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Born Margaret Kies, Margaret Lindsay was an all-American-looking lead and supporting actress with a low-pitched voice. She trained at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York; unable to find roles in America, she went to London and gained stage experience there. After returning to America, she debuted onscreen in 1932. The following year she gained attention in Cavalcade, a Hollywood film with an all-British cast; supposedly, to land the role she lied to the studio and pretended to have an English background. Shortly thereafter she was signed by Warners and went on to appear in many films through the '30s; although appealing and talented, she had leads mostly in low-quality films, getting only supporting roles in major productions. Her B-movie experience included playing the female lead in seven Ellery Queen films. After leaving Warners she continued to appear mostly in B-movies, and later moved into character roles. She retired from the screen in 1963, going on to appear only in The Chadwicks, an unsuccessful 1973 TV pilot with Fred MacMurray. She never married.