{{Short description|American actress (1910–1983)}} {{for|the author|Gladys Blake (writer)}} {{Use American English|date=January 2022}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2022}} {{Infobox person | name = Gladys Blake | image = Gladys Blake in Career Girl (1944).jpg | caption = Blake in ''Career Girl'' (1944) | birth_name = Gladys Timmons{{citation needed|date=December 2015}} | birth_date = {{Birth date|1910|05|12|mf=yes}} | birth_place = Luray, Virginia, U.S. | death_date = {{Death date and age|1983|05|21|1910|05|12|mf=yes}} | death_place = Sacramento, California, U.S. | occupation = Actress | years_active = 1933–1952 | spouse = Lee Gresham }}
'''Gladys Blake''' (born '''Gladys Timmons'''; May 12, 1910 – May 21, 1983) was an American character actress from the 1930s to the 1950s.<ref name=Omni>{{cite web|url=https://www.omnilexica.com/?q=Gladys+Blake+%28actress%29|publisher=Omnilexica|title=Gladys Blake (actress) profile|accessdate=January 10, 2015}}</ref>
==Biography== Blake was born on January 12, 1910, in Luray, Virginia. Her mother, Ada Timmons, died when Gladys was less than a year old.<ref name=MP>{{cite web|url=http://moviespictures.org/biography/Blake,_Gladys|publisher=MoviePictures.org|title=Gladys Blake biography|accessdate=January 10, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304054833/http://moviespictures.org/biography/Blake,_Gladys|archive-date=March 4, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>
At fourteen, she entered the theater world in a stock company, before moving on to vaudeville. In vaudeville, she met her husband, Lee Gresham, and the two formed an act together. While performing in Los Angeles, they were noticed by producer Edward Small, which led to her beginning in the film industry.<ref name=MP/>
Blake made her film debut in a small role in ''I Have Lived'' (1933), directed by Richard Thorpe.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=&Movie=5155|publisher=American Film Institute|title=''I Have Lived'' details|accessdate=January 10, 2015}}</ref> She had her first featured role later that same year in ''Rainbow over Broadway'', which Thorpe also directed.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=&Movie=5192|publisher=American Film Institute|title=''Rainbow over Broadway'' details|accessdate=January 10, 2015}}</ref>
Over her 20-year career, she appeared in over 100 films.<ref name=AFIF>{{cite web|url=http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/SearchResult.aspx?s=&Type=PN&Tbl=&CatID=DATABIN_CAST&ID=62085&searchedFor=Gladys_Blake_&SortType=ASC&SortCol=RELEASE_YEAR|publisher=American Film Institute|title=Gladys Blake profile|accessdate=January 10, 2015}}</ref> She was noted for playing very talkative supporting roles.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmovie.com/artist/gladys-blake-p6569|publisher=AllMovie.com|title=Gladys Blake biography|accessdate=January 10, 2015}}</ref>
Appearing mostly in supporting or bit parts, she was occasionally given a featured role, as in ''Lucky Night'' (1939), which starred Myrna Loy and Robert Taylor;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=&Movie=5065|publisher=American Film Institute|title=''Lucky Night'' details|accessdate=January 10, 2015}}</ref> or ''Woman of the Year'' (1942), which starred Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn, in which she played Flo Peters, the wife of a friend of Tracy's character.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=&Movie=27562|publisher=American Film Institute|title=''Woman of the Year'' details|accessdate=January 10, 2015}}</ref> Even more rarely she would be given the lead in a film, such as in ''Racing Blood'' (1936).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=&Movie=5774|publisher=American Film Institute|title=''Racing Blood'' details|accessdate=January 10, 2015}}</ref> In the early 1940s, she played the recurring role of "Maisie" in several of the Dr. Kildare films starring Lew Ayres, Lionel Barrymore, and Laraine Day.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=&Movie=6513|publisher=American Film Institute|title=''Dr. Kildare's Crisis'' details|accessdate=January 10, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=&Movie=26674|publisher=American Film Institute|title=''Dr. Kildare's Wedding Day'' details|accessdate=January 10, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=&Movie=26861|publisher=American Film Institute|title=''The People vs. Dr. Kildare'' details|accessdate=January 10, 2015}}</ref>
Other notable films in which she appeared include: ''Ship Ahoy'' (1942), starring Eleanor Powell and Red Skelton;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=&Movie=27457|publisher=American Film Institute|title=''Ship Ahoy'' details|accessdate=January 10, 2015}}</ref> the Abbott and Costello film, ''Who Done It?'';<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=&Movie=27556|publisher=American Film Institute|title=''Who Done It?'' details|accessdate=January 10, 2015}}</ref> the 1943 version of ''Phantom of the Opera'', starring Claude Rains;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=&Movie=613|publisher=American Film Institute|title=''Phantom of the Opera'' details|accessdate=January 10, 2015}}</ref> ''The Naughty Nineties'', again with Abbott and Costello;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=&Movie=24509|publisher=American Film Institute|title=''The Naughty Nineties'' details|accessdate=January 10, 2015}}</ref> ''On the Town'';<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=&Movie=26043|publisher=American Film Institute|title=''On the Town'' details|accessdate=January 10, 2015}}</ref> ''The Yellow Cab Man'', starring Red Skelton;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=&Movie=26575 | publisher=American Film Institute|title=''The Yellow Cab Man'' details|accessdate=January 10, 2015}}</ref> and the 1952 epic, ''The Greatest Show on Earth''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=&Movie=50496|publisher=American Film Institute|title=''The Greatest Show on Earth'' details|accessdate=January 10, 2015}}</ref>
Blake's final role was in 1952's ''This Woman is Dangerous'', starring Joan Crawford and Dennis Morgan, in which she plays a garrulous hairdresser.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=&Movie=50688|publisher=American Film Institute|title=''This Woman Is Dangerous'' details|accessdate=January 10, 2015}}</ref>
Blake died on May 21, 1983, aged 73, in Sacramento, California.<ref name=Omni/>
==Filmography== <!-- Please leave redlinks. They are for film titles which already either have a redlink on a disambiguation page, or there is another film with the same title which already has an article. It will aid anyone who creates an article for that film. Thank you! --> (Per AFI database)<ref name=AFIF/> {{div col|colwidth=22em}} *''By Appointment Only'' (1933) *''I Have Lived'' (1933) *''Rainbow Over Broadway'' (1933) *''Sing Sinner Sing'' (1933) *''My Weakness'' (1933) *''The Important Witness'' (1933) *''Coming Out Party'' (1934) *''Marrying Widows'' (1934) *''One in a Million'' (1934) *''Servants' Entrance'' (1934) *''Racing Blood'' (1936) *''There's That Woman Again'' (1938) *''The Cisco Kid and the Lady'' (1939) *''Lucky Night'' (1939) *''The Women'' (1939) *''Fast and Furious'' (1939) *''Tell No Tales'' (1939) *''Money to Burn'' (1939) *''When Tomorrow Comes'' (1939) *''Broadway Melody of 1940'' (1940) *''The Earl of Chicago'' (1940) *''I Love You Again'' (1940) *''Sailor's Lady'' (1940) *''Dr. Kildare's Crisis'' (1940) *''Street of Memories'' (1940) *''The Golden Fleecing'' (1940) *''Andy Hardy Meets Debutante'' (1940) *''Young as You Feel'' (1940) *''Niagara Falls'' (1941) *''Bachelor Daddy'' (1941) *''Dr. Kildare's Wedding Day'' (1941) *''The Lady from Cheyenne'' (1941) *''Lucky Devils'' (1941) *''Married Bachelor'' (1941) *''The People vs. Dr. Kildare'' (1941) *''We Go Fast'' (1941) *''West Point Widow'' (1941) *''Johnny Eager'' (1942) *''Mr. & Mrs. North'' (1942) *''Fly-by-Night'' (1942) *''Henry Aldrich, Editor'' (1942) *''The Magnificent Dope'' (1942) *''Seven Sweethearts'' (1942) *''Ship Ahoy'' (1942) *''Who Done It?'' (1942) *''Woman of the Year'' (1942) *''Fired Wife'' (1943) *''Footlight Glamour'' (1943) *''Jitterbugs'' (1943) *''The More the Merrier'' (1943) *''My Kingdom for a Cook'' (1943) *''Phantom of the Opera'' (1943) *''Star Spangled Rhythm'' (1943) *''A Stranger in Town'' (1943) *''Top Man'' (1943) *''Career Girl'' (1944) *''Johnny Doesn't Live Here Anymore'' (1944) *''In Society'' (1944) *''Hi, Beautiful'' (1944) *''Chip Off the Old Block'' (1944) *''Can't Help Singing'' (1944) *''Meet Miss Bobby Socks'' (1944) *''Practically Yours'' (1944) *''Reckless Age'' (1944) *''She's a Soldier Too'' (1944) *''Swingtime Johnny'' (1944) *''Army Wives'' (1944) *''Bewitched'' (1945) *''Her Highness and the Bellboy'' (1945) *''Her Lucky Night'' (1945) *''Let's Go Steady'' (1945) *''The Naughty Nineties'' (1945) *''Over 21'' (1945) *''Rockin' in the Rockies'' (1945) *''There Goes Kelly'' (1945) *''Under Western Skies'' (1945) *''Because of Him'' (1946) *''The Gentleman Misbehaves'' (1946) *''Live Wires'' (1946) *''The Magnificent Rogue'' (1946) *''Nocturne'' (1946) *''Shadows Over Chinatown'' (1946) *''She Wrote the Book'' (1946) *''Strange Triangle'' (1946) *''To Each His Own'' (1946) *''Fear in the Night'' (1947) *''Scared to Death'' (1947) *''Dream Girl'' (1948) *''Hazard'' (1948) *''Michael O'Halloran'' (1948) *''Money Madness'' (1948) *''Night Has a Thousand Eyes'' (1948) *''Smart Woman'' (1948) *''The Time of Your Life'' (1948) *''The Accused'' (1949) *''Ladies of the Chorus'' (1949) *''On the Town'' (1949) *''Paid in Full'' (1950) *''The Yellow Cab Man'' (1950) *''The Greatest Show on Earth'' (1952) *''This Woman Is Dangerous'' (1952) {{div col end}}
==References== {{reflist|30em}}
==External links== {{Commons category}} * {{IMDb name|0086560}} * {{Tcmdb name}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Blake, Gladys}} Category:1910 births Category:1983 deaths Category:20th-century American actresses Category:American film actresses Category:Actresses from Virginia Category:People from Luray, Virginia Category:American vaudeville performers