Margalo Gillmore

Margalo Gillmore was a distinguished actress whose rich heritage in performance art spanned four generations on her father's side. She honed her craft at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, launching a prolific stage career that began with her appearance in The Scrap of Paper in 1917 and continued until her role in Noël Coward's musical Sail Away on Broadway in 1961. Critics first took notice of her talent in the 1919 production of The Famous Mrs. Fair, where she shared the stage with Henry Miller and Blanche Bates. In 1921, she portrayed the ailing Eileen Carmody in Eugene O'Neill's The Straw, and in 1945, she originated Kay Thorndike in the Pulitzer Prize-winning play State of the Union. Gillmore was a prominent figure in the Theatre Guild, contributing to numerous productions over the years.

Her cinematic journey began at age 16 with a minor role in a silent film for Vitagraph Studios. After a brief hiatus, she made her film debut in a lead role with Wayward in 1932, later appearing in notable films during the 1950s, including Cause for Alarm!, Perfect Strangers, High Society, and Upstairs and Downstairs.

During World War II, she took part in a traveling production of The Barretts of Wimpole Street, entertaining troops across Europe and making daily visits to military hospitals. Additionally, she played the beloved Mrs. Darling in both the Broadway and televised renditions of Peter Pan, starring alongside Mary Martin. A member of the Algonquin Round Table, Gillmore left a lasting legacy before her passing from cancer on June 30, 1986, at the age of 89, with her remains resting in Aaron Cemetery, Walker County, Alabama.