Madeline Lee Gilford Papers
Call Number
Date
Creator
Extent
Language of Materials
Abstract
Madeline Lee Gilford (1923-2008) was an actor, producer, and social activist who was blacklisted during the McCarthy Era and subpoenaed to testify before the House Committee on Un-American Activities (HUAC) in 1955. The collection contains correspondence, photographs, press clippings, programs, scripts, and speeches relating to her career and activism as well as documents pertaining to 170 Years of Show Business, an autobiography co-authored with actor Kate Mostel (1918-1986).
Historical/Biographical Note
Madeline Lee Gilford (1923–2008) was born Madeline Lederman on May 30, 1923 to Polish immigrant parents in the Bronx, New York. The youngest of four children, she began acting at the age of three at the Heckscher Foundation for Children's Theatre in Manhattan segueing into radio, television, and film under the stage name Madeline Lee.
While a student at Walton High in the Bronx, Gilford joined the American Student Union. She continued to be active in progressive politics throughout her life and was a target of blacklisting during the McCarthy Era. In 1955 she and her husband, the actor and comedian Jack Gilford (1908-1990), were called to testify before the House Committee on Un-American Activities (HUAC) after being named by the choreographer Jerome Robbins. Madeline Gilford testified before the committee on August 17 of 1955. Gilford continued producing in television and theater under the assumed name of Maggie Giles including two early children's television programs: the Attic Playshop and Sing A Song with Charity Bailey, the first interracial children's television program in New York. Gilford co-authored an autobiography with Kate Mostel, which describes their lives in the entertainment industry and the effects of blacklisting on their careers and those of their husbands, Jack Gilford and Zero Mostel (1915-1977). The memoir was published in 1978 as 170 Years in Show Business.
Gilford had two sons, Joseph and Samuel, with Jack Gilford and a daughter, Lisa, from a previous marriage to Mitchell Fein, an engineer. Gilford died April 15, 2008 in Greenwich Village in New York City.
Subjects
Organizations
People
Donors
Conditions Governing Access
Materials are open without restrictions.
Conditions Governing Use
Copyright (or related rights to publicity and privacy) for materials in this collection, created by Madeline Gilford was not transferred to New York University. Permission to use materials must be secured from the copyright holder.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Donated by Lisa Gilford, 2008. The accession number associated with this gift is 2008.040.