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(202)
Daphne Whilom
1957
Belinda Pryde
1948
Mrs. Bowie
1963
1955
Self
1950
Selma
1955
Gertie - Switchboard Operator
1963
1953
1960
Mirabelle in 'The Gay Bride' (archive footage)
1964
1956
Self
1959
Emily Pepper
1941
Harriet
1929
Aunt Laura
1953
Guest star
1946
Mrs. Shea
1957
Jane Dwyer
1952
Alice Mudge
1934
Zasu
1933
Trina
1924
Cornelia Pigeon
1943
Valerie Humpert
1950
Minnie
1931
Morning Gazette Telephone Operator
1932
Esmeralda
1935
Caecilia
1929
Gwen Logan
1936
Aunt Theodora
1961
Telephone Girl
1929
Mrs. Scudder
1932
Valerie Humpert
1954
Zasu Pitts
1923
Annie Snodgrass
1934
Mrs. Truesdale
1932
Judy
1925
Belle McGill
1935
Mrs. Fay Kinney
1936
Polly Perkins
1932
Hildegarde Withers
1936
Elmerada
1933
Nora Dugan
1931
Sybby 'Sib'
1933
Emmy Sawyer
1941
Dot
1932
Katie
1931
Cecelia Schweisser
1928
Letitia Rondell
1937
Aunt Dot
1932
Maggie Keenan
1925
Pandora Polly
1941
Matilda Hemingway
1934
Geraldine
1942
Winnie Oatfield
1937
Pauline Hastings
1940
Aunt Penelope Hardwick
1939
Ethel
1930
Mirabelle
1934
Miss Flint
1940
Rosa
1947
Florrie
1932
Myra Pottle
1941
Miss Hazy
1934
Herself
1934
Party Guest (uncredited)
1917
Hildegarde Withers
1937
Olivia
1963
Nora Rafferty
1932
Cousin Cora Cartwright
1947
Gabby Woman
1932
Bella
1931
Fritzi Mobley
1931
Evelyn
1926
Susan Todd
1935
Dulcey Lee
1939
Esthey Roberts
1934
1959
Mme. Moulin
1939
Aunt Sylvia
1933
Polly Jordan
1925
Araminta Tootle
1934
Gertie
1932
Mother Spengler
1928
Cary Bingham
1939
Delia
1924
Bonny
1933
Louise
1930
Hilda
1930
Cushie
1930
Tillie Prescott
1934
Anna, Holderlin's Maid
1932
1933
Ada, the Maid
1930
Tillie
1929
Mrs. Bassett
1931
Bella
1930
Cora Upshaw
1935
Zasu
1933
'Brainy' Jones
1923
Gladys Fairweather
1932
Mrs. Dole
1932
Tillie Whim
1934
Mayme
1930
Anna, Craig's Maid
1941
Miss Dibbs
1931
Mrs. Judson
1935
Miss Coates
1934
Pauline Hastings
1930
Zasu
1931
Miss Leyton
1932
Mary
1918
Mandy Coulter
1925
Elvira Spriggens
1946
Maggie Conklin
1935
Bertha
1930
Rose Gleason
1929
Lena
1929
Amelia Pugsley
1924
Miss Pitts
1932
Miss Harkins
1936
Mickey
1923
Liesl
1931
ZaSu
1931
The Elk
1929
Oscar's Sweetheart
1918
Jennie
1931
Mrs. Dugan
1926
Clara Bertrand
1929
Millie
1933
Hilda (as Zazu Pitts)
1926
Zasu Pitts
1931
Ruth Fanning
1925
Annie
1930
Temperance Worker
1932
The Maid
1928
Monica
1930
Miss Pepper
1942
Zasu Pitts (uncredited)
1923
Mona
1924
Lilly Handy
1939
Maddie Skitch
1933
Sal Sue
1919
Hope Durant
1926
Self - Celebrity Actress in Commissary
1923
Dessie Arnhalt
1924
Mrs. Hattie Haddock
1931
Aggie Pilkington (as ZaSu Pitts)
1942
Zasu
1933
Self
1925
Selma
1955
Annie Pogani
1926
Camille
1927
Mrs. Harney
1930
Germaine
1928
Becky
1917
A Kansas Belle (uncredited)
1917
Celia Stebbins
1924
Julia Jordan
1941
Zasu
1931
Zasu
1932
Mary Horner
1933
Agnes Wheaton
1926
Daisy Perkins
1919
Zasu
1932
Undetermined Role (uncredited)
1917
Zasu
1932
Timmins
1929
Apple Annie
1923
Katie Abbott
1920
Mrs. Wyatt
1929
Gladys Smith
1926
Perscilla
1917
Pitts
1932
Katie Jones
1919
Zasu Pitts
1932
Miss Zasu Pitts - Woman of the Jury
1932
Patsy
1921
Zasu
1932
Luella Logan
1925
Sybil Smith
1932
1917
Emily
1918
Suza - the Editor's Assistant
1917
1918
Molly Hull
1933
Zasu
1931
Jennie Jones, The Jazz Kid
1919
Mary Cosgrove
1922
Betty Lawrence
1920
Aunt Emma Bates
1942
Beula
1933
Jennie Dunn
1922
1917
Hulda
1928
Zasu Pitts
1933
Nancy Scroggs
1919
Connie Clark
1933
Miss Pitts
1933
1949
1925
Nancy
1926
1917