Silent Screen Actress Madge West Dies at 92

Madge West, a stage and silent screen actress who appeared in hundreds of television commercials when she was in her later years, died Wednesday in Memphis, Tenn. She was 92.

Born in New York City to Irish parents, she appeared in the silent screen version of “Ben Hur,” portraying Cupid in the 1926 film that starred Ramon Novarro in the title role.

She came to Nashville in 1920 as the bride of John Barthell Joseph, an investment banker. After he died in 1947, she returned to New York to perform in television and theater.

She was a frequent guest on “The Garry Moore Show” and “The Jackie Gleason Show” and appeared at the Hampton Playhouse in New Hampshire for five seasons.

She was seen in such movies as “The Miracle Worker,” “For the Love of Ivy,” “Butterfield 8” and “Tell Me That You Love Me, Junie Moon.” On television she portrayed Grandma, McLean Stevenson’s mother-in-law in his 1976-77 series.

Miss West, who began acting at age 5, had been featured in commercials for Welch grape jelly, Aim toothpaste, Braniff Airlines and Gillette during the 1960s but was perhaps best known for her five-year run with White Cloud promoting the company’s toilet paper.