1910-06-24 Lake Bluff, Illinois, USA
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Martha Sleeper (June 24, 1910 – March 25, 1983) was a film actress of the 1920s–1930s and, later, a Broadway stage actress. She studied dancing for five years with Russian ballet master, Louis H. Chalif, at his New York dancing studio. Her first public exhibitions were at Carnegie Hall at his class exhibitions. Sleeper's film career began in 1923 and continued until 1945. Her first screen appearance, at the age of 13, was in The Mailman (1923), an independent production. After appearing in several kiddie comedies at the Christie studio she was signed by the Hal Roach studio for the Our Gang" series but she quickly outgrew that role. From 1925-27 she appeared in comedies playing opposite the studio's most popular male stars. She left the Roach studio in late 1927 and moved to the FBO studio where she starred in six silent features during 1928–29. With the coming of sound she was signed by MGM and placed in their training program. From 1930 to 1936 she played supporting roles in many melodramas her role typically that of a well-bred somewhat snobbish society woman who ends up losing her man to the film's leading lady. Frustrated by the types of roles she was being offered, Martha began playing onstage in and about Los Angeles, at one point drawing raves as Eliza Doolittle in a performance of Pygmalion in 1932. After appearing in some low budget melodramas for the poverty row Monogram studio Martha and her husband, actor Hardie Albright, left Hollywood for New York in 1936 where Martha began a long run in both on- and off-Broadway plays. In 1945, as a favor to director Leo McCarey, Martha played the role of Patsy's mother in The Bells of St. Mary's. It was her last screen role.
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Days of Thrills and Laughter | Self (archive footage) (uncredited) | 1961-03-21 |
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The Bells of St. Mary's | Mary Gallagher | 1945-12-27 |
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Four Days Wonder | Nancy Fairbrother | 1936-12-03 |
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Rhythm on the Range | Constance Hyde | 1936-07-01 |
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The Scoundrel | Julia Vivian | 1935-04-30 |
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Two Sinners | Elsie Summerstone | 1935-09-12 |
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Great God Gold | Marcia Harper | 1935-04-14 |
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Hollywood Party | Show Girl (uncredited) | 1934-05-24 |
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Tomorrow's Youth | Ellen Hall | 1934-10-14 |
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West of the Pecos | Ril Lambeth | 1934-12-27 |
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Spitfire | Eleanor Stafford | 1934-03-08 |
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Bombshell | Lola's Hair Stylist (uncredited) | 1933-10-13 |
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The Secret of Madame Blanche | Chorus Girl Who Hears 'My Country Tis of Thee' (Uncredited) | 1933-02-03 |
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Midnight Mary | Barbara Mannering | 1933-06-30 |
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Penthouse | Sue Leonard | 1933-09-08 |
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Broken Dreams | Martha Morley | 1933-10-19 |
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Huddle | Barbara | 1932-05-14 |
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Rasputin and the Empress | Party Girl (uncredited) | 1932-12-23 |
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Ten Cents a Dance | Nancy Clark | 1931-01-30 |
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Girls Demand Excitement | Harriet Mundy | 1931-02-08 |
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Confessions of a Co-Ed | Lucille | 1931-07-11 |
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A Tailor-Made Man | Corrine | 1931-03-28 |
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War Nurse | Helen | 1930-11-22 |
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Madam Satan | Fish Girl | 1930-09-20 |
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Our Blushing Brides | Evelyn Woodforth | 1930-07-19 |
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Pass the Gravy | Daughter | 1928-01-07 |
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Taxi 13 | Flora Mactavish | 1928-11-18 |
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Danger Street | Kitty | 1928-08-26 |
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Should Tall Men Marry? | Martha Skittle | 1928-01-15 |
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Flaming Fathers | Daughter | 1927-12-17 |
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Love 'em and Feed 'em | Martha, a stenographer | 1927-11-12 |
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Jewish Prudence | Rachel Gimplewart | 1927-05-27 |
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Fluttering Hearts | Daughter | 1927-06-19 |
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The Honorable Mr. Buggs | The Fiancée | 1927-04-24 |
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Bromo and Juliet | Bit Role (uncredited) | 1926-09-19 |
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Long Fliv the King | Princess Helga of Thermosa | 1926-06-13 |
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Say It with Babies | Hector's Wife | 1926-05-16 |
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Mum's the Word | The Nervous Little Girl (uncredited) | 1926-05-09 |
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Crazy Like a Fox | The bride | 1926-08-26 |
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Madame Mystery | 1926-03-12 | |
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Along Came Auntie | Marie, the Maid | 1926-07-25 |
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What's the World Coming To? | The Butler | 1926-01-16 |
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Thundering Fleas | Bride | 1926-07-18 |
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A Punch in the Nose | 1926-01-03 | |
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Sherlock Sleuth | Hotel Telephone Operator | 1925-07-12 |
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Better Movies | Teenaged 'Vamp' | 1925-11-01 |
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Plain and Fancy Girls | Fiance | 1925-03-01 |
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There Goes the Bride | 1925-01-01 | |
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Should Sailors Marry? | Smyrna, Verbena's Daughter | 1925-11-08 |
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The Rat's Knuckles | Flirty McFickle | 1925-01-03 |
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Sure-Mike! | Vermuda | 1925-05-23 |
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Innocent Husbands | Girl at Party (uncredited) | 1925-08-01 |
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Bad Boy | Jimmie's Girl Friend | 1925-04-11 |
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Big Red Riding Hood | Book store clerk | 1925-04-26 |
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Too Many Mammas | The Apache Dancer | 1924-10-12 |
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Seeing Nellie Home | 1924-07-26 | |
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A Ten-Minute Egg | Mrs. Dugan | 1924-07-19 |
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Outdoor Pajamas | Girl with Runaway Pony | 1924-09-13 |
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Sweet Daddy | Daughter | 1924-08-17 |
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The Royal Razz | 1924-12-21 |
