"Old age is an insult. It's like being smacked" ~ Marie
Marie Dressler was born Leila Marie Koerber on November 9, 1868 in Cobourg, Ontario. Her father was a music teacher and she sang with him when she was a child. At the age of fourteen she left home to become a chorus girl. She found success in vaudeville where she was known for her full-figured body. Marie married an American named George Hoeppert in 1899 and became a US citizen. They had a daughter who sadly died in infancy. She divorced George in 1906 and began a serious romance with businessman James Henry Dalton. Marie claimed they had gotten married but it turned out James had never legally divorced his first wife. In 1914 Mack Sennett cast her in Tillie's Punctured Romance, the first full length motion picture.
After appearing in several more comedies Marie returned to the New York stage. Tragically in 1921 her longtime companion James died. She was also bi-sexual and had a serious romance with actress Claire DuBrey. Marie landed a contract with MGM in 1927 and quickly became one of the most popular character actresses in Hollywood. In 1931 she won an Oscar for her performance in Minn and Bill. Her success continued with hit films like Dinner At Eight and Tugboat Annie. She appeared on the cover of Time magazine and wrote her autobiography "The Life Story Of An Ugly Duckling". Marie's career came to a sudden end when she was diagnosed with terminal cancer. On July 28, 1934 she died at the age of sixty-five. She was buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California.
After appearing in several more comedies Marie returned to the New York stage. Tragically in 1921 her longtime companion James died. She was also bi-sexual and had a serious romance with actress Claire DuBrey. Marie landed a contract with MGM in 1927 and quickly became one of the most popular character actresses in Hollywood. In 1931 she won an Oscar for her performance in Minn and Bill. Her success continued with hit films like Dinner At Eight and Tugboat Annie. She appeared on the cover of Time magazine and wrote her autobiography "The Life Story Of An Ugly Duckling". Marie's career came to a sudden end when she was diagnosed with terminal cancer. On July 28, 1934 she died at the age of sixty-five. She was buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California.
No comments:
Post a Comment