting Autograph Vacation from Love as Bill's Receptionist Young Dr. Kildare as Miss Sally Green Dramatic School as AnnetteThe Ice Follies of 1939 as Effie Lane — Tolliver's Secretary Blind Alley as HarrietCalling Dr. Kildare as SallyThe Women as Stockroom Girl The Secret of Dr. Kildare as Sally — Telephone OperatorDay-Time Wife as Singing Telegram Operator A Child Is Born as Ethel — Reception Nurse Judge Hardy and Son as Augusta McBrideAlfalfa's Aunt as Aunt Penelope The Man Who Wouldn't Talk as Dr. Kildare's Strange Case as Sally, Hospital Switchboard OperatorSailor's Lady as Beauty Operator They Drive by Night as Waitress Dr. Kildare Goes Home as SallyThey Knew What They Wanted as Waitress Li'l Abner as Miss LulubellGallant Sons as Woman Helping to Look For Ring Dr. Kildare's Crisis as Sally, Hospital ReceptionistJennie as Minor RoleYou're the One as Beauty Shop OperatorHere Comes Happiness as ClaraThe People vs. Dr. Kildare as SallyCaught in the Draft as Nurse with Castor Oil Dr. Kildare's Wedding Day as SallyRemember the Day as Miss CartwrightBlue, White and Perfect as EthelDr. Kildare's Victory as SallyThe Wife Takes a Flyer as Frieda A Desperate Chance for Ellery Queen as Motel Landlady Small Town Deb as Beauty OperatorCalling Dr. Gillespie as Sally, ReceptionistGive Out, Sisters as Biandina WaverlyI Married a Witch as Purity Sykes Dr. Gillespie's New Assistant as SallyGood Morning, Judge as Nicky ClarkDr. Gillespie's Criminal Case as SallyAll by Myself as Miss Ryan Campus Rhythm as Susie Smith — Hartman's SecretaryWhispering Footsteps as Sally Lukens, boarderMake Your Own Bed as Woman Jerry Mistakes for Susan South of Dixie as RubySensations of 1945 as Miss Grear Gildersleeve's Ghost as Harriet MorganThe Unwritten Code as Nurse Roughly Speaking as Nurse Keep Your Powder Dry as WAC Supply Corporal Between Two Women as SallyPillow to Post as Wilbur's Mother Christmas in Connecticut as Mrs. Wright Abbott and Costello in Hollywood as Royce's Secretary Gentleman Joe Palooka as MaidFun on a Weekend as Mr. Prigee's Secretary Dark Delusion as SallyChristmas Eve as Reporter Mourning Becomes Electra as Minnie AmesThe Gangster as House Mistress An Innocent Affair as Hilda — the MaidThe Girl from Manhattan as Committeewoman The Snake Pit as Patient Awaiting Staff Bad Boy as Miss Worth Alimony as Mrs. NesbittAngels in Disguise as Millie Chicago Deadline as Telephone Operataor Sons of New Mexico as Hannah DobbsPaid in Full as Tired Woman Patient A Woman of Distinction as Wax Operator Joe Palooka in the Squared Circle as Prunella, Humphrey's Sister Love Nest as Mrs. Quigg F.B.I. Girl as LandladyGobs and Gals as Bertram's MotherThe Star as Annie, Stones' Maid Small Town Girl as Customer Phantom of the Rue Morgue as Marie The Human Jungle as Mrs. Ashton Hilda Crane as Clara — Mrs. Crane's HousekeeperThe Desperados Are in Town as Mrs. Green She Devil as Hannah — the HousekeeperThe Way to the Gold as Mrs. LattimerFrom the Terrace as Nellie Swingin' Along as Woman in Apartment No. 1 Snow White and the Three Stooges as Servant The Second Time Around as Mrs. Vera CollinsThe New Phil Silvers Show as Mother Gilhooley The Best Man as Cleaning WomanThe Addams Family as Grandmama