ZaSu Pitts

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ZaSu Pitts (1920)

ZaSu Pitts (actually: Eli za Su san Pitts ; born January 3, 1894 in Parsons , Kansas , † June 7, 1963 in Hollywood , California ) was an American film and television actress .

Live and act

ZaSu Pitts grew up in Santa Cruz , California. Their unusual first name is made up of the last and first two letters of their names "Eliza" and "Susan". Pitts was married to actor Tom Gallery from 1920 to 1933. They had a daughter, Ann Gallery, and an adopted son, Don Gallery (born Marvin Carville La Marr ), whom they adopted after the death of his mother, the silent film actress Barbara La Marr . After their divorce, Pitts married a second time in 1933, and her marriage to John E. Woodall lasted until her death.

ZaSu Pitts made her film debut in 1917. One of her most important roles is that of Trina, McTeagues' wife, in Erich von Stroheim's film epic Gier (1924). Stroheim considered Pitts "his greatest dramatic actress" and also cast her in The Wedding March (1928) and Walking Down Broadway (1932). With the beginning of the sound film era, Pitts switched to comical roles due to her tearful, shaky voice. In fact, her voice also served as a model for that of Olive Oyl in the Popeye cartoons. Just as unmistakable were her maid-like, nervous and graceful mannerisms that she adopted for her comedies.

In the 1930s and 1940s in particular, Pitts was an extremely popular comedian, but her star vehicles have all been forgotten today. From 1931 to 1933 she formed a comedian duo with Thelma Todd under producer Hal Roach , who made 17 short films as the female counterpart to Laurel and Hardy . She also formed a comic duo in several longer films between 1932 and 1941 with Keystone veteran Slim Summerville . In total, Pitts was involved in more than 200 films, in the 1950s and 1960s also frequently in television productions. She had her last smaller appearances in the Doris Day comedy What this woman does so everything (tellingly, under the role name Olivia ) and as a telephone operator in A totally, totally crazy world . She did not see either of the film premieres.

ZaSu Pitts died of cancer at the age of 69. Her grave is in Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City . A star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame today commemorates the actress. In 1994, an American postage stamp designed by cartoonist Al Hirschfeld was issued with her likeness.

Filmography (selection)

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Commons : ZaSu Pitts  - Collection of Images
personal data
SURNAME Pitts, ZaSu
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Pitts, Eliza Susan (maiden name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American film actress
DATE OF BIRTH January 3, 1894
PLACE OF BIRTH Parsons , Kansas , United States
DATE OF DEATH June 7, 1963
Place of death Hollywood , California , United States