After the death of Charlton Heston, yet another elderly star has passed away. Actress and producer Madeline Lee Gilford died on Monday in New York at age 84. Those who want to pay homage to the late actress can attend the memorial services on Thursday, April 17 at 11.15 am at Riverside Memorial Chapel, 180 West 76th St.

Madeline Gilford was married to actor Jack Gilford, whom she met at a political party in 1947, for 40 years. The two married in 1949 and stayed together until 1990, the year of her husband's death. The actress was born in the Bronx and entered acting at a very early age, only to perform on radio years later and share the stage with Ethel Barrymore in the 1944 play 'Embezzled Heaven'.

Having been both left-wing cause sustainers, the Gilfords has their own share of trouble for their beliefs. During the 50's, they were mostly blacklisted with Madeline having been one of those names listed by Jerome Robbins in his testimony before HUAC.

By the time of the 80's, the actress had already left acting behind, only to begin casting and producing on Broadway, where she had success with the co-produced play "The World of Sholom Aleichim," starring her husband and the musical 'Rags'. She also co-authored the memoir "170 Years in Show Business" with Kate Mostel (Zero's wife), which told the lives of the two couples who were friendly with one another.

Besides her early acting days and involvement in Broadway play-production, the actress also appeared in some recent shows, such 'Law&Order' and in films including 'Sex and the City', 'The Old Feeling', 'The Savages' and classics like 'The Bird Cage' and 'Cocoon: The Return'. Madeline Gilford has a handful of successors, a daughter, two sons and three grandchildren.