Zasu Pitts
Acting
đ 1894-01-02
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).
Cast credits(199)
Selma
1955
Mrs. Bowie
1963
Daphne Whilom
1957
Self
1950
Belinda Pryde
1948
1956
1955
1960
1953
1959
Gertie - Switchboard Operator
1963
Zasu Pitts
1923
Aunt Laura
1953
Morning Gazette Telephone Operator
1932
Cousin Cora Cartwright
1947
Trina
1924
Mrs. Shea
1957
Hildegarde Withers
1936
Zasu
1931
Olivia
1963
Valerie Humpert
1950
Belle McGill
1935
Mrs. Judson
1935
Self - Celebrity Actress in Commissary
1923
Anna, Holderlin's Maid
1932
Minnie
1931
Matilda Hemingway
1934
Mirabelle in 'The Gay Bride' (archive footage)
1964
Mrs. Dole
1932
Gabby Woman
1932
Pauline Hastings
1940
Mme. Moulin
1939
Cecelia Schweisser
1928
Telephone Girl
1929
Cushie
1930
'Brainy' Jones
1923
Aunt Penelope Hardwick
1939
Aunt Dot
1932
Gertie
1932
Self
1959
Cornelia Pigeon
1943
Rosa
1947
Millie
1933
Miss Pitts
1933
Annie
1930
Self
1925
Esmeralda
1935
The Elk
1929
Maggie Keenan
1925
Mrs. Hattie Haddock
1931
Elmerada
1933
Mirabelle
1934
Tillie Whim
1934
Bella
1930
Cary Bingham
1939
Tillie Prescott
1934
Pandora Polly
1941
Mary Horner
1933
Jane Dwyer
1952
Nancy Scroggs
1919
Liesl
1931
Zasu Pitts (uncredited)
1923
Zasu
1932
Julia Jordan
1941
Lena
1929
Esthey Roberts
1934
Zasu Pitts
1932
Annie Pogani
1926
Bertha
1930
Hildegarde Withers
1937
Miss Harkins
1936
Selma
1955
Emmy Sawyer
1941
Zasu
1932
Annie Snodgrass
1934
Maddie Skitch
1933
Aggie Pilkington (as ZaSu Pitts)
1942
Jennie
1931
Nora Rafferty
1932
Nora Dugan
1931
Anna, Craig's Maid
1941
Miss Pepper
1942
Miss Flint
1940
Mrs. Harney
1930
Zasu
1931
Emily Pepper
1941
Mrs. Fay Kinney
1936
Fritzi Mobley
1931
Florrie
1932
Maggie Conklin
1935
Zasu
1933
Agnes Wheaton
1926
Tillie
1929
Undetermined Role (uncredited)
1917
Ethel
1930
Gwen Logan
1936
Mrs. Scudder
1932
Myra Pottle
1941
Gladys Fairweather
1932
Zasu
1933
Katie
1931
Mickey
1923
Camille
1927
Miss Dibbs
1931
Miss Hazy
1934
Jennie Jones, The Jazz Kid
1919
Dot
1932
Mayme
1930
Polly Jordan
1925
Aunt Sylvia
1933
Miss Zasu Pitts - Woman of the Jury
1932
Caecilia
1929
Mandy Coulter
1925
Becky
1917
Susan Todd
1935
Valerie Humpert
1954
Monica
1930
1925
Suza - the Editor's Assistant
1917
Lilly Handy
1939
Zasu Pitts
1933
Zasu
1931
Clara Bertrand
1929
Geraldine
1942
Hilda
1930
Mrs. Bassett
1931
Aunt Emma Bates
1942
Cora Upshaw
1935
Temperance Worker
1932
Zasu
1932
Winnie Oatfield
1937
Mrs. Dugan
1926
Hilda (as Zazu Pitts)
1926
Miss Pitts
1932
1918
Mary
1918
Celia Stebbins
1924
Luella Logan
1925
Louise
1930
Herself
1934
Hope Durant
1926
Nancy
1926
Ada, the Maid
1930
Miss Leyton
1932
Araminta Tootle
1934
Gladys Smith
1926
Harriet
1929
Pauline Hastings
1930
Mother Spengler
1928
Sybby 'Sib'
1933
Hulda
1928
Bella
1931
Letitia Rondell
1937
Sybil Smith
1932
Polly Perkins
1932
Elvira Spriggens
1946
Rose Gleason
1929
Oscar's Sweetheart
1918
Patsy
1921
Ruth Fanning
1925
Evelyn
1926
ZaSu
1931
Miss Coates
1934
Timmins
1929
Amelia Pugsley
1924
The Maid
1928
Delia
1924
Zasu
1933
Mrs. Truesdale
1932
Mrs. Wyatt
1929
Zasu Pitts
1931
Jennie Dunn
1922
1917
Perscilla
1917
Bonny
1933
Molly Hull
1933
A Kansas Belle (uncredited)
1917
Pitts
1932
Daisy Perkins
1919
Alice Mudge
1934
Dulcey Lee
1939
Guest star
1946
Party Guest (uncredited)
1917
Katie Abbott
1920
Aunt Theodora
1961
Mona
1924
Emily
1918
Zasu
1932
Betty Lawrence
1920
Connie Clark
1933
Apple Annie
1923
1949
Katie Jones
1919
Dessie Arnhalt
1924
Mary Cosgrove
1922
Judy
1925
Germaine
1928
Beula
1933
1917