Marlene Dietrich
Marlene Dietrich (1901–1992) was a German-American actress and singer, widely regarded as one of the most iconic figures of classic Hollywood. She rose to fame in the 1930s with films like The Blue Angel, Shanghai Express, and Destry Rides Again, captivating audiences with her sultry voice, striking beauty, and androgynous style. Known for her ability to reinvent herself, Dietrich transitioned from film star to a celebrated cabaret performer, touring internationally for decades.
Beyond her career, Dietrich was known for her progressive views and unconventional lifestyle. She openly defied gender norms, often wearing men's clothing both on and off-screen, which contributed to her enigmatic persona. Her personal life has long been the subject of speculation, particularly regarding her sexuality. While she was married to Rudolf Sieber, she was rumored to have had relationships with both men and women, including actresses Claudette Colbert and Mercedes de Acosta. Some sources suggest she was part of Hollywood’s so-called “sewing circle,” a network of women engaged in same-sex relationships. However, Dietrich never publicly confirmed these rumors, maintaining an air of mystery that only added to her legendary status.
Her legacy continues to inspire discussions on gender, sexuality, and Hollywood’s golden age.
Known for
Tony Awards
Self - Recipient
Deutscher Filmpreis
Self
Witness for the Prosecution
Christine
Around the World in Eighty Days
Saloon Hostess
Judgment at Nuremberg
Mrs. Bertholt
Das Jahrhundert des Kabaretts
Self (archive Footage)
Touch of Evil
Tana
The Blue Angel
Lola Lola
Val
Self (archive footage)
Paris When It Sizzles
Marlene Dietrich (uncredited)
Seven Sinners
Bijou
Stage Fright
Charlotte Inwood
The Scarlet Empress
Princess Sophia Frederica / Catherine II
Morocco
Mademoiselle Amy Jolly
Destry Rides Again
Frenchy
The Century of Icons
Self (archive footage)
Rancho Notorious
Altar Keane
Das Jahrhundert des Theaters
Self (archive footage)
The Spoilers
Cherry Malotte
Desire
Madeleine de Beaupré
A Foreign Affair
Erika Von Schlüetow
Shanghai Express
Shanghai Lily
Blonde Venus
Helen Faraday, aka Helen Jones
Legenden
Self (archive footage)
That's Entertainment! III
(archive footage)
The Song of Songs
Lily Czepanek
Kismet
Jamilla
No Highway in the Sky
Monica Teasdale
Knight Without Armour
Countess Alexandra Vladinoff
Becoming Cary Grant
Self (archive footage)
Dishonored
Magda / X27
Classic Movie Bloopers: Uncensored
Self (archive footage)
Just a Gigolo
Baroness von Semering
Checking Out: Grand Hotel
Self (archive footage)
Cameraman: The Life and Work of Jack Cardiff
Countess Alexandra Vladinoff (archive footage)
Manon Lescaut
Micheline
Martin Roumagnac
Blanche Ferrand
Beautiful Like a Poem
Follow the Boys
Marlene Dietrich
Golden Earrings
Lydia
Jigsaw
Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
The Monte Carlo Story
Maria de Crevecoeur
Triumph Over Violence
Self (archive footage)
Cher: In Her Own Words
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Angel
Lady Maria Barker, aka Angel
The Flame of New Orleans
Countess Claire Ledoux, aka Lili
Manpower
Fay Duval
Normandie ne partira pas ce soir
Show-Business at War
Self
Pittsburgh
Josie 'Hunky' Winters
The Garden of Allah
Domini Enfilden
The Devil Is a Woman
Concha Perez
Breakdowns of 1942
Self
Complicated Women
Self (archive footage)
Going Hollywood: The '30s
Self (archive footage)
The Lady Is Willing
Elizabeth Madden
The Countess of Paris
Lucie
Why Be Good?: Sexuality & Censorship in Early Cinema
Self (archive footage)
Heads Up, Charley
Edmée Marchand
Marlene Dietrich: Her Own Song
Self (archive footage)
His Greatest Bluff
Yvette
100 Years of the UFA
Self - Actress (archive footage)
Im Schatten des Glücks
(unconfirmed)
Coisa Mais Linda - Histórias e Casos da Bossa Nova
Self (archive footage)
Cafe Electric
Erni Göttlinger - ein flatterhaftes Mädchen
The Ship of Lost Men
Ethel Marley
Man by the Roadside
Krämerstochter
The Film Parade
(archive footage) (uncredited)
Cinema's Exiles: From Hitler to Hollywood
Self (archive footage)
Maria Callas: The Final Act
Self (archive photo)
The Woman Men Yearn For
Stascha
No Angel: A Life of Marlene Dietrich
A Modern Dubarry
Kokotte
Marlene
Herself (Voice)
Leap Into Life
Mädchen
Memo for Joe
Self
Hitchcock and 'Stage Fright'
Self (archive footage)
Art of Love
Chichotte de Gastoné
Dangers of the Engagement
Evelyne
Bodies and Spaces, Fabric and Light
(archive footage)
The Tragedy of Love
Lucy
The Imaginary Baron
Sophie
Nylon Blues: A History of the Nylon Stocking
(archive footage)
Her Dancing Partner
Dancer (Extra)
I Wish You Love
Herself
The Meeting of Two Queens
(archive footage)
The Fashion Side of Hollywood
Self
Black Fox: The Rise and Fall of Adolf Hitler
Narrator (voice)
I Kiss Your Hand, Madame
Laurence Gerard / Lucille
Marlene Dietrich, “The Blue Angel” Screen Test
The Great Yiddish Love
(archive footage)