About
Born Leila Marie Koerber in Cobourg, Ontario, Marie Dressler began performing at age 5 and joined a traveling troupe at 14. She became a star of vaudeville and light opera on Broadway by 1892. In 1914, she starred in Tillie's Punctured Romance, the first feature-length film comedy. After helping found the Chorus Equity Association, she was blacklisted by producers in the 1920s. She made a triumphant screen comeback at 59, winning the Academy Award for Best Actress for Min and Bill (1931). The number-one box-office attraction in 1932 and 1933, she died of cancer in 1934.
* 1868-11-09 — † 1934-07-28
Major works
- Tillie's Punctured Romance (1914)film
- Anna Christie (1930)film
- Min and Bill (1931)film
- Emma (1932)film
- Dinner at Eight (1933)film
Key milestones
- 1914Starred in Tillie's Punctured Romance, recognized as the first feature-length film comedy.
- 1931Won the Academy Award for Best Actress for Min and Bill.
- 1932Ranked number-one at the Hollywood box office for 1932 and 1933.
Themes
Vaudeville and theaterSilent and sound filmAdvocacy for performers' rightsComeback after a setbackComedy and drama
Sources: britannica.com · biographi.ca · anb.org