'Mad Men''s Miss Blankenship: A Eulogy for Don Draper's Secretary
Mad Men's beloved Miss Blankenship just took her final bow. From her Noo Yawk accent to her clashes with the boss over his sleeping in the office, see the mouthy dame's best moments.
Mrs. Blankenship from "Mad Men."
Miss Blankenship's Curtain Call
Miss Blankenship's exit came during her most memorable Mad Men episode to date—for better or worse. She departed in a manner befitting her onscreen existence: As Roger Sterling said, "She died like she lived—surrounded by the people she answered phones for."
That Accent
Blankenship's shrill voice was a combination of actress Randee Heller's upbringing in Brooklyn and Long Island and the influence of her grandparents speaking Yiddish, she said. Whatever it is, mixing the unique tone with a brash attitude made for the perfect antithesis to her suave boss, Don Draper, played by Jon Hamm.
She Was Blind, but Now She Sees
Since Draper spends most of his time canoodling with women under the age of 60, his encounters with Blankenship were sometimes awkward. After her return from eye surgery, Blankenship had on post-operation "goggles." Luckily, the doctor couldn't take away her sense of humor—she fools Draper into thinking she still has a few screws loose.
Blankenship's Motherly Meddling
Miss Blankenship, as brittle as her bones were, sure knew how to schlep bottles of liquor around the office. Unfortunately, Draper wanted cigarettes, not booze. Messing up on the job is one thing, but meddling in your boss' personal life as if you were his mother is another.
Shhhh, the Boss Is Sleeping
She may have been a master at crossword puzzles, but Miss Blankenship failed to understand the protocol for "buzzing" Draper when he was in meetings. When in doubt, barge into the meeting, argue, then call him out on sleeping in his office. It's the Blankenship way.
Say Hello to Your Little Friend
When Draper has a meeting, he likes to know about it. Little details like that had a tendency to slip from Miss Blankenship's priority list. Watch as Draper is surprised to find that his "little friend" is waiting for him in his office.
Ida Blankenship Is a Hellcat
Miss Blankenship's greatest strength: There was never any chance of Draper sleeping with her. Or was there? In this excerpt of Roger Sterling's memoirs, Sterling's Gold, we find out that Sterling used his "romantic prowess" to sleep with "the queen of perversions." Yes, he's referring to Miss Blankenship.