Martha Bryan Montgomery was born in October 1930 to American actor Robert Montgomery and actress Elizabeth Bryan Allen. Unfortunately, she did not live past her infancy, as she died of meningitis 14 months after birth. Martha’s father was an actor, director, and producer whose acting career began on stage but was soon hired by MGM. Robert Montgomery was initially assigned comedy roles, but he proved he could also handle dramatic ones. He was best known as Kent in The Big House, Danny in Night Must Fall, and Joe in Here Comes Mr. Jordan. This article will cover more details about Martha and her family.
Martha Bryan Montgomery Bio
Martha was born in Los Angeles, California, on 13 October 1930 to Robert Montgomery and Elizabeth Bryan Allen. The couple’s infant daughter died of spinal meningitis on 13 December 1931, aged 14 months. Since she lived a short life, there is not much information about Martha.
Martha Bryan Montgomery’s Siblings
Martha had two siblings, a sister named Elizabeth Montgomery and a brother named Robert Montgomery Jr. Elizabeth followed her parent’s footsteps and became an actress whose career spanned five decades in stage, film, and television. She is mainly recognized for her lead role as the witch Samantha Stephens on the TV series Bewitched. Elizabeth also appeared in A Case of Rape (1974) and The Legend of Lizzie Border (1975). She died in May 1995.
Robert was an actor known for Sea Hunt (1958), The Tall Man (1960), and 12 to the Moon (1960). Robert died in February 2000.
Martha Bryan Montgomery’s Parents
Martha’s mother, Elizabeth, was born in Louisville, Kentucky. She was an actress in the 1920s and appeared in The Handyman, Applesauce, and Easy Come Easy Go. She performed in Dancing Mothers, A Family Upstairs, and Ladies of the Evening with the Morosco Theater in 1926.
Elizabeth met Robert Montgomery in 1924 during their performance in the Broadway play Dawn. They married on 14 April 1928 and divorced in 1950. She was granted a divorce on the grounds of mental cruelty. The couple had three children: Martha, Elizabeth, and Robert Jr.
Martha’s father, Robert Montgomery, was born on 21 May 1904 in Beacon, New York. He served in the army from 1941 to 1946 under the United States Navy. Montgomery initially played comedy roles but got his first dramatic role in the 1930s The Big House. After The Big House, he was in constant demand and appeared in 1930’s Inspiration as Greta Garbo’s romantic interest.
Montgomery also appeared in The Divorcee (1930), Strangers May Kiss (1931), Private Lives (1931), Faithless (1992), and the original pre-Code film version of When Ladies Meet (1933). He was nominated fo the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as a psychopathic murderer in the 1937 thriller Night Must fall.
Montgomery became president of the Screen Actors Guild in 1935 and was elected again in 1946. After his military service, he returned to playing light comedy roles, including Alfred Hitchcock’s Mr. & Mrs. Smith. Montgomery directed They Were Expendable, Lady in the Lake, and Ride the Pink Horse.
He has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. His second wife was Elizabeth Harkness, whom he married four days after his divorce from Elizabeth Allen was finalized. He died of cancer in September 1981.
Wrapping Up
Martha’s family suffered an untimely loss when she passed away as an infant. Luckily, they had other children to ease the pain of her loss.
