Billie Burke (1885-1970)

Billie Burke

Billie Burke was born Mary William Ethelbert Appleton Burke on August 7, 1885 in Washington, D.C. (USA), the daughter of an internationally famous circus clown, William E. 'Billy' Burke and his wife Blanche.

Much of her childhood was spent touring the USA and Europe with the circus before her family eventually put down roots in London. Being able to see the plays in London's historic West End fired her with the ambition to be an actress. She made her stage debut in 1903 at the age of 18 and soon established her as a popular performer. Her career really took off however, when she returned to her country of birth in 1907 to star on Broadway. She appeared in numerous plays and soon became one of the most popular actresses to grace the stage.

In 1909, while on tour in England, Billie received news of the sudden death of a close friend, leaving a twelve year old daughter an orphan. Billie immediately sent for the child, Cherry Watson, whom she adopted, and until Cherry had overcome her grief the couple were inseperable. In April 1914 she married promoter Florenz Ziefeld, and two years later she bore a daughter of her own, Florenz Patricia.

New York at that time was the movie capital of the World and it was perhaps inevitable that Billie would be enticed to try out her talents in the new medium. Her first film was 'Peggy' which was shot in 1916 with Billie in the title role. The novelty of cinema in those days meant that almost any film was a sure success and 'Peggy' was no exception.

Over the next few years she appeared in a number of (then) silent movies whilst continuing to appear on stage in between filming assignments. Stage roles were still seen as the purer form of acting since they allowed for speaking roles.

In 1921, in seeming security Billie gave up her acting career. Like many others, however, the combined wealth of Billie and her husband would be wiped out in the great stock market crash of 1929 leading Billie to resurrect her acting career. Something her husband was unable to do leading him to die a few laters later a broken man.

By now the silent era was over, talkies had arrived and Billie's former stage and movie experience stood her in good stead. Her first major speaking role was in 'A Bill of Divorcement' (as Margaret Fairfield) which was released in 1932. Unfortunately, the joy of her success was marred by the death of her husband that same year. Still, the next two decades would see her at the zenith of her silver screen career as she appeared in movie after movie, including the 'Topper' trilogy, the first of which was released in 1937 (Billie played Mrs. Topper and all three films were box-office hits).

If 1936, still at the height of her own career, Billie enjoyed the odd distinction of seeing herself played on screen by Myrna Loy in 'The Great Ziegfeld', an Oscar-winning telling of her husbands life story. Billie was hired to coach miss Loy for the part.

In 1938, Billie received an Academy Award nomination for her portrayal of Emily Kilbourne in 'Merrily we Live'. Already in her fifties, Billie would be kept busy with regular silver screen appearances for a futher decade before her career began to wane.

The 1950's began with a memorable role in 'Father of the Bride' and its sequel 'Fathers Little Dividend' but in the ensuing years her film parts became fewer and a brief flirtation with the new medium of Television was not a success. Her final film performance came in John Ford's 'Sergeant Rutledge' in which she played the part of Cordelia Fosgate. The film was released in 1960, Billie was already 75 years of age.

Despite the many memorable films in which she played a starring role, she is best known today for a film in which she played a comparitively lesser role. That of Glinda, the Good Witch of the North in the perennial childrens favourite 'Wizard of Oz' (starring a young Judy Garland) originally released in 1939.

In her full bloom Billie was a beautiful woman, tall, elegant, with a round face and cherubic features. In hollywood she perfected the role of the scatty, fussy, upper-class wife which would feature in so many of her roles.

Billie spent her final years in retirement in Los Angeles where she died on May 14th, 1970, aged 84.

Movie Credits (source www.imdb.com)
1914 - Our Mutual Girl [Herself]
1916 - Peggy [Peggy Cameron]
1916 - Gloria's Romance [Gloria]
1917 - Arms and the Girl [Ruth Sherwood]
1917 - The Land of Promise [Nora Marsh]
1917 - The Mysterious Miss Terry [Mavis Terry]
1918 - Eve's Daughter [Irene Simpson-Bates]
1918 - Let's Get a Divorce [Mme. Cyprienne Marcey]
1918 - In Pursuit of Polly [Polly Marsden]
1918 - The Make-Believe Wife [Phyllis Ashbrook]
1919 - Good Gracious, Annabelle [Annabelle Leigh]
1919 - The Misleading Widow [Betty Taradine]
1919 - Sadie Love [Sadie Love]
1919 - Wanted: A Husband [Amanda Darcy Cole]
1920 - The Frisky Mrs. Johnson [Belle Johnson]
1920 - Away Goes Prudence [Prudence Thorne]
1921 - The Education of Elizabeth [Elizabeth Banks]
1929 - Glorifying the American Girl [Herself]
1932 - A Bill of Divorcement [Margaret 'Meg' Fairfield]
1933 - Dinner at Eight [Millicent Jordan]
1933 - Only Yesterday [Julia Warren]
1933 - Christopher Strong [Lady Elaine Strong]
1934 - Where Sinners Meet [Eustasia]
1934 - Finishing School [Mrs. Radcliffe]
1934 - We're Rich Again [Linda]
1934 - Forsaking All Others [Aunt Paula]
1935 - Society Doctor [Mrs. Crane]
1935 - After Office Hours [Mrs. Norwood]
1935 - Becky Sharp [Lady Bareacres]
1935 - Doubting Thomas [Paula Brown]
1935 - She Couldn't Take It [Mrs. van Dyke]
1935 - A Feather in Her Hat [Julia Trent Anders]
1935 - Splendor [Clarissa]
1936 - Piccadilly Jim [Eugenia Willis]
1936 - Craig's Wife [Mrs. Frazier]
1936 - My American Wife [Mrs. Robert Cantillon]
1937 - Parnell [Miss Clara Wood]
1937 - Topper [Mrs. Topper]
1937 - The Bride Wore Red [Contessa di Meina]
1937 - Navy Blue and Gold [Mrs. Alyce Gates]
1938 - Everybody Sing [Diana Bellaire]
1938 - Merrily We Live [Mrs. Emily Kilbourne]
1938 - The Young in Heart [Marmy Carleton]
1939 - Topper Takes a Trip [Mrs. Topper]
1939 - Zenobia [Mrs. Tibbett]
1939 - The Wizard of Oz [Glinda, the Good Witch of the North]
1939 - Eternally Yours [Aunt Abby]
1939 - Remember? [Mrs. Louise Bronson]
1939 - Bridal Suite [Mrs. McGill]
1940 - Irene [Mrs. Herman Vincent]
1940 - The Captain Is a Lady [Blossy Stort]
1940 - Dulcy [Eleanor 'Ellie' Forbes]
1940 - Hullabaloo [Penny Merriweather]
1940 - The Ghost Comes Home [Cora Adams]
1940 - And One Was Beautiful [Mrs. Lattimer]
1941 - The Wild Man of Borneo [Boardinghouse Keeper]
1941 - Topper Returns [Clara Topper]
1941 - One Night in Lisbon [Catherine Enfilden]
1941 - Picture People No. 2 [Herself]
1942 - The Man Who Came to Dinner [Daisy Stanley]
1942 - What's Cookin'? [Agatha Courtney]
1942 - In This Our Life [Lavinia Timberlake]
1942 - They All Kissed the Bride [Mrs. Drew]
1942 - Girl Trouble [Mrs. Rowland]
1943 - So's Your Uncle [Minerva]
1943 - Gildersleeve on Broadway [Mrs. Laura Chandler]
1943 - You're a Lucky Fellow, Mr. Smith [Aunt Harriet]
1943 - Hi Diddle Diddle [Liza Prescott]
1944 - The Laramie Trail
1945 - The Cheaters [Mrs. Pidgeon]
1945 - Swing Out, Sister [Jessica]
1946 - Breakfast in Hollywood [Mrs. Cartwright]
1946 - The Bachelor's Daughters [Molly]
1948 - Silly Billy
1948 - Billie Gets Her Man
1949 - The Barkleys of Broadway [Mrs. Livingston Belney]
1949 - And Baby Makes Three [Mrs. Fletcher]
1950 - The Boy From Indiana [Zelda Bagley]
1950 - Father of the Bride [Doris Dunstan]
1950 - Three Husbands [Mrs. Whittaker]
1951 - Father's Little Dividend [Doris Dunstan]
1953 - Small Town Girl [Mrs. Livingston]
1959 - The Young Philadelphians [Mrs. J. Arthur Allen]
1960 - Sergeant Rutledge [Mrs. Cordelia Fosgate]
1960 - Pepe [Cameo appearance]