Zasu Pitts
Acting
Biography
Zasu Pitts was an American actress who starred in many silent dramas and comedies, transitioning successfully to mostly comedy films with the advent of sound films. She may be best known for her performance in Erich von Stroheim's epic silent film Greed. Based on her performance, von Stroheim labeled Pitts "the greatest dramatic actress". He also featured her in his films The Honeymoon (1928), The Wedding March (1928), War Nurse (1930) and Walking Down Broadway, released as Hello, Sister! (1933). However, for the most part, with the advent of sound Pitts was mostly relegated to comedy parts. A bitter disappointment was when she was replaced in the classic war drama All Quiet on the Western Front (1930) by Beryl Mercer after her initial appearance in previews drew unintentional laughs, despite her intense performance. She had viewers rolling in the aisles in Finn and Hattie (1931), The Guardsman (1931), Blondie of the Follies (1932), Sing and Like It (1934) and Ruggles of Red Gap (1935). In 1936 and 1937 she portrayed Hildegarde Withers in two movies, succeeding Edna May Oliver as the spinster sleuth, but they were not well received. In the 1950s she started focusing on television. This culminated in her best known series role, playing second banana to Gale Storm on CBS's The Gale Storm Show (1956) (also known as Oh, Susannah) in the role of Elvira Nugent ("Nugie"), the shipboard beautician. In 1961, Pitts was cast opposite Earle Hodgins in the episode "Lonesome's Gal" on the ABC sitcom, Guestward, Ho!, set on a dude ranch in New Mexico. In 1962, Pitts appeared in an episode of CBS's Perry Mason, "The Case of the Absent Artist". Her final role was as Gertie, the switchboard operator in the Stanley Kramer comedy epic It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963).
Born: January 2, 1894
Place of Birth: Parsons, Kansas, USA
Known For
Filmography
as Mirabelle in 'The Gay Bride' (archive footage)
as Gertie - Switchboard Operator
as Mrs. Bowie
as Olivia
as Aunt Theodora
as Self
as Daphne Whilom
as Mrs. Shea
as Selma
as Valerie Humpert
as Aunt Laura
as Jane Dwyer
as Valerie Humpert
as Self
as Belinda Pryde
as Cousin Cora Cartwright
as Rosa
as Elvira Spriggens
as Guest star
as Cornelia Pigeon
as Aggie Pilkington (as ZaSu Pitts)
as Aunt Emma Bates
as Geraldine
as Miss Pepper
as Anna, Craig's Maid
as Emily Pepper
as Pandora Polly
as Julia Jordan
as Emmy Sawyer
as Myra Pottle
as Pauline Hastings
as Miss Flint
as Cary Bingham
as Mme. Moulin
as Lilly Handy
as Aunt Penelope Hardwick
as Dulcey Lee
as Letitia Rondell
as Hildegarde Withers
as Winnie Oatfield
as Gwen Logan
as Hildegarde Withers
as Mrs. Fay Kinney
as Miss Harkins
as Susan Todd
as Belle McGill
as Esmeralda
as Cora Upshaw
as Maggie Conklin
as Mrs. Judson
as Mirabelle
as Miss Hazy
as Matilda Hemingway
as Tillie Whim
as Miss Coates
as Araminta Tootle
as Annie Snodgrass
as Herself
as Alice Mudge
as Esthey Roberts
as Tillie Prescott
as Maddie Skitch
as Zasu
as Sybby 'Sib'
as Mary Horner
as Elmerada
as Zasu Pitts
as Millie
as Bonny
as Zasu
as Aunt Sylvia
as Miss Pitts
as Zasu
as Molly Hull
as Beula
as Miss Zasu Pitts - Woman of the Jury
as Florrie
as Zasu
as Miss Leyton
as Nora Rafferty
as Zasu
as Gertie
as Zasu
as Mrs. Dole
as Gabby Woman
as Mrs. Scudder
as Morning Gazette Telephone Operator
as Zasu
as Mrs. Truesdale
as Sybil Smith
as Gladys Fairweather
as Pitts
as Temperance Worker
as Aunt Dot
as Miss Pitts
as Dot
as Zasu Pitts
as Anna, Holderlin's Maid
as Polly Perkins
as Zasu
as Bella
as Zasu
as Liesl
as Zasu
as Mrs. Bassett
as Nora Dugan
as ZaSu
as Miss Dibbs
as Katie
as Zasu Pitts
as Jennie
as Fritzi Mobley
as Minnie
as Mrs. Hattie Haddock
as Mrs. Harney
as Ada, the Maid
as Cushie
as Annie
as Louise
as Hilda
as Bertha
as Bella
as Monica
as Ethel
as Mayme
as Pauline Hastings
as Caecilia
as Clara Bertrand
as Telephone Girl
as Harriet
as The Elk
as Timmins
as Mrs. Wyatt
as Tillie
as Lena
as Rose Gleason
as Mother Spengler
as Cecelia Schweisser
as Hulda
as The Maid
as Germaine
as Camille
as Agnes Wheaton
as Evelyn
as Nancy
as Mrs. Dugan
as Hope Durant
as Hilda (as Zazu Pitts)
as Annie Pogani
as Luella Logan
as Ruth Fanning
as Mandy Coulter
as Maggie Keenan
as Self
as Polly Jordan
as Trina
as Celia Stebbins
as Mona
as Delia
as Amelia Pugsley
as Lorena
as Dessie Arnhalt
as 'Brainy' Jones
as Zasu Pitts
as Mickey
as Zasu Pitts (uncredited)
as Self - Celebrity Actress in Commissary
as Apple Annie
as Jennie Dunn
as Jennie Jones, The Jazz Kid
as Nancy Scroggs
as Katie Jones
as Sal Sue
as Emily
as Mary
as Oscar's Sweetheart
as A Kansas Belle (uncredited)
as Becky
as Party Guest (uncredited)
as Undetermined Role (uncredited)