Zasu Pitts
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- January 3, 1894
- Died
- June 7, 1963 (aged 69)
- Birthplace
- Parsons, Labette County, Kansas, USA
Biography
Zasu Pitts (January 3, 1894 – June 7, 1963) 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).
Known For
Photos
Filmography
The Big Parade of Comedy
Movie · as Mirabelle in 'The Gay Bride' (archive footage)
The Thrill of It All
Movie · as Olivia
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
Movie · as Gertie - Switchboard Operator
Burke's Law
TV · as Mrs. Bowie · 1 ep
Teenage Millionaire
Movie · as Aunt Theodora
Guestward, Ho!
TV · 1 ep
Disneyland '59
Movie · as Self
The Dennis O'Keefe Show
TV · 1 ep
This Could Be the Night
Movie · as Mrs. Shea
Perry Mason
TV · as Daphne Whilom · 1 ep
The Gale Storm Show
TV · 126 eps
The 20th Century Fox Hour
TV · 1 ep
Screen Director's Playhouse
TV · as Selma · 1 ep
Francis Joins the WACS
Movie · as Valerie Humpert
General Electric Theater
TV · as Aunt Laura · 1 ep
Private Secretary
TV · 1 ep
Denver and Rio Grande
Movie · as Jane Dwyer
Francis
Movie · as Valerie Humpert
What's My Line?
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Lum and Abner
Movie
The Philco Television Playhouse
TV · as Belinda Pryde · 1 ep
Life with Father
Movie · as Cousin Cora Cartwright
The Perfect Marriage
Movie · as Rosa
Dear Miss Gloria
Movie · as Guest star
Breakfast in Hollywood
Movie · as Elvira Spriggens
Let's Face It
Movie · as Cornelia Pigeon
So's Your Aunt Emma!
Movie · as Aunt Emma Bates
The Bashful Bachelor
Movie · as Geraldine
Mexican Spitfire at Sea
Movie · as Miss Pepper
Tish
Movie · as Aggie Pilkington (as ZaSu Pitts)
Niagara Falls
Movie · as Emmy Sawyer
Broadway Limited
Movie · as Myra Pottle
Uncle Joe
Movie · as Julia Jordan
Weekend for Three
Movie · as Anna, Craig's Maid
The Mexican Spitfire's Baby
Movie · as Emily Pepper
Miss Polly
Movie · as Pandora Polly
It All Came True
Movie · as Miss Flint
No, No, Nanette
Movie · as Pauline Hastings
Eternally Yours
Movie · as Mrs. Bingham
Nurse Edith Cavell
Movie · as Mme. Moulin
Naughty but Nice
Movie · as Aunt Penelope Hardwick
Mickey the Kid
Movie · as Lilly Handy
The Lady's from Kentucky
Movie · as Dulcey Lee
52nd Street
Movie · as Letitia Rondell
Forty Naughty Girls
Movie · as Hildegarde Withers
Wanted!
Movie · as Winnie Oatfield
The Plot Thickens
Movie · as Hildegarde Withers
Mad Holiday
Movie · as Mrs. Fay Kinney
13 Hours by Air
Movie · as Miss Harkins
Sing Me a Love Song
Movie · as Gwen Logan
Ruggles of Red Gap
Movie · as Mrs. Judson
Going Highbrow
Movie · as Cora Upshaw
Spring Tonic
Movie · as Maggie Conklin
The Affair of Susan
Movie · as Susan Todd
She Gets Her Man
Movie · as Esmeralda
Hot Tip
Movie · as Belle McGill
Dames
Movie · as Matilda Hemingway
Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch
Movie · as Miss Hazy
Sing and Like It
Movie · as Annie Snodgrass
The Gay Bride
Movie · as Mirabelle
The Meanest Gal in Town
Movie · as Tillie Prescott
Two Alone
Movie · as Esthey Roberts
Their Big Moment
Movie · as Tillie Whim
Private Scandal
Movie · as Miss Coates
Love Birds
Movie · as Araminta Tootle
Three on a Honeymoon
Movie · as Alice Mudge
And She Learned About Dames
Movie · as Herself
Meet the Baron
Movie · as Zasu
Professional Sweetheart
Movie · as Elmerada
Aggie Appleby, Maker of Men
Movie · as Sybby 'Sib'
Mr. Skitch
Movie · as Maddie Skitch
Hello, Sister!
Movie · as Millie
Her First Mate
Movie · as Mary Horner
The Bargain of the Century
Movie · as Zasu
Asleep in the Feet
Movie · as Zasu
Maids a la Mode
Movie · as Miss Pitts
Love, Honor and Oh, Baby!
Movie · as Connie Clark
The Vanishing Frontier
Movie · as Aunt Sylvia
Out All Night
Movie · as Bonny
One Track Minds
Movie · as Zasu Pitts
She Whoops To Conquer
Movie · as Beula
They Just Had to Get Married
Movie · as Molly Hull
Mother's Helper
Movie
Blondie of the Follies
Movie · as Gertie
Once in a Lifetime
Movie · as Miss Leyton
Shopworn
Movie · as Aunt Dot
The Crooked Circle
Movie · as Nora Rafferty
Strangers of the Evening
Movie · as Sybil Smith
Make Me a Star
Movie · as Mrs. Scudder
Westward Passage
Movie · as Mrs. Truesdale
Destry Rides Again
Movie · as Temperance Worker
The Trial of Vivienne Ware
Movie · as Gladys Fairweather
Is My Face Red?
Movie · as Morning Gazette Telephone Operator
Roar of the Dragon
Movie · as Gabby Woman
Show Business
Movie · as Zasu
Sealskins
Movie · as Zasu Pitts
Madison Square Garden
Movie · as Florrie
Steady Company
Movie · as Dot
Red Noses
Movie · as Miss Pitts
The Old Bull
Movie · as Zasu
Strictly Unreliable
Movie · as Pitts
The Soilers
Movie · as Zasu
Sneak Easily
Movie · as Miss Zasu Pitts - Woman of the Jury
Alum and Eve
Movie · as Zasu
Broken Lullaby
Movie · as Anna, Holderlin's Maid
Back Street
Movie · as Mrs. Dole
The Unexpected Father
Movie · as Polly Perkins
The Big Gamble
Movie · as Nora Dugan
On the Loose
Movie · as Zasu
The Guardsman
Movie · as Liesl
The Bad Sister
Movie · as Minnie
Seed
Movie · as Jennie
Finn and Hattie
Movie · as Mrs. Hattie Haddock
Beyond Victory
Movie · as Fritzi Mobley
Catch-As Catch-Can
Movie · as ZaSu
Penrod and Sam
Movie · as Mrs. Bassett
A Woman of Experience
Movie · as Katie
The Pajama Party
Movie · as Zasu
War Mamas
Movie · as Zasu
Let's Do Things
Movie · as Zasu Pitts
The Secret Witness
Movie · as Bella
Their Mad Moment
Movie · as Miss Dibbs
The Squealer
Movie · as Bella
Monte Carlo
Movie · as Bertha
The Lottery Bride
Movie · as Hilda
Sin Takes a Holiday
Movie · as Annie
Passion Flower
Movie · as Mrs. Harney
River's End
Movie · as Louise
The Devil's Holiday
Movie · as Ethel
No, No, Nanette
Movie · as Pauline Hastings
War Nurse
Movie · as Cushie
Honey
Movie · as Mayme
Little Accident
Movie · as Monica
Free Love
Movie · as Ada, the Maid
The Honeymoon
Movie · as Caecilia
The Dummy
Movie · as Rose Gleason
The Locked Door
Movie · as Telephone Girl
Oh, Yeah!
Movie · as The Elk
The Squall
Movie · as Lena
The Argyle Case
Movie · as Mrs. Wyatt
Twin Beds
Movie · as Tillie
Paris
Movie · as Harriet
This Thing Called Love
Movie · as Clara Bertrand
Her Private Life
Movie · as Timmins
13 Washington Square
Movie · as The Maid
Wife Savers
Movie · as Germaine
The Wedding March
Movie · as Cecelia Schweisser
Buck Privates
Movie · as Hulda
Sins of the Fathers
Movie · as Mother Spengler
Casey at the Bat
Movie · as Camille
What Happened to Jones?
Movie · as Hilda (as Zazu Pitts)
Risky Business
Movie · as Agnes Wheaton
The Great Love
Movie · as Nancy
Monte Carlo
Movie · as Hope Durant
Mannequin
Movie · as Annie Pogani
Sunny Side Up
Movie · as Evelyn
Early to Wed
Movie · as Mrs. Dugan
Her Big Night
Movie · as Gladys Smith
Thunder Mountain
Movie · as Mandy Coulter
Pretty Ladies
Movie · as Maggie Keenan
Lazybones
Movie · as Ruth Fanning
1925 Studio Tour
Movie · as Self
The Great Divide
Movie · as Polly Jordan
Old Shoes
Movie
Wages for Wives
Movie · as Luella Logan
The Re-Creation of Brian Kent
Movie · as Judy
A Woman's Faith
Movie · as Blanche Odile
The Business of Love
Movie · as Miss Wright
Greed
Movie · as Trina
Changing Husbands
Movie · as Delia
The Fast Set
Movie · as Mona
Secrets of the Night
Movie · as Celia Stebbins
The Goldfish
Movie · as Amelia Pugsley
West of the Water Tower
Movie · as Dessie Arnhalt
Daughters of Today
Movie · as Lorena
Hollywood
Movie · as Zasu Pitts
Three Wise Fools
Movie · as Mickey
Souls for Sale
Movie · as Self - Celebrity Actress in Commissary
Mary of the Movies
Movie · as Zasu Pitts (uncredited)
Tea- With a Kick!
Movie · as 'Brainy' Jones
Poor Men's Wives
Movie · as Apple Annie
The Girl Who Came Back
Movie · as Anastasia Muldoon
A Daughter of Luxury
Movie · as Mary Cosgrove
For the Defense
Movie · as Jennie Dunn
Is Matrimony a Failure?
Movie · as Mrs. Wilbur
Youth to Youth
Movie · as Emily
Patsy
Movie · as Patsy
Heart of Twenty
Movie · as Katie Abbott
Seeing It Through
Movie · as Betty Lawrence
The Other Half
Movie · as Jennie Jones, The Jazz Kid
Better Times
Movie · as Nancy Scroggs
Men, Women, and Money
Movie · as Katie Jones
Poor Relations
Movie · as Daisy Perkins
As the Sun Went Down
Movie · as Sal Sue
The Talk of the Town
Movie
How Could You, Jean?
Movie · as Oscar's Sweetheart
A Society Sensation
Movie · as Mary
A Lady's Name
Movie · as Emily
A Little Princess
Movie · as Becky
A Modern Musketeer
Movie · as A Kansas Belle (uncredited)
Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm
Movie · as Undetermined Role (uncredited)
'49 – '17
Movie · as Party Guest (uncredited)
Uneasy Money
Movie · as Suza - the Editor's Assistant
Tillie of the Nine Lives
Movie
A Desert Dilemma
Movie
His Fatal Beauty
Movie · as Perscilla
Why They Left Home
Movie · as Mary Mandrake