Gertrude Dolores Messinger (April 28, 1911 – November 8, 1995) was an American film actress known for her

B-movie A B movie or B film is a low-budget commercial motion picture. In its original usage, during the Golden Age of Hollywood, the term more precisely identified films intended for distribution as the less-publicized bottom half of a double feature ...

roles from the 1930s through the 1950s. She began as a

child actor The term child actor or child actress is generally applied to a child acting on stage or in movies or television. An adult who began their acting career as a child may also be called a child actor, or a "former child actor". Closely associated t ...

silent film A silent film is a film with no synchronized Sound recording and reproduction, recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) ...

s, but found her greatest fame in

talkies A sound film is a motion picture with synchronization, synchronized sound, or sound technologically coupled to image, as opposed to a silent film. The first known public exhibition of projected sound films took place in Paris in 1900, but decad ...

of the 1930s. During her career she appeared in more than 50 motion pictures, with particular success in westerns.

Biography

Born in

Spokane, Washington Spokane ( ) is the largest city and county seat of Spokane County, Washington, United States. It is in eastern Washington, along the Spokane River, adjacent to the Selkirk Mountains, and west of the Rocky Mountain foothills, south of the ...

, she began acting early, playing child roles in

silent films A silent film is a film with no synchronized Sound recording and reproduction, recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) ...

as early as 1917, when she had a role in the film ''Babes in the Woods''. Fellow child actor Buddy Messinger was her brother. Her name was sometimes spelled Gertrude Messenger and she was also known as Gertie Messinger. During the 1930s her career took off, with significant roles in more than 30 films. Her earliest starring roles were in 1932 when she starred opposite Bob Steele in '' Riders of the Desert'', and opposite

Lane Chandler Lane Chandler (born Robert Clinton Oakes, June 4, 1899 – September 14, 1972) was an American actor specializing mainly in Westerns. Biography Early life Chandler was raised on a ranch near Culbertson, Montana, the son of a horse ranc ...

in ''Lawless Valley''. For the remainder of the 1930s, she was fairly active in films. In 1934, she played a major part in arguably her biggest movie ''

Anne of Green Gables ''Anne of Green Gables'' is a 1908 novel by Canadian author Lucy Maud Montgomery (published as L. M. Montgomery). Written for all ages, it has been considered a classic children's novel since the mid-20th century. Set in the late 19th century, t ...

'', with the starring role being played by actress

Dawn O'Day Anne Shirley (born Dawn Evelyn Paris; April 17, 1918 – July 4, 1993) was an American actress. Beginning her career as a child actress under the stage name Dawn O'Day, she adopted the stage name of Anne Shirley, after playing the title characte ...

(later known as Anne Shirley). Her most active year was 1935 when she starred in eight feature films, most notably ''The Fighting Pilot'' with

Richard Talmadge Richard Talmadge (born Sylvester Alphonse Metz; 3 December 1892 – 25 January 1981) also known as Sylvester Metzetti, Ricardo Metzetti, or Sylvester Ricardo Metzetti, was a German-born actor, stuntman and film director. Early life Born in ...

and ''Wagon Trail'' opposite Harry Carey. In April 1932, the 20-year-old actress fled her fiance and eloped with actor Dave Sharpe. In 1939, she married cameraman Schuyler Sanford, who later won an

Oscar Oscar, OSCAR, or The Oscar may refer to: People * Oscar (given name), an Irish- and English-language name also used in other languages; the article includes the names Oskar, Oskari, Oszkár, Óscar, and other forms. * Oscar (Irish mythology), ...

for his work on the film ''

Around the World in 80 Days ''Around the World in Eighty Days'' (french: link=no, Le tour du monde en quatre-vingts jours) is an adventure novel by the French writer Jules Verne, first published in French in 1872. In the story, Phileas Fogg of London and his newly employ ...

''. Her career slowed considerably in the 1940s, but she continued to act, mostly in uncredited roles. Her last credited role was in the 1949 film ''Joe Palooka in the Counterpunch''. In 1952, she played in her last film, '' The Greatest Show on Earth'', which was uncredited. She appeared in a total of 52 films in her career, 11 of which were

Western film The Western is a genre set in the American frontier and commonly associated with folk tales of the Western United States, particularly the Southwestern United States, as well as Northern Mexico and Western Canada. It is commonly referre ...

Death

Gertrude Messinger died of congestive heart failure on November 8, 1995, aged 84.

Selected filmography

* ''A Bit o' Heaven'' (1917) - A Raggedy Ruggles * ''Jack and the Beanstalk'' (1917) * '' Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp'' (1917) - Yasmini * '' The Babes in the Woods'' (1917) * ''Treasure Island'' (1917) * ''The Girl with the Champagne Eyes'' (1918) - Miner's Child * ''Fan Fan'' (1918) * ''

Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves" ( ar, علي بابا والأربعون لصا) is a folk tale from the ''One Thousand and One Nights''. It was added to the collection in the 18th century by its French translator Antoine Galland, who heard ...

'' (1918) - Morgiianna * ''Miss Adventure'' (1919) - Jane, as a child * '' The Luck of the Irish'' (1920) - The Kid's Romance * ''

Rip Van Winkle "Rip Van Winkle" is a short story by the American author Washington Irving, first published in 1819. It follows a Dutch-American villager in colonial America named Rip Van Winkle who meets mysterious Dutchmen, imbibes their liquor and falls asle ...

'' (1921) - Meenie Van Winkle, as a child * ''

Penrod and Sam Penrod and Sam may refer to: * ''Penrod and Sam'' (novel), a 1916 novel by Booth Tarkington, and films based on it: ** ''Penrod and Sam'' (1923 film) ** ''Penrod and Sam'' (1931 film) ** ''Penrod and Sam'' (1937 film) {{disambiguation ...

'' (1923) - Marjorie Jones * '' The Barefoot Boy'' (1923) - Mary Truesdale - as a Child * '' The Jazz Age'' (1929) - Marjorie * ''

The Duke Steps Out ''The Duke Steps Out'' is a 1929 American silent comedy-drama film directed by James Cruze and starring William Haines and Joan Crawford. The film is lost, but the Vitaphone sound discs track of music and sound effects survive in the UCLA Fil ...

'' (1929) - College Girl (uncredited) * '' Two Weeks Off'' (1929) - Tessie McCann * ''

The Rampant Age ''The Rampant Age'' is a 1930 American melodrama film, directed by Phil Rosen. It stars James Murray, Merna Kennedy, and Eddie Borden, and was released on January 15, 1930. Cast list * James Murray as Sandy Benton *Merna Kennedy as Doris Lawre ...

'' (1930) - Julie * '' The Boy Friends'' (1930-1932, Short) - Gertie * '' Sinister Hands'' (1932) - Betty Lang * '' Lawless Valley'' (1932) - Rosita * '' Riders of the Desert'' (1932) - Barbara * '' Madame Racketeer'' (1932) - Patsy Hicks * '' Hidden Valley'' (1932) - Joyce Lanners * '' The Woman Accused'' (1933) - Evelyn Craig * '' He Learned About Women'' (1933) - Minor Role (uncredited) * ''

Bondage Bondage may refer to: Restraints *Physical restraints **Bondage (BDSM), use of restraint for erotic stimulation ***Self-bondage, use of restraints on oneself for erotic pleasure Social and economic practices *Serfdom, feudal enslavement of peasan ...

'' (1933) - (uncredited) * ''

Diamond Trail ''Diamond Trail'' is a 1933 American Pre-Code film directed by Harry L. Fraser. Rex Bell portrays a "wise-cracking reporter-detective", similar to his role in ''From Broadway to Cheyenne'', as he solves a case involving jewel thieves. Opening ...

'' (1933) - Blonde Secretary (uncredited) * ''

Love Past Thirty ''Love Past Thirty'' is a 1934 American pre-Code comedy film directed by Vin Moore and starring Aileen Pringle, Theodore von Eltz and Phyllis Barry.Pitts, pg. 158 Synopsis After she is ditched by her boyfriend for her younger niece, a woman devel ...

'' (1934) - Zelda Burt * ''

Hat, Coat, and Glove ''Hat, Coat and Glove'' is a 1934 American pre-Code crime drama film directed by Worthington Miner from a screenplay by Francis Faragoh. It starred Ricardo Cortez, Barbara Robbins, and John Beal. Plot Cast * Ricardo Cortez as Robert Mitchell ...

'' (1934) - Elevator Operator (uncredited) * ''

The Age of Innocence ''The Age of Innocence'' is a 1920 novel by American author Edith Wharton. It was her twelfth novel, and was initially serialized in 1920 in four parts, in the magazine '' Pictorial Review''. Later that year, it was released as a book by D. Ap ...

'' (1934) - Ship Passenger (uncredited) * ''

'' (1934) - Diana * '' The Fighting Pilot'' (1935) - Jean Reynolds * ''

Wagon Trail A wagon or waggon is a heavy four-wheeled vehicle pulled by draught animals or on occasion by humans, used for transporting goods, commodities, agricultural materials, supplies and sometimes people. Wagons are immediately distinguished from ...

'' (1935) - Joan Collins * '' Roaring Roads'' (1935) - Gertrude 'Gertie' McDowell * '' Social Error'' (1935) - June Merton * '' Rustler's Paradise'' (1935) - Connie * ''Adventurous Knights'' (1935) - Princess Carmencita * '' The Rider of the Law'' (1935) - Ann Carver * '' Melody Trail'' (1935) - Cowgirl Cuddles * '' Blazing Justice'' (1936) - Virginia Peterson * '' The Return of Jimmy Valentine'' (1936) - Blonde (uncredited) * '' The Drag-Net'' (1936) - Switchboard Operator (uncredited) * '' The Border Patrolman'' (1936) - Telephone Operator (uncredited) * ''

Our Relations ''Our Relations'' is a 1936 feature film starring Laurel and Hardy, produced by Stan Laurel for Hal Roach Studios. This is the third of three films in which they play a dual role: the first was '' Brats'' and the second was ''Twice Two''. The sto ...

'' (1936) - Pirate's Club Customer (uncredited) * ''

Aces Wild ''Aces Wild'' is a 1936 American Western film directed by Harry L. Fraser and starring Harry Carey, Gertrude Messinger and Theodore Lorch.Pitts, p. 130. Main cast * Harry Carey as Cheyenne Harry Morgan * Gertrude Messinger as Martha Worth * ...

'' (1936) - Martha Worth * '' Rose Bowl'' (1936) - Girl (uncredited) * '' Wild Brian Kent'' (1936) - Operator (uncredited) * '' Secret Valley'' (1937) - Martin's Secretary (uncredited) * '' King of Gamblers'' (1937) - Telephone Operator (uncredited) * '' Atlantic Flight'' (1937) - Mary (uncredited) * ''

Carnival Queen Carnival Queen, or sometimes Carnaval Queen is the name or title given to a woman or a girl who is chosen to perform official duties during the celebration of the Carnival, a festive season which occurs immediately before Lent wherein the main ...

'' (1937) - Small Young Woman (uncredited) * '' Feud of the Range'' (1939) - Madge Allen * '' Zenobia'' (1939) - Party Guest (uncredited) * '' Our Leading Citizen'' (1939) - Phone Operator (uncredited) * '' The Great Victor Herbert'' (1939) - Barney's Secretary (uncredited) * '' Ride, Tenderfoot, Ride'' (1940) - Miss Robinson (uncredited) * '' Gambling Daughters'' (1941) - Jane * ''

Niagara Falls Niagara Falls () is a group of three waterfalls at the southern end of Niagara Gorge, spanning the border between the province of Ontario in Canada and the state of New York in the United States. The largest of the three is Horseshoe Fall ...

'' (1941) - Telephone Operator (uncredited) * '' The Miracle Kid'' (1941) - Marge * ''

Pardon My Stripes ''Pardon My Stripes'' is a 1942 American comedy film directed by John H. Auer and written by Lawrence Kimble and Stuart Palmer. The film stars William "Bill" Henry, Sheila Ryan, Edgar Kennedy, Harold Huber, Paul Hurst and Cliff Nazarro. The fi ...

'' (1942) - Telephone Operator (uncredited) * ''

Syncopation In music, syncopation is a variety of rhythms played together to make a piece of music, making part or all of a tune or piece of music off-beat. More simply, syncopation is "a disturbance or interruption of the regular flow of rhythm": a "plac ...

'' (1942) - Bride (uncredited) * ''

Redhead from Manhattan ''Redhead from Manhattan'' is a 1943 comedy film directed by Lew Landers and written by Joseph Hoffman. The film stars Lupe Vélez in one of her last screen appearances, Michael Duane, Tim Ryan, Gerald Mohr, Lillian Yarbo and Arthur Loft. The f ...

'' (1943) - Club Patron (uncredited) * '' Destroyer'' (1943) - Girl (uncredited) * '' Joe Palooka in the Counterpunch'' (1949) - Nurse * '' Samson and Delilah'' (1949) - (uncredited) * ''

Sunset Boulevard Sunset Boulevard is a boulevard in the central and western part of Los Angeles, California, that stretches from the Pacific Coast Highway in Pacific Palisades east to Figueroa Street in Downtown Los Angeles. It is a major thoroughfare i ...

'' (1950) - Hairdresser (uncredited) * '' The Greatest Show on Earth'' (1952) - Gertrude (uncredited) (final film role)

References

External links

* *
Heroines, Gertrude Messinger
{{DEFAULTSORT:Messinger, Gertrude 1911 births 1995 deaths 20th-century American actresses Actresses from Spokane, Washington American film actresses Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills) American child actresses Western (genre) film actresses American silent film actresses