
Martha Sleeper
Personal Info
Known for
Acting
Gender
Female
Birthday
1910-06-24
Day of Death
1983-03-25 (72 years old)
Place of Birth
Lake Bluff, Illinois, USA
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
Acting
(1961)
Days of Thrills and Laughter
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
(1945)
The Bells of St. Mary's
as Mary Gallagher
(1936)
Rhythm on the Range
as Constance Hyde
(1936)
Four Days Wonder
as Nancy Fairbrother
(1935)
The Scoundrel
as Julia Vivian
(1935)
Two Sinners
as Elsie Summerstone
(1935)
Great God Gold
as Marcia Harper
(1934)
Hollywood Party
as Show Girl (uncredited)
(1934)
Spitfire
as Eleanor Stafford
(1934)
West of the Pecos
as Ril Lambeth
(1934)
Tomorrow's Youth
as Ellen Hall
(1933)
Bombshell
as Lola's Hair Stylist (uncredited)
(1933)
Midnight Mary
as Barbara
(1933)
Penthouse
as Sue Leonard
(1933)
Broken Dreams
as Martha Morley
(1933)
The Secret of Madame Blanche
as Chorus Girl Who Hears 'My Country Tis of Thee' (Uncredited)
(1932)
Huddle
as Barbara
(1932)
Rasputin and the Empress
as Party Girl (uncredited)
(1931)
Ten Cents a Dance
as Nancy Clark
(1931)
A Tailor-Made Man
as Corrine
(1931)
Confessions of a Co-Ed
as Lucille
(1931)
Girls Demand Excitement
as Harriet Mundy
(1930)
Madam Satan
as Fish Girl
(1930)
War Nurse
as Helen
(1930)
Our Blushing Brides
as Evelyn Woodforth
(1928)
Should Tall Men Marry?
as Martha Skittle
(1928)
The Little Yellow House
as Emmy Milburn
(1928)
Taxi 13
as Flora Mactavish
(1928)
Pass the Gravy
as Daughter
(1928)
Danger Street
as Kitty
(1927)
Fluttering Hearts
as Daughter
(1927)
Fighting Fathers
as Max's Daughter
(1927)
Jewish Prudence
as Rachel Gimplewart
(1927)
The Honorable Mr. Buggs
as The Fiancée
(1927)
Flaming Fathers
as Daughter
(1927)
Love 'em and Feed 'em
as Martha, a stenographer
(1926)
Crazy Like a Fox
as The bride
(1926)
Say It with Babies
as Hector's Wife
(1926)
Bromo and Juliet
as Bit Role (uncredited)
(1926)
(1926)
Thundering Fleas
as Bride
(1926)
Along Came Auntie
as Marie, the Maid
(1926)
Long Fliv the King
as Princess Helga of Thermosa
(1926)
(1926)
What's the World Coming To?
as The Butler
(1926)
Mum's the Word
as The Nervous Little Girl
(1925)
Innocent Husbands
as Girl at Party (uncredited)
(1925)
Bad Boy
as Jimmie's Girl Friend
(1925)
Sure-Mike!
as Vermuda
(1925)
Plain and Fancy Girls
as Fiance
(1925)
The Rat's Knuckles
as Flirty McFickle
(1925)
Big Red Riding Hood
as Book store clerk
(1925)
Sherlock Sleuth
as Hotel Telephone Operator
(1925)
Should Sailors Marry?
as Smyrna, Verbena's Daughter
(1925)
(1925)
Better Movies
as Teenaged 'Vamp'
(1925)
There Goes the Bride
as Imogene-the Bride
(1924)
All Wet
as Boarding house maid (uncredited)
(1924)
Sweet Daddy
as Daughter
(1924)
A Ten-Minute Egg
as Mrs. Dugan
(1924)
Too Many Mammas
as The Apache Dancer
(1924)
Outdoor Pajamas
as Girl with Runaway Pony
(1924)
(1924)
Crew
(1964)
Sex and the College Girl
Costume Supervisor