Marlene Dietrich

Marlene Dietrich - Singers, Career and Facts

Violet FieldHome › FrenchMarlene DietrichDecember 27, 1901460 views

5 based on 1 rates
Marlene Dietrich Biography Stories 

Marlene Dietrich's Personal Details

Marlene Dietrich was a popular German-American movie star and singer

InformationDetail
BirthdayDecember 27, 1901
Died onMay 6, 1992
NationalityFrench, German
FamousAtheists, Atheists/Agnostics, Film & Theater Personalities, Actresses, Singers
SpousesRudolf Sieber
SiblingsElisabeth Dietrich
Known asMarie Magdalene Dietrich
ChildrensMaria Riva
Universities
  • Auguste-Viktoria girls school(1907–1917)
Birth PlaceSchöneberg
Born CountryGermany
Height168
GenderFemale
FatherLouis Erich Otto Dietrich
MotherWilhelmina Elisabeth Josephine Felsing
Sun SignCapricorn
Born inSchöneberg
Famous asActress & Singer
Died at Age90

// Famous Singers

Dani Cimorelli

Dani Cimorelli

Dani Cimorelli is an American Singer & social media star. Let’s have a look at her family & personal life including age, date of birth, boyfriends, net worth and fun facts.

Ted Nugent

Ted Nugent

Ted Nugent is a hard rock musician known for his hits ‘Stranglehold’ and ‘Cat Scratch Fever’. This biography of Ted Nugent provides detailed information about his childhood, life, achievements, works & timeline.

Jennette McCurdy

Jennette McCurdy

Jennette McCurdy is an American actress and singer-songwriter. Let’s have a look at her family and personal life including age, boyfriends, net worth, and fun facts.

Marlene Dietrich's photo

Who is Marlene Dietrich?

Marlene Dietrich was a popular German-American movie star and singer. This internationally famed actress cum singer was a frontline performer with an amazing long career in the show business. One of the highest paid actresses of her time she reached super stardom and was named the 9th greatest female star of classic Hollywood Cinema by the ‘American Film Institute’. Starting her career on stage and in silent films, she reached pinnacle of success by giving stunning performances in films like ‘The Blue Angel’, ‘Sanghai Express’ and ‘Desire’. A symbol of glamour and elegance, she continuously developed herself both professionally and personally. Her rendition in films and enthralling cabaret dancing was seductive, magical and ageless. Her image epitomized by Lola-Lola in ‘The Blue Angel’ was of an enticing cabaret singer with a top hat and silk stockings – a progressive woman who is financially independent and can choose her own men. During the Second World War she was seen as a high-profile performer. After the Second World War she mostly performed as a marquee artist doing live shows around the globe occasionally doing films.

// Famous Atheists

Morgan Freeman

Morgan Freeman

Morgan Freeman is an Academy Award winning actor known for his work in movies like ‘Street Smart’, ‘Driving Miss Daisy’ and ‘Million Dollar Baby’. This biography provides detailed information about his childhood, life, achievements, works & timeline.

Robert Smith

Robert Smith

Robert Smith is an English musician and the lead singer of the British rock band, ‘The Cure.’ This biography of Robert Smith gives detailed information on his profile, childhood, life and timeline.

Jack Black

Jack Black

Jack Black is a renowned American actor-producer and voice artist. Explore this biography to learn more about his profile, childhood, career and timeline

Childhood & Early Life

Marie Magdalene Dietrich was born to Wilhelmina Elisabeth Josephine and Louis Erich Otto Dietrich as their youngest daughter on December 27, 1901. Her birthplace was Leberstrasse 65 in Schöneberg district, Berlin, Germany.

Her father who died in 1907 was a police lieutenant and mother belonged to a family of jewellers and clock-makers in Berlin. After her father’s death, her mother Wilhelmina Elisabeth courted Eduard von Losch, a first lieutenant of Grenadiers and eventually married him in 1916.

At 11 she adopted the name Marlene, bridging her first two names. From 1907 to 1917 she studied in Auguste-Viktoria Girls' School and completed graduation in 1918 from ‘Victoria-Luise-Schule’. She studied English and French.

She learnt violin and was inclined into poetry and theatre in her teens. Later, due to wrist injury she gave up the aspiration of becoming a concert violinist and treaded towards acting.

Career

Her first job in 1922 as a pit orchestra violinist lasted for four weeks. Marlene Dietrich worked with Gudio Thielscher in ‘Girl-Kabarett’ as chorus girl and in revues of Rudolf Nelson in Berlin. She failed audition in drama academy of Max Reinhardt but eventually worked as a chorus girl in his theatres enacting trivial roles.

In 1923 she made her debut in films playing a small part in ‘The Little Nepolean’. She worked in ‘Tragodie der Liebe’ with Rudolf Sieber, her future husband.

During 1920s, she performed in Vienna and Berlin, both on stage and films. Her remarkable stage shows include William Shakespeare’s ‘A Midsummer Night's Dream’, George Bernard Shaw's ‘Back to Methuselah’ and musicals like ‘Broadway’.

Marlene played a leading part in the film ‘Die Frau, Nach Der Man Sich Sehnt ’ for the first time in 1929. Her real breakthrough came with the film ‘The Blue Angel’ in a role of a sensual cabaret dancer Lola-Lola.

In April 2, 1930 she departed for the US and signed with ‘Paramount Pictures’. In November 14 her first American film ‘Morocco’ released.

Till 1935 she worked in six films with ‘Paramount Pictures’ under the direction of Josef von Sternberg including classics like ‘Dishonored’ and ‘Sanghai Express’.

In 1936 she worked in ‘Desire’, a commercially successful film by Frank Borzage. ‘The Garden of Allah’, her first color film produced by David O. Selznick fetched her $200,000.

In 1937 she starred in ‘Knight Without Armour’ under the production of Alexander Korda drawing a salary of $450,000.

Around 1937, officials of the Nazi Party tried to lure her by offering lucrative contracts to return to Germany but she refused their offers and applied for US citizenship.

Some outrageous offers lured her away from Paramount pictures and she received a salary of $200,000 and $450,000 for ‘The Garden of Allah (1936) and Knight Without Armour (1937) respectively. Even though she was one of the best paid stars, her public popularity had slowly declined and American film exhibitors labelled her as ‘box office poison’, a title shared by the likes of Greta Garbo, Katherine Hepburn and Mae West.

In 1939 with a significant pay cut she worked in a western comedy named ‘Destry Rides Again’.

Though she could not regain her earlier success, she worked in different films for next two decades with established directors like Billy Wilder, Fritz Land and Alfred Hitchcock.

Marlene Dietrich was an anti-Nazi and toured the US during the Second World War and performed for Allied troops.

Early 1950s to mid 1970’s saw her exclusively performing live in theatres of all major cities as a high profile cabaret dancer.

On September 29, 1975, her career almost ended after she fell from stage in Sydney Australia and broke her thigh.

‘Just a Gigolo’ in 1979 was her last film where she did a cameo and sang the title song.

Major Works

Her breakthrough film was ‘The Blue Angel’ in a role of a sensual cabaret dancer Lola-Lola where her signature song ‘Falling in Love Again’ was introduced.

In 1932, Marlene Dietrich starrer ‘Sanghai Express’ was a huge box office success fetching highest collections of the year.

Personal Life & Legacy

On May 17, 1923, she married Rudolf Sieber, an assistant director in Berlin.

On December 13, 1924, her only daughter Maria Elisabeth Sieber was born.

She died on May 7, 1992 in Paris due to renal failure at 90 and was buried at Roman Catholic Church, ‘La Madeleine’.

Even though she married only once, she had an unending string of affairs throughout her career. She had affairs with actors Gary Cooper and James Stewart. Marlene was in relationship with writer Erich Maria Remarque, from 1938 to 1941. Almost at the same time, she was having an affair with the French actor Jean Gabin. Cuban-American writer Mercedes de Acosta was also one of her lovers. With actor Yul Brynner, her affair lasted more than a decade. She also claimed to have had affairs with George Bernard Shaw, John F. Kennedy and John Wayne.

Net Worth

Substantial portion of her estate was sold to Stiftung Deutsche Kinemathek on October 24, 1993 while her movable assets in Manhattan apartment were auctioned by Sotheby. In 1998 the apartment was sold at $615,000.

// Famous Film & Theater Personalities

Jacob Elordi

Jacob Elordi

Jacob Elordi is an Australian actor. Let’s take a look at his childhood, family, personal life, career, etc.

Wentworth Miller

Wentworth Miller

Wentworth Miller is an American actor and screenwriter who achieved recognition for his role in the TV series ‘Prison Break’.

Skai Jackson

Skai Jackson

Skai Jackson is an American child actress with huge fan following. Find more about her family & personal life, relationships, facts and more.

Marlene Dietrich biography timelines

  • // 27th Dec 1901
    Marie Magdalene Dietrich was born to Wilhelmina Elisabeth Josephine and Louis Erich Otto Dietrich as their youngest daughter on December 27, 1901. Her birthplace was Leberstrasse 65 in Schöneberg district, Berlin, Germany.
  • // 1907 To 1916
    Her father who died in 1907 was a police lieutenant and mother belonged to a family of jewellers and clock-makers in Berlin. After her father’s death, her mother Wilhelmina Elisabeth courted Eduard von Losch, a first lieutenant of Grenadiers and eventually married him in 1916.
  • // 1922
    Her first job in 1922 as a pit orchestra violinist lasted for four weeks. Marlene Dietrich worked with Gudio Thielscher in ‘Girl-Kabarett’ as chorus girl and in revues of Rudolf Nelson in Berlin. She failed audition in drama academy of Max Reinhardt but eventually worked as a chorus girl in his theatres enacting trivial roles.
  • // 1923
    In 1923 she made her debut in films playing a small part in ‘The Little Nepolean’. She worked in ‘Tragodie der Liebe’ with Rudolf Sieber, her future husband.
  • // 17th May 1923
    On May 17, 1923, she married Rudolf Sieber, an assistant director in Berlin.
  • // 13th Dec 1924
    On December 13, 1924, her only daughter Maria Elisabeth Sieber was born.
  • // 1929
    Marlene played a leading part in the film ‘Die Frau, Nach Der Man Sich Sehnt ’ for the first time in 1929. Her real breakthrough came with the film ‘The Blue Angel’ in a role of a sensual cabaret dancer Lola-Lola.
  • // 2nd Apr 1930
    In April 2, 1930 she departed for the US and signed with ‘Paramount Pictures’. In November 14 her first American film ‘Morocco’ released.
  • // 1932
    In 1932, Marlene Dietrich starrer ‘Sanghai Express’ was a huge box office success fetching highest collections of the year.
  • // 1935
    Till 1935 she worked in six films with ‘Paramount Pictures’ under the direction of Josef von Sternberg including classics like ‘Dishonored’ and ‘Sanghai Express’.
  • // 1936
    In 1936 she worked in ‘Desire’, a commercially successful film by Frank Borzage. ‘The Garden of Allah’, her first color film produced by David O. Selznick fetched her $200,000.
  • // 1936 To 1937
    Some outrageous offers lured her away from Paramount pictures and she received a salary of $200,000 and $450,000 for ‘The Garden of Allah (1936) and Knight Without Armour (1937) respectively. Even though she was one of the best paid stars, her public popularity had slowly declined and American film exhibitors labelled her as ‘box office poison’, a title shared by the likes of Greta Garbo, Katherine Hepburn and Mae West.
  • // 1937
    In 1937 she starred in ‘Knight Without Armour’ under the production of Alexander Korda drawing a salary of $450,000.
  • // 1937
    Around 1937, officials of the Nazi Party tried to lure her by offering lucrative contracts to return to Germany but she refused their offers and applied for US citizenship.
  • // 1939
    In 1939 with a significant pay cut she worked in a western comedy named ‘Destry Rides Again’.
  • // 1970
    Early 1950s to mid 1970’s saw her exclusively performing live in theatres of all major cities as a high profile cabaret dancer.
  • // 29th Sep 1975
    On September 29, 1975, her career almost ended after she fell from stage in Sydney Australia and broke her thigh.
  • // 1979
    ‘Just a Gigolo’ in 1979 was her last film where she did a cameo and sang the title song.
  • // 7th May 1992
    She died on May 7, 1992 in Paris due to renal failure at 90 and was buried at Roman Catholic Church, ‘La Madeleine’.
  • // 24th Oct 1993 To 1998
    Substantial portion of her estate was sold to Stiftung Deutsche Kinemathek on October 24, 1993 while her movable assets in Manhattan apartment were auctioned by Sotheby. In 1998 the apartment was sold at $615,000.

// Famous Actresses

Skai Jackson

Skai Jackson

Skai Jackson is an American child actress with huge fan following. Find more about her family & personal life, relationships, facts and more.

Riele Downs

Riele Downs

Riele Downs is a Canadian-American actress & Musical.ly star. Let’s take a look at her family and personal life including age, birthday, net worth, boyfriends and fun facts.

Kaylee Quinn

Kaylee Quinn

Kaylee Quinn is an American dancer, model, and actress. Let’s have a look at her family and personal life including age, date of birth, net worth, relationships, and fun facts.

Nora Fatehi

Nora Fatehi

Nora Fatehi is a dancer, model, and actress of Indo–Arabic descent. This biography profiles her childhood, family, personal life, etc.

Soni Nicole Bringas

Soni Nicole Bringas

Soni Nicole Bringas is an American dancer and actress. Let’s have a look at her family and personal life including age. Date of birth, boyfriends, net worth, and fun facts.

Rosalind Russell

Rosalind Russell

Rosalind Russell was an American stage and film actress best known for her comedic roles. Check out this biography to know about her childhood, family life, achievements and other facts related to her life.

Marlene Dietrich's FAQ

  • What is Marlene Dietrich birthday?

    Marlene Dietrich was born at 1901-12-27

  • When was Marlene Dietrich died?

    Marlene Dietrich was died at 1992-05-06

  • Where was Marlene Dietrich died?

    Marlene Dietrich was died in Paris

  • Which age was Marlene Dietrich died?

    Marlene Dietrich was died at age 90

  • Where is Marlene Dietrich's birth place?

    Marlene Dietrich was born in Schöneberg

  • What is Marlene Dietrich nationalities?

    Marlene Dietrich's nationalities is French, German

  • Who is Marlene Dietrich spouses?

    Marlene Dietrich's spouses is Rudolf Sieber

  • Who is Marlene Dietrich siblings?

    Marlene Dietrich's siblings is Elisabeth Dietrich

  • Who is Marlene Dietrich childrens?

    Marlene Dietrich's childrens is Maria Riva

  • What was Marlene Dietrich universities?

    Marlene Dietrich studied at Auguste-Viktoria girls school(1907–1917)

  • How tall is Marlene Dietrich?

    Marlene Dietrich's height is 168

  • Who is Marlene Dietrich's father?

    Marlene Dietrich's father is Louis Erich Otto Dietrich

  • Who is Marlene Dietrich's mother?

    Marlene Dietrich's mother is Wilhelmina Elisabeth Josephine Felsing

  • What is Marlene Dietrich's sun sign?

    Marlene Dietrich is Capricorn

  • How famous is Marlene Dietrich?

    Marlene Dietrich is famouse as Actress & Singer