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'''Margo Lane''' is a character in The Shadow stories. Her first appearance was in ''The Thunder King'', a story in the April 1941 issue of "The Shadow Magazine". Margo is an agent of The Shadow, a friend and companion to Lamont Cranston, and is able to spy for The Shadow in the wealthy set.

Contents

Origins

Character

Portrayal

Controversy

Differences Between the Radio and Novel Version

Margo in the 1994 Shadow Movie

Trivia

References

Origins

Margo was created for the radio version of the Shadow in 1937, because it was felt that having Harry Vincent as The Shadow's chief aid, and thus two male voices, would not provide sufficient "vocal contrast". Margo was based on socialite Brenda Frazier, and star of ''You Can't Take it With You'' Margot Stevenson. The relationship between Lamont and Margot was modelled on the Thin Man film series. During the war years Gibson felt he could no longer write stories about spy rings, since they had now become a reality, instead he chose to focus on whodunits, which suited the Cranston persona of the Shadow, and thus the character of Margo came to a fore, and eventually a permenant fixture in the stories, finally being promoted to a full agent.^[1]

Character

Whereas on radio Margo is The Shadow's confidante, in the novels Margo is depicted as a somewhat helpful nuisance who for years suspects but could not prove the true identity of the Shadow, until finally in later years she becomes a full agent of the Shadow.

Portrayal

She was initially portrayed on radio by Agnes Moorehead, who was followed by Margot Stevenson. Other actresses who portrayed Margo on the radio included; Marjorie Anderson, Lesley Woods, Grace Matthews and Gertrude Warner.
In an unaired TV pilot of 1954 Paula Raymond played Margo Lane oppside Tom Helmore as The Shadow.
On film Vela Ann Borg matched wits with Victor Jory's Shadow in 1940, Barbara Reed portrayed her three times in the mid-1940s with Kane Richmond as the Shadow, and Penelope Ann Miller was Margo oppside Alec Baldwin's Shadow.

Controversy

Margo's introduction to the novels created a storm of controversy reflected in the magazine's letters page. Older fans resented her intrusion, whereas newer readers, perhaps more familiar with the radio show and the comic book, accepted her readily.

Differences Between the Radio and Novel Version

★ In the novels her name is "Margo" and on radio it's "Margot"

★ In the novels she didn't know Lamont was the Shadow, on radio she did.

Margo in the 1994 Shadow Movie

Main articles: The Shadow (1994 film)

In the 1994 film, ''The Shadow'', Margo is a principal character. In the movie Margo (Penelope Ann Miller) has had psychic powers her whole life. Her father Dr. Reinhardt Lane (Ian McKellan) is a scientist who has developed a new type of power souce called a beryllium sphere, which the villians of the movie try to turn into a weapon. The Shadow (Alec Baldwin) and Margo first meet at the Cobalt Club, where they find they have an instant attraction. After they go out to dinner together Lamont realises that Margo has psychic powers and fears that she may undercover his secret identity if they spend more time together, so he vows never to see her again. However when her father is mind-controlled by Shiwan Khan (John Lone), and starts to behave strangely, Margo appraoches Lamont and Inspector Wainwright (Jonathan Winters) for help in the Cobalt Club. Lamont investigates Dr. Lane and this results in Shiwan Khan mentally summoning Margo to his hideout and hypnotically ordering her to kill the Shadow. She proceeds immediately to Lamont's mansion and unsuccessfully attempts to shoot Lamont, who breaks the trace that Shiwan Khan had her under. Upon waking from her trace she realises that Lamont is the Shadow and voulenteers to help him defeat Shiwan Khan and rescue her father. Together they investigate the last known sighting of Khan, a mysterious empty lot that once was the site of a large building, Margo goes to the library to investigate this building, while Lamont confronts Farley Claymore (Tim Curry), who they suspect is in league with Khan. Claymore traps the Shadow in a water-filled room, so he uses his psychic powers to communicate with Margo and she rescues him. In the climax of the movie Margo helps her father defuse the beryllium sphere that has now become a deadly bomb, and thus saves the day.

Trivia

★ Margo and Lois Lane were rumoured to be sisters.

References

1. Introducing Margo Lane Will Murray