Billie Burke

Actor
Billie Burke

About

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Also Known As
Mary William Ethelbert Appleton Burke
Birth Place
Washington, Washington D.C., USA
Born
August 07, 1884
Died
May 14, 1970

Biography

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Glamorous light comedienne who, in the midst of a successful Broadway career, entered films at the behest of Thomas Ince in 1916. After a period away from films, Burke returned to features in the early 1930s in character roles. She is perhaps best known as Glinda, the Good Witch of the East, in the timeless "The Wizard of Oz" (1939). Burke enjoyed great popularity as a featured player ov...

Filmography

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Pepe (1961)
Sergeant Rutledge (1960)
Cordelia Fosgate
The Young Philadelphians (1959)
Mrs. J. Arthur Allen
Small Town Girl (1953)
Mrs. Livingston
Father's Little Dividend (1951)
Doris Dunstan
Three Husbands (1950)
The Mother-in-Law [Jenny Bard Whittaker]

Photos & Videos

View All
They All Kissed the Bride - Movie Poster
1 Photo
Gildersleeve On Broadway (1943) -- (Movie Clip) I'm Studying Your Technique
Christopher Strong - Lobby Cards
2 Photos
In This Our Life - Scene Stills
10 Photos
Topper (1937) -- (Movie Clip) I'm Probably Talking To Myself

Family & Companions

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Florenz Ziegfeld
Husband
Theatrical producer. Married from 1914 until his death in 1932.
Dorothy Arzner
Companion
Director.

Bibliography

Read More
"With a Feather on My Nose"
Billie Burke and Cameron Shipp
"With Powder on My Nose"
advice book

Biography

Glamorous light comedienne who, in the midst of a successful Broadway career, entered films at the behest of Thomas Ince in 1916. After a period away from films, Burke returned to features in the early 1930s in character roles. She is perhaps best known as Glinda, the Good Witch of the East, in the timeless "The Wizard of Oz" (1939). Burke enjoyed great popularity as a featured player over the next two decades, often playing dithery, aristocratic types. Married to impresario Florenz Ziegfeld from 1914 until his death in 1932.

Filmography

 

Cast (Feature Film)

Pepe (1961)
Sergeant Rutledge (1960)
Cordelia Fosgate
The Young Philadelphians (1959)
Mrs. J. Arthur Allen
Small Town Girl (1953)
Mrs. Livingston
Father's Little Dividend (1951)
Doris Dunstan
Three Husbands (1950)
The Mother-in-Law [Jenny Bard Whittaker]
Boy from Indiana (1950)
Zelda Bagley
Father of the Bride (1950)
Mrs. Doris Dunstan
The Barkleys of Broadway (1949)
Mrs. Livingston Belney
And Baby Makes Three (1949)
Mrs. Fletcher
Breakfast in Hollywood (1946)
Mrs. Frances Cartwright
The Bachelor's Daughters (1946)
Molly Burns
The Cheaters (1945)
Clara Pidgeon
Swing Out Sister (1945)
Jessica [Mariman]
Hi Diddle Diddle (1943)
Mrs. [Liza] Prescott
Gildersleeve on Broadway (1943)
Mrs. Laura Chandler
So's Your Uncle (1943)
Aunt Minerva
You're a Lucky Fellow, Mr. Smith (1943)
Aunt Harriet [Mrs. George Crandall]
In This Our Life (1942)
Lavinia Timberlake
The Man Who Came to Dinner (1942)
Mrs. Ernest Stanley [Daisy]
What's Cookin'? (1942)
Agatha Courtney
Girl Trouble (1942)
Mrs. Celeste Rowland
They All Kissed the Bride (1942)
Mrs. Drew
The Wild Man of Borneo (1941)
Bernice Marshall
Topper Returns (1941)
Mrs. Topper
One Night in Lisbon (1941)
Catherine Enfilden
Irene (1940)
Mrs. [Herman] Vincent
Dulcy (1940)
Eleanor Forbes
The Captain Is a Lady (1940)
Blossy Stort
The Ghost Comes Home (1940)
Cora Adams
And One Was Beautiful (1940)
Mrs. Lattimer
Hullabaloo (1940)
Penny Merriweather
Bridal Suite (1939)
Mrs. McGill
Zenobia (1939)
Mrs. [Bessie] Tibbett
Topper Takes a Trip (1939)
Mrs. [Clara] Topper
Eternally Yours (1939)
Aunt Abbey
Remember? (1939)
Mrs. Bronson
The Wizard of Oz (1939)
Glinda
Everybody Sing (1938)
Diana Bellaire
The Young in Heart (1938)
"Marmy," their mother
Parnell (1937)
Clara [Wood]
Navy Blue and Gold (1937)
Mrs. Gatees
Topper (1937)
Mrs. [Clara] Topper
The Bride Wore Red (1937)
Contessa di Meina
Piccadilly Jim (1936)
Eugenia [Willis]
My American Wife (1936)
Mrs. Robert Cantillon
Craig's Wife (1936)
Mrs. Fraizier
Splendor (1935)
Clarissa
Doubting Thomas (1935)
Paula Brown
She Couldn't Take It (1935)
Mrs. Van Dyke
After Office Hours (1935)
Mrs. Norwood
Society Doctor (1935)
Mrs. Crane
A Feather in Her Hat (1935)
Julia Trent Anders
Becky Sharp (1935)
Lady Bareacres
Dinner at Eight (1934)
Millicent Jordan
Forsaking All Others (1934)
Paula
Finishing School (1934)
Mrs. [Helen Crawford] Radcliffe
We're Rich Again (1934)
Linda [Page]
Where Sinners Meet (1934)
Eustasia
Christopher Strong (1933)
Lady [Elaine] Strong, his wife
Only Yesterday (1933)
Julia Warren
A Bill of Divorcement (1932)
Margaret [Fairfield]
The Education of Elizabeth (1921)
Elizabeth Banks
Away Goes Prudence (1920)
Prudence Thorne
The Frisky Mrs. Johnson (1920)
Belle Johnson
Wanted -Xxx a Husband (1919)
Amanda Darcy Cole
The Misleading Widow (1919)
Betty Taradine
Sadie Love (1919)
Sadie Love
Good Gracious, Annabelle (1919)
Annabelle Leigh
Wanted - A Husband (1919)
The Make-Believe Wife (1918)
Phyllis Ashbrook
In Pursuit of Polly (1918)
Polly Marsden
Let's Get a Divorce (1918)
Mme. Cyprienne Marcey
Eve's Daughter (1918)
Irene Simpson-Bates
The Mysterious Miss Terry (1917)
Mavis Terry
Arms and the Girl (1917)
Ruth Sherwood
The Land of Promise (1917)
Nora Marsh
Peggy (1916)
Peggy Cameron
Gloria's Romance (1916)

Writer (Feature Film)

Show Boat (1936)
Story

Life Events

1903

Stage acting debut

1914

Married Florenz Ziegfeld

1916

Film debut, "Peggy"

1932

Returned to feature acting; played character roles for the rest of her career, beginning with "A Bill of Divorcement"

1939

Played Glinda in "The Wizard of Oz"

1960

Appeared in last film, "Pepe"

Photo Collections

 
1 Photo
They All Kissed the Bride - Movie Poster
They All Kissed the Bride - Movie Poster
2 Photos
Christopher Strong - Lobby Cards
Here are a few Lobby Cards from Christopher Strong (1933), starring Katharine Hepburn. Lobby Cards were 11" x 14" posters that came in sets of 8. As the name implies, they were most often displayed in movie theater lobbies, to advertise current or coming attractions.
10 Photos
In This Our Life - Scene Stills
Here are a number of scene stills from Warner Bros' In This Our Life (1942), starring Bette Davis, Olivia De Havilland, and Dennis Morgan.
1 Photo
Dinner at Eight - Coca-Cola Ad
Here is a magazine ad for Coca-Cola utilizing the cast of MGM's Dinner at Eight (1933) and a special color photo taken for the occasion.
2 Photos
The Great Ziegfeld - Behind-the-Scenes Photos
Here are a few photos taken during production of MGM's The Great Ziegfeld (1936), starring William Powell and Myrna Loy.

Videos

Movie Clip

Gildersleeve On Broadway (1943) -- (Movie Clip) I'm Studying Your Technique Throckmorton (Harold Peary, title character and star of the coincident NBC radio series), persuaded that he needs to woo the forthright New York gold-digger Francine (Claire Carleton) away from his niece’s boyfriend, encourages her mistaken belief that he’s rich, and impresses the window washer (Leonid Kinskey), in RKO’s third feature in the series, Gildersleeve On Broadway, 1943.
Topper (1937) -- (Movie Clip) I'm Probably Talking To Myself In a maybe mid-life crisis and mourning the loss of his client-friends the Kerby’s (Cary Grant and Constance Bennett), banker Roland Young (title character) crashes his new car (a customized 1936 Buick Roadmaster) at the same spot where they died, and is surprised, with lots of trick shots, from producer Hal Roach, in Topper, 1937.
After Office Hours (1935) -- (Movie Clip) How Can I Get Drunk In Three Days? Pacey opening, Robert Z. Leonard directing from Herman J. Mankiewicz’s screenplay, introducing Connie (Constance) Bennett as columnist Sharon, entering a New York newsroom where we meet Stuart Erwin and Henry Travers, reporting to Clark Gable as editor Branch, the year after his reporter-turn in It Happened One Night, 1934, in After Office Hours, 1935.
After Office Hours (1935) -- (Movie Clip) It's A Scroop! Put out because she was fired from her new job as music critic earlier that day, socialite Sharon (Constance Bennett) returns from the theater to find her mother (Billie Burke) being charmed by her editor Branch (Clark Gable), who also was there, and who now wants to hire her back for her society connections, in After Office Hours, 1935.
Remember? (1939) -- (Movie Clip) Ho-Hum, Silver! Jeff (Robert Taylor), best pal of the groom-to-be (Lew Ayres), though not to the manor born, is clicking with bride to-be Linda (Greer Garson), but not her father (Reginald Owen) or mother (Billie Burke), at the prenuptial fox hunt, in MGM's Remember?, 1939.
Craig's Wife (1936) -- (Movie Clip) Open, House Isn't The Same The domestic staff (Jane Darwell and Nydia Westmond) are introduced along with Walter (John Boles), Ellen (Alma Kruger) and neighbor Mrs. Frazier (Billie Burke) in Dorothy Arzner's 1936 version of the Pulitzer Prize-winning play Craig's Wife, starring Rosalind Russell.
Man Who Came To Dinner, The (1942) -- (Movie Clip) Opening, Midwestern Barbarians Opening credits and introduction of Bette Davis (as Maggie Cutler) and Monty Woolley (as the title character, Sheridan Whiteside), Billie Burke and Grant Mitchell their small-town hosts, from The Man Who Came to Dinner, from the Kaufman and Hart play.
Man Who Came To Dinner, The (1942) -- (Movie Clip) Touch Of A Love-Starved Cobra Signature Kaufman and Hart mayhem as the Stanleys (Billie Burke, Grant Mitchell) prepare for author Whiteside (Monty Woolley), with aide Maggie (Bette Davis) and nurse Preen (Mary Wickes), to emerge in The Man Who Came To Dinner, 1942.
Sergeant Rutledge (1960) -- (Movie Clip) The Unspeakable Nature The first appearance by the accused, title character Woody Strode in the famous trial setting by director John Ford, in Sergeant Rutledge (1960), co-starring Jeffrey Hunter and Constance Towers.
Finishing School (1934) -- (Movie Clip) So Smart And Proper Forceful opening credits and harsh, if humorous take on society mom Billie Burke, delivering top-billed Frances Dee to the school run by Miss Van Alstyne (Beulah Bondi), in RKO’s Finishing School, 1934, co-directed and co-written by Wanda Tuchock, with Ginger Rogers and Bruce Cabot.
Irene (1940) -- (Movie Clip) French Mannequin Irish New York shop girl Irene (Anna Neagle) on her first day modeling, pressed into service as boss Smith (Roland Young) receives society matron Mrs. Vincent (Billie Burke), in Irene, 1940.
Forsaking All Others (1934) -- (Movie Clip) Stop Picking On My Groom Joan Crawford in a rare comedy, but well supported with a script straight from Broadway, with Greta Meyer the masseur, Billie Burke the socialite, Robert Montgomery the groom and a very young Roz Russell leading a mob, opening Forsaking All Others, 1934, co-starring Clark Gable.

Trailer

Father's Little Dividend - (Original Trailer) In the sequel to Father of the Bride (1950), Spencer Tracy discovers the joys and pains of grandfatherhood.
Wizard of Oz, The (1939) -- (1949 Re-issue Trailer) A Kansas farm girl dreams herself into a magical land where she must fight a wicked witch to escape in The Wizard of Oz (1939), starring Judy Garland.
Ghost Comes Home, The - (Original Trailer) Frank Morgan discovers it's a wonderful death when he returns to find his family is enjoying his life insurance.
Dulcy - (Original Trailer) Ann Sothern plays Dulcy (1940), the scatterbrained beauty who tries to help her fiance's career by throwing a big party.
And Baby Makes Three - (Re-issue Trailer) Barbara Hale and ex-husband Robert Young battle over their unborn baby in the comedy And Baby Makes Three (1949).
Topper (1937) - (Original Trailer) Cary Grant and Constance Bennett are a couple of playful ghosts adding new life to a stuffy bank president (Roland Young), called Topper (1937).
Father of the Bride (1950) - (Original Trailer) A doting father (Spencer Tracy) faces mountains of bills and endless trials when his daughter (Elizabeth Taylor) marries in Father of the Bride (1950), directed by Vincente Minnelli.
Young Philadelphians, The - (Original Trailer) A young lawyer (Paul Newman) from the wrong side of town tries to break into society in The Young Philadelphians (1964).
Wild Man of Borneo, The - (Original Trailer) Frank Morgan is a turn-of-the-century con man hawking The Wild Man of Borneo (1941) in this MGM comedy.
Man Who Came to Dinner, The - (Original Trailer) An acerbic critic moves in with a Midwestern family during the holidays in The Man Who Came to Dinner (1942).
And One Was Beautiful - (Original Trailer) Two sisters vie for the same dashing young man (Robert Cummings) in And One Was Beautiful (1940).
Bridal Suite - (Original Trailer) A playboy's fiancee sets out to reform her future husband and his flighty mother in Bridal Suite (1939) starring Robert Young.

Family

William Burke
Father
Singing clown.

Companions

Florenz Ziegfeld
Husband
Theatrical producer. Married from 1914 until his death in 1932.
Dorothy Arzner
Companion
Director.

Bibliography

"With a Feather on My Nose"
Billie Burke and Cameron Shipp
"With Powder on My Nose"
advice book

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