Marie Dressler
Biography
The Canadian-born actress and comedian Marie Dressler built a long stage career before becoming one of the biggest box-office draws of early Hollywood sound films. She left home at 14 and joined traveling theater troupes, where she learned how to make audiences laugh. From 1892 she worked on Broadway in comedic parts and became known for improvisation and expressive reactions. In 1914 she starred in Tillie's Punctured Romance, the first full-length screen comedy, alongside Charlie Chaplin and Mabel Normand. After her career slumped in the 1920s, she returned to movie work in 1927 and found new success. Her performance in Min and Bill (1930) earned her the Academy Award for Best Actress, and she received another nomination for Emma (1932). Her later films included Anna Christie (1930), The Patsy (1928), and Dinner at Eight (1933). She was also the first president of the Chorus Equity Association.
65years old at death
- Born Cobourg
- Died Santa Barbara
- Star sign: ScorpioThe sign runs October 23 to November 21
- Leila Marie Koerber (birth name)
Movie Career
- Films
- 5
- Career span
- 5 years1928 to 1933
Every film, newest first
- 1933Dinner at EightIMDb rating 7.5
- 1930Anna ChristieIMDb rating 6.5
- 1929The Hollywood Revue of 1929IMDb rating 5.6
- 1928The Divine LadyIMDb rating 6.1
- 1928The PatsyIMDb rating 7.4
Genres
Share
Did you know?!
First role
In 1896, Dressler took her first starring part, playing Flo in George Lederer's production of The Lady Slavey at the Casino Theatre on Broadway, with British dancer Dan Daly. The show was a great success and ran there for two years.
A first
Dressler was voted the first president of the Chorus Equity Association when it was formed during the 1919 Actors' Equity strike in New York City.
Behind the award
Dressler won the 1930-31 Academy Award for Best Actress for Min and Bill, a prize whose eligibility years were staggered at the time.
First role
Dressler had already been seen as herself in two shorts. Her first part in a feature film arrived in December 1914, when she was 46.
Marie Dressler movies on Netflix
Worked with
Marie Dressler shares two films with William H. O'Brien, and one with each of the others. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
William H. O'Brien's page
Marion Davies's page
Joan Crawford's page
Lionel Barrymore's page
Joel McCrea's page
Andy Devine's page
All films by George Cukor
All films by Clarence Brown
King VidorDirector, 1 film, 1928
All films by King Vidor
Awards
Two awards and honors, one of them major.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Academy Awards | |||
| 1931 | Best Actress | Min and Bill | Won |
| Other honors | |||
| Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame | Honored | ||
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.