Actress: Marie Dressler.

Marie Dressler (November 9, 1868 – July 28, 1934), she could perform in both drama and comedy with the best of them. Her first role in a film came at the age of 44, in the silent film, Tillie's Punctured Romance(1914).

Tillie's Punctured Romance, is the first feature-length comedy/silent film, which stars Marie Dressler, Mabel Normand, Charles Chaplin, and the Keystone Cops. The film is based on Dressler's stage play Tillie's Nightmare. It is best remembered as being the last Chaplin film, which he did not write or direct himself.

In 1919, during the Actors' Equity strike in New York City, the Chorus Equity Association voted Dressler president. Dressler, was blacklisted by the theater production companies because of her believes.

She was seriously thinking about working as a housekeeper, at a Long Island estate, before screenwriter Frances Marion, knowing that Dressler was down on her luck, insisted that MGM cast her in, The Callahans and the Murphys (1927), which turned out to be the comedy/silent film, which saved her movie career. The film Callahans and the Murphys, was based on a novel by Kathleen Norris. Released in June 18, 1927, but quickly withdrawn after protests by Irish-American organizations. The film is presumed to be lost. The story is about Mrs. Callahan and Mrs. Murphy, a couple of feuding tenement housewives trying to keep control of their children.

Her next performance was a minor part in the film, Breakfast at Sunrise(1927). A story about a rich young lady Madeleine and poor Lussan, who have a fake marriage to spite the people they really want to marry. With beautiful, costumes and Art Deco apartments.

She later performed with Moran in, Bringing Up Father (1946). A comedy film, based on the comic strip Bringing Up Father by George McManus, which is about the adventures of the social-climbing Maggie and her long-suffering husband Jiggs.

Later, she performed in the color film, The Joy Girl (1927). A silent/comedy film starring Olive Borden, based on the novel of the same name by May Edginton. The story is about a young woman named, Jewel Courage, who rejects a suitor, who she thinks is a chauffeur, for a man who she thinks is a millionaire. It turns out the roles were, switched.  Jewel, goes on to do well for herself in business, until she and the real millionaire find themselves together.

Dressler, later returned to MGM to perform in the film, The Patsy(1928), playing the mother of Marion Davies. In a silent/comedy drama film directed by King Vidor.

By this time, Hollywood was converting from silent films to "talkies" which was not a problem for Dressler, who could both be sympathetic and snarky. Early in 1930, Dressler joined Edward Everett Horton's theater troupe in L.A. to play a princess in, The Swan. But after one week, she quit leaving Horton, without a woman to play the part.

Later Thalberg, gave Dressler the role of Marthy, who welcomes Greta Garbo home after the search for her father in the film, Anna Christie(1930). A Pre-Code drama film adaptation of the 1922 play by Eugene O'Neill. It was adapted by Frances Marion, produced and directed by Clarence Brown with Paul Bern and Irving Thalberg as co-producers. It was nominated for Academy Awards for Best Actress (Greta Garbo), Best Cinematography and Best Director. Both Garbo and the critics were impressed by Dressler's acting ability, and so was MGM, which quickly signed Dressler to a contract. Although, she was past sixty years old, she quickly became Hollywood’s number one box-office attraction.

She won the 1930-31 Academy Award for Best Actress For her wonderful performance in, Min and Bill.

Dressler was nominated again for Best Actress for her 1932 starring role in, Emma.

Dressler followed with the comedy, Dinner at Eight(1933), in which she played an aging but vivacious former stage actress. Dressler had a memorable scene with Jean Harlow in the film.



Dressler appeared in more than 40 films, and achieved her greatest successes in talking pictures made during the last years of her life. Always seeing herself as physically unattractive, she wrote an autobiography titled, The Life Story of an Ugly Duckling.

THE PATSY (1928) King Vidor

"The Patsy" (1928) is the first of three films that King Vidor directed with Marion Davies as the star. In this silent romantic comedy, Marion Davies plays Patricia Harrington, the neglected sister in a middle class family that presents the marvelous Marie Dressler as Ma Harrington and Jane Winton as the other sister, Grace Harrington. Constantly pushed aside like her weak father, played by Dell Henderson, Patricia cooks, cleans, and wears Grace's hand-me-downs. Ma Harrington greatly favors Grace while Pa Harrington is sensitive and loving to Patricia. Grace is courted by Tony Anderson, played by Orville Caldwell, whom Patricia is secretly in love with. One evening the family attends a dinner and dance at the yacht club where Grace catches the eye of a playboy, Billy, played by Lawrence Grey. Billy waits on their table and shows off for her.

Grace responds positively to his advances and leaves the dance with him. Tony is disconcerted, and Patricia sees it as a chance to spend some time with him. He drives her home, and she asks him for suggestions about improving her personality and making her more attractive to men. Unaware that Patricia is interested in using her new charm on him, Tony happily gives her advice. Patricia's attempts in following Tony's advice only ends up convincing Ma Harrington and Grace that she has gone mad. One of her attempts at improving her personality leads Patricia to read a self-help guide that teaches her witty lines like "After all, a caterpillar is nothing more than an upholstered worm." Eventually, Tony begins to notice Patricia, not because of her improved personality, but because she is the only one who shows interest in his architectural designs. Grace decides that she wants Tony back. In desperation, Patricia goes to Billy's house to arrange a setting where Billy is attacking her so that Tony can rush to her rescue. Unfortunately, Billy is too drunk to notice her presence. Patricia decides to impersonate three of his favorite movie stars, Mae Murray, Lillian Gish, and Pola Negri, in an attempt to stir his interest. Instead, Billy thinks the Murray and Gish images are hallucinations and the sight of Negri causes him to collapse on the piano. Finally, Patricia locks herself in Billy's room, calls Tony, and then begins screaming for help. Billy jumps up and tries to save her by breaking down the door. When Tony arrives, he thinks Billy is after Patricia and knocks him out. Instead of being kind to Patricia, Tony scolds her for getting into this situation in the first place, implying only a woman of loose morals would go to Billy's house. Understandably, Patricia is devastated, and it looks like all of her hopes are ended. "The Patsy" is an enjoyable film and proof that Marion Davies was a very good silent comedienne. Most of the funny sequences in the film belong to her. Davies had incredible comedic timing and showed a great talent for mimicry. Her impressions of Mae Murray, Lillian Gish, and Pola Negri are so funny and accurate. The supporting cast is just as wonderful with Marie Dressler shining in her comeback performance. I had so much fun reading the witty subtitles. "The Patsy" is a sweet silent comedy with plenty of romance that will bring tears to your eyes.