Madge Cranleigh
Madge, Lady Cranleigh was the mother of George and Charles Cranleigh and dowager Marchioness of Cranleigh.
Biography
Early life
Madge owned a doll which she claimed had been given to her by her father when she was six. (TV: Black Orchid [+]Loading...["Black Orchid (TV story)"]) She became Marchioness of Cranleigh (PROSE: Black Orchid [+]Loading...["Black Orchid (novelisation)"]) and had two sons: George and Charles. (TV: Black Orchid [+]Loading...["Black Orchid (TV story)"]) By 1923, she was the dowager Marchioness and George was the ninth Marquess of Cranleigh. (PROSE: Black Orchid [+]Loading...["Black Orchid (novelisation)"])
Hiding George
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George made a return visit to Brazil (TV: Black Orchid [+]Loading...["Black Orchid (TV story)"]) or Venezuela (PROSE: Black Orchid [+]Loading...["Black Orchid (novelisation)"]) in 1923 and was brought back to England, insane and disfigured, by Dittar Latoni (TV: Black Orchid [+]Loading...["Black Orchid (TV story)"]) after a week of torture at the hands of the Butiu (PROSE: Black Orchid [+]Loading...["Black Orchid (novelisation)"]) or Kojabe Indians. (TV: Black Orchid [+]Loading...["Black Orchid (TV story)"]) Rather than send him to an institution where he would not receive the care he needed, (PROSE: Black Orchid [+]Loading...["Black Orchid (novelisation)"]) Lady Cranleigh decided to hide him in Cranleigh Hall with Latoni's assistance and claimed that he had died, with only her, Charles and Latoni knowing the truth.
George's fiancée, Ann Talbot, became engaged to marry Charles and remained in the dark about her former lover's survival. (TV: Black Orchid [+]Loading...["Black Orchid (TV story)"]) By the summer of 1925, Latoni had become ill because of his responsibilities (PROSE: Black Orchid [+]Loading...["Black Orchid (novelisation)"]) and Lady Cranleigh brought in Digby, a nurse, to assist with George's care.
On 11 June 1925, she was willing to let the Fifth Doctor take the blame for George's murders, but George was found when he kidnapped Nyssa instead of his former fiancée Ann, who bore a striking resemblance to Nyssa. Lady Cranleigh regretted her actions when her lies resulted in George's death. (TV: Black Orchid [+]Loading...["Black Orchid (TV story)"])
Later life
Lady Cranleigh attended George's funeral and afterwards gave the Doctor a copy of Black Orchid which he promised to treasure. (TV: Black Orchid [+]Loading...["Black Orchid (TV story)"]) Charles and Ann married in 1926, (PROSE: The Sands of Time [+]Loading...["The Sands of Time (novel)"]) which Lady Cranleigh had hoped would put an end to Ann's charity work. (PROSE: Black Orchid [+]Loading...["Black Orchid (novelisation)"])
Appearance
Lady Cranleigh had fair hair. (TV: Black Orchid [+]Loading...["Black Orchid (TV story)"]) At the fancy dress party, she dressed as Marie Antoinette. (PROSE: Black Orchid [+]Loading...["Black Orchid (novelisation)"])
Behind the scenes
- Jean Anderson, Renée Asherson, Honor Blackman, Claire Bloom, Faith Brook, Kathleen Byron, Phyllis Calvert, Joan Greenwood, Rachel Kempson, Virginia McKenna, Muriel Pavlow, Maria Redmond, Beryl Reid, Barbara Shelley, Dinah Sheridan, Joan Sims and Elizabeth Spriggs were considered for the role before Barbara Murray was cast.[source needed]
