Grace Matthews (September 3, 1910 – May 15, 1995) was a Canadian actress in the era of
old-time radio and the early years of television. She is perhaps best known for portraying
Margo Lane in the radio program ''
The Shadow
The Shadow is a fictional character created by magazine publishers Street & Smith and writer Walter B. Gibson. Originally created to be a mysterious radio show narrator, and developed into a distinct literary character in 1931 by writer Walter ...
''.
Early years
Matthews was born in Toronto, Canada, on September 3, 1910.
[DeLong, Thomas A. (1996). ''Radio Stars: An Illustrated Biographical Dictionary of 953 Performers, 1920 through 1960''. McFarland & Company, Inc. . P. 186.] She graduated from the
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public university, public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park (Toronto), Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 ...
and from the
Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA; ) is a drama school in London, England, that provides vocational conservatoire training for theatre, film, television, and radio. It is based in the Bloomsbury area of Central London, close to the Senat ...
in London, England.
Radio
Matthews played Margo Lane in ''The Shadow'' 1946-1949.
[Sterling, Christopher H. (ed.) (2004). ''Encyclopedia of Radio''. Fitzroy Dearborn. . P. 1252.] Lane was described in the program's scripts as the faithful companion of Lamont Cranston, alter ego of The Shadow. A February 5, 1987, article in the ''
Milwaukee Journal
The ''Milwaukee Journal Sentinel'' is a daily morning broadsheet printed in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where it is the primary newspaper. It is also the largest newspaper in the state of Wisconsin, where it is widely distributed. It is currently o ...
'' reported Matthews' confusion about the programs: "The plots were so complicated I often had difficulty figuring them out. After the show, I'd go home and ask my husband ... to explain what had happened."
Matthews was the lead actress on ''American Portrait'', ''Soldier's Wife'' and ''The Story of Dr. Susan'', and she appeared often on ''Armstrong's Theatre of Today''.
[ She was active in Canadian radio for about five years before she began working on radio in the United States. In later years, she was heard in some episodes of '']CBS Radio Mystery Theater
''CBS Radio Mystery Theater'' (a.k.a. ''Radio Mystery Theater'' and ''Mystery Theater'', sometimes abbreviated as ''CBSRMT'') is a radio drama series created by Himan Brown that was broadcast on CBS Radio Network affiliates from 1974 to 1982, a ...
''.[ ]
Stage
Matthews' theatrical work included stock theater in Manitoba, Canada, and Ontario, Canada,[ ]summer stock
In American theater, summer-stock theater is a theater that presents stage productions only in the summer. The name combines the season with the tradition of staging shows by a resident company, reusing stock scenery and costumes. Summer stock th ...
activities in Marblehead, Massachusetts
Marblehead is a coastal New England town in Essex County, Massachusetts, along the North Shore. Its population was 20,441 at the 2020 census. The town lies on a small peninsula that extends into the northern part of Massachusetts Bay. Attache ...
, and the production of ''Dame Nature'' by the Theatre Guild
The Theatre Guild is a theatrical society founded in New York City in 1918 by Lawrence Langner, Philip Moeller, Helen Westley and Theresa Helburn. Langner's wife, Armina Marshall, then served as a co-director. It evolved out of the work of th ...
in New York City.[ ]
In Canada, Matthews was active in the Hart House Theatre[ and the John Holden Players.
]
Television
Matthews was seen in ''Road of Life'', ''As the World Turns
''As the World Turns'' (often abbreviated as ''ATWT'') is an American television soap opera that aired on CBS for 54 years from April 2, 1956, to September 17, 2010. Irna Phillips created ''As the World Turns'' as a sister show to her other s ...
'' as Grace Baker #2, and ''The Guiding Light
''Guiding Light'' (known as ''The Guiding Light'' before 1975) is an American radio and television soap opera. It is listed in ''Guinness World Records'' as the third longest-running drama in television in American history. ''Guiding Light'' a ...
'' as Claudia Dillman. She also spent three years in London, England, acting in programs on ITV and the BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
.