Mercedes McCambridge
Mercedes McCambridge
Often referred to as the world’s greatest living radio actress, Mercedes McCambridge was born in Joliet, Illinois on March 16, 1916. She graduated from Mundelein College in Chicago, Illinois before she began her remarkable career on Broadway and radio.
McCambridge’s radio career consisted of many memorable roles and began in 1932 when she starred in one of the first radio soap operas, Betty and Bob, along side Don Ameche and Van Heflin. She appeared in the first cast of The Guiding Light in the role of Mary Ruthledge, a Five Points resident who was the daughter of Reverend John Ruthledge. Ed Prentiss played Ned Holden, the destitute boy who was raised by the Rutledges. This successful radio show is the longest-running series in radio history.
Midstream was another soap opera that McCambridge appeared in. First broadcast in 1938, Midstream cast Mercedes as the daughter of middle-aged couple, Charles and Julia Meredith. The theme of Midstream was described as, where the currents of life are swiftest, the problems of life are greatest, and the temptations of life are strongest.
I have just listened to a wonderful interview with Mercedes McCambridge in which she talks fondly of her love of radio drama radio acting and reminisces on her time working on I Love a Mystery and on 1940's shows such as Abie’s Irish Rose in which she played the role of Rosemary Levy, Arch Oboler's Lights Out and Inner Sanctum Mysteries.
In 1944, McCambridge began to appear as a regular performer in The Adventures of Bill Lance, a detective drama that also starred Joseph Kearns and Frank Graham. McCambridge even had her own radio show, playing defense lawyer Martha Ellis Bryant in The Defense Attorney a crime drama, which ran from 31st August 1952 until 30th December 1952.
She also appeared on Suspense, Studio One, Theater of Romance's performance of Casablanca, Arch Oboler's Plays, Murder At Midnight, The Whistler and a wonderful Cavalcade of America Thanksgiving story entitled Us Pilgrims.
Later she was featured in several roles in broadcasts of CBS Radio Mystery Theater.
Mercedes McCambridge suffered a bout with alcoholism during the 1950s after her son, John, was born to her and husband, William Fifield. The couple was only married for seven years before they divorced in 1946. Four years after that she married radio director, Fletcher Markle, and her son, John, subsequently took his name.
Markle and McCambridge divorced in 1962 after Mercedes went through several years of heavy drinking. Eventually, she received help from Alcoholics Anonymous and was able to reach a state of sobriety. She was presented with an Academy Award for her film role in All the King’s Men and was the macabre voice in The Exorcist.
McCambridge’s only son, John, lived a very troubled life. After a five million dollar lawsuit was filed against him for mishandling funds at his position with Stephens and Company in 1987, John killed himself and his entire family, including wife, Cristina and daughters, Amy and Suzanne
Her strong and distinctive voice was part of what created Mercedes’ long and successful radio career. Mercedes McCambridge was only two weeks short of her 88th birthday when she passed away of natural causes on March 2, 2004 in La Jolla, California.
Happy listening my friends,
