Billie Burke
(1885 - 1970)Wistful, flighty, bubbly, energetic and even ditsy, all adjectives to describe the persona of Billie Burke's character creations. She was born Mary William Ethelbert Appleton Burke on August 7, 1885 in Washington D. C. the only child of William "Billy" Burke, a Barnum & Bailey circus clown. Show business was "in her blood" so it makes sense that her stage debut was imminent and came after the family moved to London. She was a fixture on the London stage until 1907 when she returned to the U.S. and the Broadway stage where she met and married famed producer Florenz Ziegfeld. She made her film debut in 1916 in the Silent film "Peggy" beginning a long and illustrious career. Her bubbly staccato voice, elegant diction and mannered style landed her aristocratic type roles. She is best remembered as "Glinda" the Good Witch in the "Wizard of Oz" (1939) and for her appearances as Mrs. (Clara) Topper in the "Topper" (1937-41) film series (the name was changed to Henrietta Topper on the 1950s TV series and the role was portrayed by Lee Patrick see: Page 6). Her other film credits include: "A Bill of Divorcement" (1932) as Margaret Fairfield; "Dinner at Eight" (1933) as Millicent (Mrs. Oliver) Jordan; "Only Yesterday" (1933) as Julia Warren; "Finishing School" (1934) as Mrs. Helen Crawford Radcliff; "Where Sinners Meet" (1934) as Eustasia; "Forsaking All Others" (1934) with Clark Gable, as Aunt Paula, a nifty role; "Society Doctor" (1935) as Mrs. Crane; "Becky Sharp" (1935) as Lady Bareacres; "Doubting Thomas" (1935) as Paula Brown; "She Couldn't Take It" (1935) as Mrs. Van Dyke; "A Feather in Her Hat" (1935) as Julia Trent Anders; "Splendor" (1935) as Clarissa; "Piccadilly Jim" (1936) as Eugenia Willis; "Craig's Wife" (1936) as Mrs. Frazier; "My American Wife" (1936) as Mrs. Robert Cantillon; "Topper" (1937) with Roland Young and Cary Grant, as Mrs. Topper; "The Bride Wore Red" (1937) as Contessa di Meina; "Everybody Sing" (1938) as Diana Bellaire; "The Young in Heart" (1938) as Marmy Carleton; "Zenobia" (1939) with Oliver Hardy; "The Wizard of Oz" (1939) as Glinda, the Good Witch; "Eternally Yours" (1939) as Aunt Abby; "Remember?" (1939) as Mrs. Louise Bronson; "Bridal Suite" (1939) as Mrs. McGill; "Irene" (1940) as Mrs. Herman Vincent; "The Captain Is a Lady" (1940) as Blossy Stort; "Dulcy" (1940) as Eleanor 'Ellie' Forbes; "The Ghost Comes Home" (1940) as Cora Adams; "The Wild Man of Borneo" (1941) as Bernice Marshall; "Topper Returns" (1941) as Clara Topper; "One Night in Lisbon" (1941) as Catherine Enfilden; "The Man Who Came to Dinner" (1942) as Mrs. Ernest Stanley; "What's Cookin'?" (1942) as Agatha Courtney; "In This Our Life" (1942) as Lavinia Timberlake; "Girl Trouble" (1942) as Mrs. Rowland; "So's Your Uncle" (1943) as Minerva; "Gildersleeve on Broadway" (1943) as Mrs. Laura Chandler; "Hi Diddle Diddle" (1943) as Liza Prescott; "The Laramie Trail" (1944); "The Cheaters" (1945) as Mrs. Pidgeon; "Swing Out, Sister" (1945) as Jessica; "The Bachelor's Daughters" (1946) as Molly; "The Barkleys of Broadway" (1949) as Mrs. Livingston Belney; "And Baby Makes Three" (1949) as Mrs. Fletcher; "The Boy From Indiana" (1950) as Zelda Bagley; "Father of the Bride" (1950) as Doris Dunstan and "Father's Little Dividend" (1951) with Spencer Tracy and Elizabeth Taylor in the same role as Doris Dunstan; "Small Town Girl" (1953) as Mrs. Livingston; "The Young Philadelphians" (1959) as Mrs. J. Arthur Allen; "Pepe" (1960) and "Sergeant Rutledge" (1960) with Woody Strode, as Mrs. Cordelia Fosgate, her final film. On TV she appeared on "Doc Corkle" (1952) as Melinda and also guest starred on a few series including: "77 Sunset Strip." She had a daughter, Patricia, by Flo Ziegfeld. She died on May 14, 1970 in Los Angeles, California at age 84 after a long illness.
From Great Character Actors, Page 1.
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