Known For
Acting
Born
Jun 24, 1910
Died
Mar 25, 1983
Place of Birth
Lake Bluff, Illinois, USA
Credits
71 titles
Martha Sleeper
Biography
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.
Known For
Filmography
Sex and the College Girl
Costume Supervisor
Days of Thrills and Laughter
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
The Bells of St. Mary's
Mary Gallagher
Four Days Wonder
Nancy Fairbrother
Rhythm on the Range
Constance Hyde
Two Sinners
Elsie Summerstone
The Scoundrel
Julia Vivian
Great God Gold
Marcia Harper
West of the Pecos
Ril Lambeth
Tomorrow's Youth
Ellen Hall
Hollywood Party
Show Girl (uncredited)
Spitfire
Eleanor Stafford
Broken Dreams
Martha Morley
Bombshell
Lola's Hair Stylist (uncredited)
Penthouse
Sue Leonard
Midnight Mary
Barbara
The Secret of Madame Blanche
Chorus Girl Who Hears 'My Country Tis of Thee' (Uncredited)
Rasputin and the Empress
Party Girl (uncredited)
Huddle
Barbara
Confessions of a Co-Ed
Lucille
A Tailor-Made Man
Corrine
Girls Demand Excitement
Harriet Mundy
Ten Cents a Dance
Nancy Clark
War Nurse
Helen
Madam Satan
Fish Girl
Our Blushing Brides
Evelyn Woodforth
The Voice of the Storm
Ruth
The Air Legion
Sally
Taxi 13
Flora Mactavish
Danger Street
Kitty
Skinner's Big Idea
Dorothy
The Little Yellow House
Emmy Milburn
Should Tall Men Marry?
Martha Skittle
Pass the Gravy
Daughter
Flaming Fathers
Daughter
Fighting Fathers
Max's Daughter
Love 'em and Feed 'em
Martha, a stenographer
Fluttering Hearts
Daughter
Jewish Prudence
Rachel Gimplewart
The Honorable Mr. Buggs
The Fiancée
Bromo and Juliet
Bit Role (uncredited)
Crazy Like a Fox
The bride
Along Came Auntie
Marie, the Maid
Thundering Fleas
Bride
Long Fliv the King
Princess Helga of Thermosa
Don Key (Son of Burro)
Say It with Babies
Hector's Wife
Mum's the Word
The Nervous Little Girl
Madame Mystery
What's the World Coming To?
The Butler