Blossom Rock: An incredible career before The Addams Family

The early days of Blossom Rock

Edith Marie Blossom MacDonald was the older sister of famous singer and screen actress Jeanette Mcdonald and was known by her stage name Blossom Rock. She was widely recognized for her portrayal of Grandmama Adams on the dark comedy The Addams Family television series from 1964-1966. Rock was an American actress on stage, vaudeville, television, and film and during her career, she was also billed as Blossom MacDonald or Marie Blake.

Blossom was born on August 21, 1895 to Daniel and Anna McDonald but the family later changed the last name spelling to MacDonald. She married actor Clarence Warren Rock, on September 26, 1926, and from 1925-1929 the couple performed as a vaudeville act titled "Rock and Blossom." from 1925 to 1929. The couple did not have any children and Clarence Rock passed away in 1960.

Film Career

When her film career first began in 1937 Rock adopted the name Marie Blake and became a contract player for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Her first role was an uncredited appearance in My Dear Miss Aldrich. Her first major credited part came in 1938 in Love Finds Andy Hardy. That same year Blossom went on to portray her most notable onscreen role. In MGM's popular nine-film Dr. Kildare series from 1938 to 1942. she portrayed Sally the hospital switchboard operator.

Rock had many other film roles including her 9 appearances in Dr. Kildaire, often making 3 or 4 movies per year. The following is just a sample of her stellar career.

Three Loves Has Nancy, Vacation from Love, Rich Man, Poor Girl, and Dramatic School (1938)

The Ice Follies of 1939, Blind Alley, and A Child Is Born (1939)

Sailor's Lady and They Drive by Night (1940)

Caught in the Draft and Remember the Day (1941)

Blue White and Perfect, I Married A Witch and The Wife Takes a Flyer (1942)

Campus Rhythm, Whispering Footsteps, and All By Myself (1943)

Make Your Own Bed, and South of Dixie (1944)

Roughly Speaking, Pillow to Post, Keep Your Powder Dry, and Between Two Women (1945)

Gentleman Joe Palooka (1946)

Fun on a Weekend, The Ganster, and Dark Delusion (1947)

An Innocent Affair, and The Snake Pitt (1948)

Bad Boy, Alimony, and Angels in Disguise (1949)

Paid in Full and A Woman of Distinction (1950)

Love Nest and F.B.I. Girl (1951)

Gobs and Gals, The Star and Small Town Girl (1953)

Phantom of the Rue Morgue and The Human Jungle (1954)

Hilda Crane (1956)

She Devil (1957)

The Way to the Gold (1957)

From the Terrace (1960)

Swingin' Along (1961)

Snow White and the Three Stooges (1961)

The Best Man and The New Phil Silvers Show Television series, episode "How to Succeed in Business Without Crying") 1964.

Although many of her roles were bit parts and often uncredited, Rock worked steadily throughout her career She once had the same agent as Irene Ryan, who portrayed Daisy Moses AKA Granny on The Beverly Hillbillies and the two women's careers were so similar that Blossom fired her agent.

Blossom Rock later career

During the 1950s she resumed using her real name and her claim to fame came in September 1964 with the debut of The Addams Family. In October 1964, Rock made a public appearance in character as Grandmama at a haunted house at The Children's Museum of Indianapolis.

Production on Season 2 of The Addams Family concluded in 1966, and in December 1967 Rock suffered a stroke that affected her speech. So much so that the actress was prevented from reuniting with fellow castmates for the 1977 television film Halloween with the New Addams Family. She did, however, watch the film from the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital. Blossom Rock passed away on January 14, 1978, in Los Angeles, California, at the age of 82. Her remains were interred in Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California