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…
Movies & TV Shows
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It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963) — Gertie - Switchboard Operator
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Greed (1924) — Trina
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Perry Mason (1957) — Daphne Whilom
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The Thrill of It All (1963) — Olivia
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Ruggles of Red Gap (1935) — Mrs. Judson
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Life with Father (1947) — Cousin Cora Cartwright
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The Wedding March (1928) — Cecelia Schweisser
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Broken Lullaby (1932) — Anna, Holderlin's Maid
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Dames (1934) — Matilda Hemingway
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What's My Line? (1950) — Self
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Francis (1950) — Valerie Humpert
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The Bad Sister (1931) — Minnie
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Sin Takes a Holiday (1930) — Annie
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Eternally Yours (1939) — Mrs. Bingham
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Souls for Sale (1923) — Self - Celebrity Actress in Commissary
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It All Came True (1940) — Miss Flint
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Monte Carlo (1930) — Bertha
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Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm (1917) — Undetermined Role (uncredited)
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1925 Studio Tour (1925) — Self
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On the Loose (1931) — Zasu
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The Locked Door (1929) — Telephone Girl
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Denver and Rio Grande (1952) — Jane Dwyer
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Lazybones (1925) — Ruth Fanning
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Hello, Sister! (1933) — Millie
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This Could Be the Night (1957) — Mrs. Shea
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A Little Princess (1917) — Becky
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'49–'17 (1917) — Party Guest (uncredited)
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Back Street (1932) — Mrs. Dole
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Francis Joins the WACS (1954) — Valerie Humpert
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The Guardsman (1931) — Liesl
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Strangers of the Evening (1932) — Sybil Smith
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So's Your Aunt Emma! (1942) — Aunt Emma Bates
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Shopworn (1932) — Aunt Dot
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Nurse Edith Cavell (1939) — Mme. Moulin
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The Devil's Holiday (1930) — Ethel
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Burke's Law (1963) — Mrs. Bowie
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Blondie of the Follies (1932) — Gertie
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Passion Flower (1930) — Mrs. Harney
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A Modern Musketeer (1917) — A Kansas Belle (uncredited)
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The Plot Thickens (1936) — Hildegarde Withers