Billie Burke

Biography

Billie Burke was an American actress who worked on Broadway, radio, and in silent and sound films. Born in Washington, D.C., she toured with her father, a circus performer, and grew up in London, where she saw West End plays. She began acting on stage in London in 1903 in The School Girl, then returned to America for Broadway musical comedies. She made her movie debut in Peggy (1915) and became a favorite silent star. She returned to the stage before a Hollywood comeback in A Bill of Divorcement (1932). Dinner at Eight (1933) revitalized her career and typecast her as a scatterbrained upper-class matron. She was nominated for an Academy Award for Merrily We Live (1938), played Glinda in The Wizard of Oz (1939), and appeared in Topper (1937) and Father of the Bride (1950). She also appeared on radio in The Billie Burke Show and wrote two autobiographies. Her final film was Sergeant Rutledge (1960).

85years old at death

Born August 7, 1884Washington, D.C.
Died May 14, 1970Los Angeles
Star sign: LeoThe sign runs July 23 to August 22
Also credited as Mary William Ethelbert Appleton Burke and Mrs. Florenz Ziegfeld

Movie Career

Films: 25
Career span: 65 years1929 to 1994

Genres

Comedy64%, 16 films
Drama44%, 11 films
Romance40%, 10 films
Fantasy16%, 4 films
Musical16%, 4 films

First and latest

Did you know?!

Big break
In 1933, Burke played Millicent Jordan in the comedy Dinner at Eight, a high-society woman who gives a dinner party. The film did well and gave her career a boost, after which she was often cast in comedies and musicals as a scatterbrained upper-class matron with a high-pitched voice.
Behind the camera
With Cameron Shipp, Burke produced two autobiographies: With a Feather on My Nose came out in 1949, and With Powder on My Nose followed in 1959.
A first
After Burke made her Broadway debut in My Wife in 1907, department stores started selling a "Billie Burke Dress" that had a flat collar and lace trim as its signature features.

Billie Burke movies on Netflix

That's Entertainment! III1994IMDb rating 7.5
Sergeant Rutledge1960IMDb rating 7.4as Mrs. Cordelia Fosgate
The Young Philadelphians1959IMDb rating 7.4as Mrs. J. Arthur Allen
Father's Little Dividend1951IMDb rating 6.5as Doris Dunstan
Father of the Bride1950IMDb rating 7.1as Doris Dunstan
The Barkleys of Broadway1949IMDb rating 7.0as Mrs. Livingston Belney
Breakfast in Hollywood1946IMDb rating 5.7as Mrs. Frances Cartwright
In This Our Life1942IMDb rating 7.3as Lavinia Timberlake
The Man Who Came to Dinner1941IMDb rating 7.5as Daisy Stanley
Topper Returns1941IMDb rating 6.8as Mrs. Clara Topper
Eternally Yours1939IMDb rating 5.6as Aunt Abby
The Wizard of Oz1939IMDb rating 8.1as Glinda
Zenobia1939IMDb rating 6.0as Mrs. Tibbett
Merrily We Live1938IMDb rating 7.3as Mrs. Emily Kilbourne
The Young in Heart1938IMDb rating 7.3as Marmy Carleton
Topper Takes a Trip1938IMDb rating 6.4as Mrs. Topper
The Bride Wore Red1937IMDb rating 6.3as Contessa di Meina
Topper1937IMDb rating 7.2as Mrs. Topper
Becky Sharp1935IMDb rating 5.8as Lady Bareacres
Doubting Thomas1935IMDb rating 6.4as Paula Brown
Forsaking All Others1934IMDb rating 6.4as Aunt Paula
Christopher Strong1933IMDb rating 6.3as Lady Elaine Strong
Dinner at Eight1933IMDb rating 7.5as Millicent Jordan
A Bill of Divorcement1932IMDb rating 6.5as Meg Fairfield
Glorifying the American Girl1929IMDb rating 5.7as Billie Burke

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

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The Wizard of Oz1939 Adventure, Family, Fantasyas Glinda
IMDb rating 8.1473K votes
Topper1937 Comedy, Fantasy, Romanceas Mrs. Topper
IMDb rating 7.29.2K votes
Topper Returns1941as Mrs. Clara Topper
IMDb rating 6.83.9K votes
Father of the Bride1950as Doris Dunstan
IMDb rating 7.114K votes
Sergeant Rutledge1960as Mrs. Cordelia Fosgate
IMDb rating 7.46.2K votes
The Man Who Came to Dinner1941as Daisy Stanley
IMDb rating 7.59.9K votes
The Barkleys of Broadway1949as Mrs. Livingston Belney
IMDb rating 7.03.8K votes
A Bill of Divorcement1932as Meg Fairfield
IMDb rating 6.52.1K votes

Most often with

George Cukor directed three of these films, Norman Z. McLeod three and Vincente Minnelli two. Two actors appear in four of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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Alan Mowbray

Roland Young

Joan Crawford

George Zucco

Constance Bennett

Bette Davis

George CukorDirector, 3 films Norman Z. McLeodDirector, 3 films

Vincente MinnelliDirector, 2 films

Films together

Alan Mowbray4 films together, 1935 to 1938
Alan Mowbray's page
- Merrily We Live1938IMDb rating 7.3Burke as Mrs. Emily KilbourneMowbray as Grosvenor
- Topper Takes a Trip1938IMDb rating 6.4Burke as Mrs. TopperMowbray as Wilkins
- Topper1937IMDb rating 7.2Burke as Mrs. TopperMowbray as Wilkins
- Becky Sharp1935IMDb rating 5.8Burke as Lady BareacresMowbray as Rawdon Crawley
Roland Young4 films together, 1937 to 1941
Roland Young's page
- Topper Returns1941IMDb rating 6.8Burke as Mrs. Clara TopperYoung as Cosmo Topper
- The Young in Heart1938IMDb rating 7.3Burke as Marmy CarletonYoung as Col. Anthony 'Sahib' Carleton
- Topper Takes a Trip1938IMDb rating 6.4Burke as Mrs. TopperYoung as Mr. Topper
- Topper1937IMDb rating 7.2Burke as Mrs. TopperYoung as Cosmo Topper
Joan Crawford3 films together, 1934 to 1994
Joan Crawford's page
- That's Entertainment! III1994IMDb rating 7.5
- The Bride Wore Red1937IMDb rating 6.3Burke as Contessa di MeinaCrawford as Anni Pavlovitch
- Forsaking All Others1934IMDb rating 6.4Burke as Aunt PaulaCrawford as Mary Clay
George Zucco3 films together, 1937 to 1949
George Zucco's page
- The Barkleys of Broadway1949IMDb rating 7.0Burke as Mrs. Livingston BelneyZucco as Judge
- Topper Returns1941IMDb rating 6.8Burke as Mrs. Clara TopperZucco as Dr. Jeris
- The Bride Wore Red1937IMDb rating 6.3Burke as Contessa di MeinaZucco as Count Armalia
Constance Bennett3 films together, 1937 to 1938
Constance Bennett's page
- Merrily We Live1938IMDb rating 7.3Burke as Mrs. Emily KilbourneBennett as Jerry Kilbourne
- Topper Takes a Trip1938IMDb rating 6.4Burke as Mrs. TopperBennett as Marion Kerby
- Topper1937IMDb rating 7.2Burke as Mrs. TopperBennett as Marion Kerby
Bette Davis2 films together, 1941 to 1942
Bette Davis's page
- In This Our Life1942IMDb rating 7.3Burke as Lavinia TimberlakeDavis as Stanley Timberlake Kingsmill
- The Man Who Came to Dinner1941IMDb rating 7.5Burke as Daisy StanleyDavis as Maggie Cutler
George CukorDirector, 3 films, 1932 to 1939
All films by George Cukor
- The Wizard of Oz1939IMDb rating 8.1Burke as Glinda
- Dinner at Eight1933IMDb rating 7.5Burke as Millicent Jordan
- A Bill of Divorcement1932IMDb rating 6.5Burke as Meg Fairfield
Norman Z. McLeodDirector, 3 films, 1937 to 1938
All films by Norman Z. McLeod
- Merrily We Live1938IMDb rating 7.3Burke as Mrs. Emily Kilbourne
- Topper Takes a Trip1938IMDb rating 6.4Burke as Mrs. Topper
- Topper1937IMDb rating 7.2Burke as Mrs. Topper
Vincente MinnelliDirector, 2 films, 1950 to 1951
All films by Vincente Minnelli
- Father's Little Dividend1951IMDb rating 6.5Burke as Doris Dunstan
- Father of the Bride1950IMDb rating 7.1Burke as Doris Dunstan
Also two films together31 more actors
- Cary GrantTopper Takes a Trip (1938) and Topper (1937)
- Elizabeth TaylorFather's Little Dividend (1951) and Father of the Bride (1950)
- Spencer TracyFather's Little Dividend (1951) and Father of the Bride (1950)
- Fred AstaireThat's Entertainment! III (1994) and The Barkleys of Broadway (1949)
- Katharine HepburnChristopher Strong (1933) and A Bill of Divorcement (1932)
- J. Farrell MacDonaldZenobia (1939) and Topper (1937)
- Moroni OlsenFather's Little Dividend (1951) and Father of the Bride (1950)
- Paul HarveyFather's Little Dividend (1951) and Father of the Bride (1950)
- Russ TamblynFather's Little Dividend (1951) and Father of the Bride (1950)
- Grant MitchellThe Man Who Came to Dinner (1941) and Dinner at Eight (1933)
- Dennis O'KeefeTopper Returns (1941) and A Bill of Divorcement (1932)
- Eddy ChandlerIn This Our Life (1942) and Topper Returns (1941)
- Elizabeth PattersonDinner at Eight (1933) and A Bill of Divorcement (1932)
- Clem BevansZenobia (1939) and Topper (1937)
- Hattie McDanielIn This Our Life (1942) and Zenobia (1939)
- John BarrymoreDinner at Eight (1933) and A Bill of Divorcement (1932)
- Henry StephensonThe Young in Heart (1938) and A Bill of Divorcement (1932)
- Joan BennettFather's Little Dividend (1951) and Father of the Bride (1950)
- Eily MalyonThe Young in Heart (1938) and Forsaking All Others (1934)
- Zasu PittsBreakfast in Hollywood (1946) and Eternally Yours (1939)
- Bonita GranvilleBreakfast in Hollywood (1946) and Merrily We Live (1938)
- Hedda HopperBreakfast in Hollywood (1946) and Topper (1937)
- Raymond WalburnBreakfast in Hollywood (1946) and Eternally Yours (1939)
- Patsy KellyTopper Returns (1941) and Merrily We Live (1938)
- Marietta CantyFather's Little Dividend (1951) and Father of the Bride (1950)
- Don TaylorFather's Little Dividend (1951) and Father of the Bride (1950)
- Ray BolgerThat's Entertainment! III (1994) and The Wizard of Oz (1939)
- Tom RickettsThe Young in Heart (1938) and Forsaking All Others (1934)
- Alison SkipworthBecky Sharp (1935) and Doubting Thomas (1935)
- Adriana CaselottiThe Wizard of Oz (1939) and The Bride Wore Red (1937)
- Tom IrishFather's Little Dividend (1951) and Father of the Bride (1950)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Box office

What Billie Burke's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

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Combined worldwide box office

$44.0 million

6 of the 25 films have a worldwide figure.

6Worldwide figure
2US gross only
17Figure not found

Top grosser

The Wizard of Oz1939Glinda$33.8 million

Highest grossing

The six biggest films earned 100% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.

1
The Wizard of Oz1939as Glinda
$34M76.7% of the total
2
The Barkleys of Broadway1949as Mrs. Livingston Belney
$4.4M10.0% of the total
3
Forsaking All Others1934as Aunt Paula
$2.2M5.0% of the total
4
Dinner at Eight1933as Millicent Jordan
$2.2M4.9% of the total
5
The Bride Wore Red1937as Contessa di Meina
$1.2M2.7% of the total
6
That's Entertainment! III1994
$280K0.6% of the total