| Gertrude Emma Messinger | |
|---|---|
| Born | Gertrude Emma Messenger April 28, 1911 Spokane, Washington, USA |
| Died | November 8, 1995 (aged 84) Woodland Hills, California, USA |
| Other names | Gertrude Messenger Gertie Messinger |
| Occupation | Film actress |
| Years active | 1930s – 1950s |
| Spouse | Dave Sharpe (1932-?) (divorced) Schuyler A. Sanford |
Gertrude Emma Messinger, (April 28, 1911 – November 8, 1995), sometimes spelled Gertrude Messenger and also known as Gertie Messinger, was a B-movie film actress of the 1930s through the 1950s. Born in Spokane, Washington, she began acting early, playing child roles in silent films as early as 1917, when she had a role in the film Babes in the Woods.
During the 1930s her career took off, with her often starring alongside Bob Steele, Lane Chandler, and Harry Carey. Her earliest starring roles were in 1932, when she starred opposite Bob Steel in Riders of the Desert, and opposite Lane Chandler in Lawless Valley. For the remainder of the 1930s she was fairly active in films. In 1934 she starred in arguably her biggest movie, with a part in the film Anne of Green Gables, with the starring role being played by actress Dawn O'Day. Her most active year was 1935, when she starred in nine films, most notably The Fighting Pilot with Richard Talmadge and Wagon Trail opposite Harry Carey.
She was married, briefly, to stuntman Dave Sharpe in the late 1930s. She would later marry cameraman Schyler Sanford, who would eventually win an Oscar for his work on the film Around the World in 80 Days. Her career slowed considerably in the 1940s, but she continued to act through the 1950s, mostly in uncredited roles. Her last credited role was in the 1949 film Joe Palooka in the Counterpunch. In 1952 she played in her last film, The Greatest Show on Earth, which was uncredited. She starred in a total of 52 films in her career, 11 of which were westerns, for which she would be best known. She died of pneumonia on November 8, 1995.