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Marlene Dietrich Biography (1901?-1992)

Born Maria Magdalena von Losch, in Berlin, Germany, December 27, 1901 (some sources say 1900 and 1904); immigrated to the U.S., 1930; naturalized U.S. citizen, 1939; died May 6, 1992, in Paris, France; daughter of Edward (a policeofficer) and Josephine (Felsing) von Losch; married Rudolf Sieber (an assistant director), May 13, 1924 (separated, 1939; died, 1976); children: Maria Riva. Addresses: Agent: Regency Artists Ltd., 9200 Sunset Blvd., Suite 823, Los Angeles, CA 90069.

Nationality

American, German

Gender

Female

Occupation

actress, singer, entertainer

Birth Details

December 27, 1901?

Berlin, Germany

Death Details

May 6, 1992

Paris, France

Famous Works

• Credits; Film Appearances
• Lola Frohlich, The Blue Angel (originally Der Blaue Engel,1930), Paramount, 1930.
• Amy Jolly, Morocco, Paramount, 1930.
• X-27, Dishonored, Paramount, 1931.
• Helen Faraday, Blonde Venus, Paramount, 1932.
• Shanghai Lily, Shanghai Express, Paramount, 1932.
• Lily Czepanek, Song of Songs, Paramount, 1933.
• Sophia Frederica, Catherine II, The Scarlet Empress, Paramount, 1934.
• Concha Perez, The Devil Is a Woman, Paramount, 1935.
• Madeleine de Beaupre, Desire, Paramount, 1936.
• Domini Enfilden, The Garden of Allah, United Artists, 1936.
• Maria Barker, Angel, Paramount, 1937.
• Alexandra Vladinoff, Knight without Armor, United Artists, 1937.
• Frenchy, Destry Rides Again, Universal, 1939.
• Bijou Blanche, Seven Sinners (also known as Cafe of the Seven Sinners), Universal, 1940.
• Claire Ledeux, The Flame of New Orleans, Universal, 1941.
• Fay Duval, Manpower, Warner Brothers, 1941.
• Elizabeth Madden, The Lady Is Willing, Columbia, 1942.
• Josie Winters, Pittsburgh, Universal, 1942.
• Cherry Malotte, The Spoilers, Universal, 1942.
• Herself, Follow the Boys, Universal, 1944.
• Jamilla, Kismet (also known as Oriental Dream), Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1944.
• Lydia, Golden Earrings, Paramount, 1947.
• Erika von Schluetow, A Foreign Affair, Paramount, 1948.
• Blanche Ferrand, The Room Upstairs (originally Martin Roumagnac, 1946), Lopert, 1948.
• Nightclub patron, Jigsaw (also known as Gun Moll), United Artists, 1949.
• Monica Teasdale, No Highway in the Sky (also known as No Highway), Twentieth Century-Fox, 1951.
• Charlotte Inwood, Stage Fright, Warner Brothers, 1950.
• Altar Keane, Rancho Notorious, RKO Radio Pictures, 1952.
• Hostess, Around the World in Eighty Days, United Artists, 1956.
• Marquise Maria de Crevecoeur, The Monte Carlo Story, United Artists, 1957.
• Christine "Helm" Vole, Witness for the Prosecution, United Artists, 1957.
• Tanya, Touch of Evil, Universal, 1958.
• Mme. Bertholt, Judgment at Nuremberg, United Artists, 1961.
• Party guest, Paris When It Sizzles, Paramount, 1964.
• Baroness von Semering, Just a Gigolo, United Artists, 1979.
• Also appeared in numerous films, many of them silent: Kathrin in So sind die Maenner (also known as Napoleons kleiner Brueder, Der kleine Napoleon, Men Are Like This, Napoleon's Little Brother, and The Little Napoleon), 1922; Lucie in Tragoedie der Liebe (also known as TheTragedy of Love), 1923; Der Mensch am Wege (also known as Manby the Roadside), 1923; Der Sprung ins Leben (also known as They Leap into Life), 1924; Die freudlose Gasse (also known as TheJoyless Street, and The Street of Sorrow), 1925; Micheline in Manon Lescaut, 1926; Eine DuBarry von Heute (also known as A Modern Dubarry), 1926; Edmee Marchand in Kopf hoch, Charly! (also known as Heads Up, Charley), 1926; Madame wuenscht keine Kinder (also known as Madame Wants No Children), 1926; Yvette in Sein groesster Bluff (also known as Er oder Dich and His Greatest Bluff), 1927; Erni in Cafe Electric (also known as Wenn ein Weib den Weg verliert and When a Woman Loses Her Way), 1927; Sophie in Der Juxbaron (also known as The Imaginary Baron), 1927; Chicotte deGastone in Prinzessin Olala (also known as Princess Olala and Art of Love), 1928; Die glueckliche Mutter, 1928; Laurence Gerard in Ich kuesse Ihre Hand, Madame (also known as I Kiss Your Hand Madame), 1929; Stascha in Die Frau, nach der Man sich sehnt (also known as The Woman One Longs For and Three Loves), 1929; Miss Ethel in Das Schiff der Verlorenen Menschen (also known as Le Naviredes hommes perdus, The Ship of Lost Men, and The Ship of Lost Souls) 1929; Evelyn in Liebesnaechte (also known as Gefahren der Brautzeit, Aus dem Tagebuch eines Verfuehrers, Eine Nacht der Libe, Liebesbriefe, Nights of Love, and Love Letters), 1929; Dangers of the Engagement Period, 1929; I Loved a Soldier, 1936; Screen Snapshots No.103, 1943; and Marlene (documentary), 1984. Narrator of The Black Fox, 1962.
• Credits; Stage Appearances
• (London debut) Marlene Dietrich (one-woman show), Queen's Theatre,London, 1964.
• (Broadway debut) Marlene Dietrich (one-woman show), Lunt-FontanneTheatre, New York City, 1967, later Mark Hellinger Theatre, New York City, 1968.
• Appeared in productions for the Max Reinhardt company in Germany, 1926- 1929. Has performed her one-woman show in theatres throughout the world, 1964-1975.
• Credits; Television Appearances; Specials
• Marlene Dietrich: I Wish You Love (adaptation of her one-woman stage show), CBS, 1973.
• Credits; Radio Appearances
• Appeared in radio series Cafe Istanbul and Time for Love inthe 1950s.
• Writings
• Marlene Dietrich's ABC, Doubleday, 1962.
• Nehmt nur mein Leben...: Reflexionen, Bertelsmann, 1979.
• Ich bin, Gott sei Dank, Berlinerin (memoirs), Ullstein, 1987, translation by Salvator Attanasio published as Marlene, Grove Press, 1989.

Further Reference

Obituaries and Other Sources: Books

• Close-Ups: Intimate Profiles of Movie Stars by Their Co-Stars, Directors,Screenwriters, and Friends, edited by Danny Peary, Workman, 1978.
• Griffith, Richard, Marlene Dietrich: Image and Legend, Doubleday, 1959.
• Higham, Charles Marlene: The Life of Marlene Dietrich, Norton, 1977.
• Kobal, John, Marlene Dietrich, Studio Vista, 1968.
• Morley, Sheridan, Marlene Dietrich, Elm Tree Books, 1976.
• Rosen, Marjorie, Popcorn Venus: Women, Movies, and the American Dream, Coward, McCann, & Geoghegan, 1973.
• Silver, Charles, Marlene Dietrich, Pyramid Publications, 1974.

Periodicals

• Hollywood Reporter, May 7, 1992, pp. 1, 7, 22.