The FABULOUS Cavada Humphrey!

[Gothick]

My hat's off again to our Darling Mysterioso, el Benefactoro (pardon my hideous mauling of Spanish),

for featuring one of my all time favorite guest players today--the beautiful, flamboyant, fabulous Cavada Humphrey!  When I went to IMDB just now to make sure her surname did not end with an s (my memory is in tatters these days, alas), I was startled to see that Cavada passed away on July 11, 2007.  Was there an obit posted here?  I don't recall seeing it, but I am often away out in the woods and fields doing my Nature Boy routine in July, so perhaps I missed it.

One of my all time favorite moments on all of DS is Madam Findlay's arrival at Collinwood, when she strides imperiously around the drawing room and waves her arms and sways and speaks cryptically of the battle waging within these walls--truly classic stuff.

She also got one of the most melodramatic "farewell" scenes in the series' history. 

Interestingly, her role as Madam Findlay wasn't Cavada Humphrey's sole DS connection.  For awhile she shared rooms with novelist Madeleine L'Engle, who penned the classic children's novel A Wrinkle in Time.  Madeleine L'Engle married Hugh Franklin, who appeared as Collins family lawyer Richard Garner in the 1966 episodes of DS.

Thanks again for featuring such a distinctive, memorable presence from our Dark Shadows memory-hoard!

cheers, G.

[Midnite]

When I went to IMDB just now to make sure her surname did not end with an s (my memory is in tatters these days, alas), I was startled to see that Cavada passed away on July 11, 2007.  Was there an obit posted here?

I don't believe there was, and unfortunately, I located an SSDI (New York) record online for Cavada Kilty who was born on June 17, 1919 and passed away on July 11, 2007.   Humphrey was married to playwright/ actor/screenwriter Jerome Kilty, who I think is still with us.

Assuming this is she, it would make her 49 when she played Madame Janet Findley, which seems right, and 88 at her passing.

[IluvBarnabas]

I loved Cavada as Madame Findley. Too bad they couldn't have brought her back as some other character on the show.

[Lydia]

One of my all time favorite moments on all of DS is Madam Findlay's arrival at Collinwood, when she strides imperiously around the drawing room and waves her arms and sways and speaks cryptically of the battle waging within these walls--truly classic stuff.

I was, thinking, when I watched those episodes for the Watching Project recently, that her costume was carefully chosen so that she would have maximum mobility.

[Sandor]

Thank you for the Cavada updates, Gothick and Midnite. Madame Findley was a personal favorite of mine. Bet she was sorry she ever entered that crazy place known as Collinwood....

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Mme. Findley is one of my favorite guest characters too. But I can't take credit for featuring her quote because it was already a part of the 1990 calendar:

1968: Ep #647 - Mme. Findley: 'I cannot hear you plainly.'

I can take credit for the capture, though, because lately I've been taking entirely new ones each day instead of searching for appropriate ones that I already have. 

[michael c]

gothick,

yes!i just experienced this character for the first time and she's "swoonsworthy" indeed.

when she was walking around the drawing room calling for "m!...m!" i kept thinking maybe matthew morgan or bill malloy might chime back.

her final scene...a stuntman in a wig and black tights falling down the stairs while liz and julia scream like banshees just entered the pantheon of my favorite d.s. moments.

because the regular cast takes on multiple roles i love it when a day player comes in the and leaves a lasting impression.madame findley is right up there with portia fitzsimmons,suki forbes and leona eltridge.

[Gothick]

M might have been Magda.  I can't remember whether Madam Findlay's shows come after the Carolyn/Chris seance sequence in which Magda spoke through Carolyn--I think this was indeed the case.

I'm having a memory lapse with the name, but the same regular DS stunt guy (who also coordinated the fights when they had them, I believe), who played the werewolf for both Chris and Quentin (this is where those Pom Press "cutenesses" on the "incredibly shrinking werewolf" come in) also played Madam Findlay falling down the stairs.  I remember the sequence being run at a Festival in the mid 90s where this gentleman attended and talked about working on the series.

G.

[arashi]

Alex Stevens.

[michael c]

gothick...

"m" was indeed magda.the seance had already taken place and magda introduced.

i was just being silly about bill malloy.