CineScope
Zasu Pitts picture

Zasu Pitts

Acting
Known For

69 Years Old

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).

Born

Parsons, Kansas, USA on 2nd January 1894

Died

7th June 1963

All Credits

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