Marlene Dietrich
Acting • Born 1901-12-27 – Died 1992-05-06
Biography
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.
Filmography
91 credits
Shanghai Express
Movie • 1932
Shanghai Lily
Touch of Evil
Movie • 1958
Tana
Judgment at Nuremberg
Movie • 1961
Mrs. Bertholt
Stage Fright
Movie • 1950
Charlotte Inwood
Around the World in 80 Days
Movie • 1956
Saloon Hostess
Paris When It Sizzles
Movie • 1964
Marlene Dietrich (uncredited)
Jigsaw
Movie • 1949
Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
Manpower
Movie • 1941
Fay Duval
Manon Lescaut
Movie • 1926
Micheline
The Scarlet Empress
Movie • 1934
Princess Sophia Frederica / Catherine II
Just a Gigolo
Movie • 1978
Baroness von Semering
Follow the Boys
Movie • 1944
Marlene Dietrich
Blonde Venus
Movie • 1932
Helen Faraday, aka Helen Jones
Seven Sinners
Movie • 1940
Bijou
Rancho Notorious
Movie • 1952
Altar Keane
Marlene
Movie • 1984
Herself (Voice)
Morocco
Movie • 1930
Mademoiselle Amy Jolly
The Devil Is a Woman
Movie • 1935
Concha Perez
Witness for the Prosecution
Movie • 1957
Christine
The Flame of New Orleans
Movie • 1941
Countess Claire Ledoux, aka Lili
Kismet
Movie • 1944
Jamilla
The Spoilers
Movie • 1942
Cherry Malotte
Destry Rides Again
Movie • 1939
Frenchy
No Highway in the Sky
Movie • 1951
Monica Teasdale
Becoming Cary Grant
Movie • 2017
Self (archive footage)
A Foreign Affair
Movie • 1948
Erika Von Schlüetow
Pittsburgh
Movie • 1942
Josie 'Hunky' Winters
Normandie ne partira pas ce soir
Movie • 2021
Angel
Movie • 1937
Lady Maria Barker, aka Angel
The Lady Is Willing
Movie • 1942
Elizabeth Madden
Triumph Over Violence
Movie • 1965
Self (archive footage)
Dishonored
Movie • 1931
Magda / X27
Desire
Movie • 1936
Madeleine de Beaupré
The Song of Songs
Movie • 1933
Lily Czepanek
Knight Without Armour
Movie • 1937
Countess Alexandra Vladinoff
Martin Roumagnac
Movie • 1946
Blanche Ferrand
Golden Earrings
Movie • 1947
Lydia
The Woman One Longs For
Movie • 1929
Stascha
The Garden of Allah
Movie • 1936
Domini Enfilden
The Monte Carlo Story
Movie • 1956
Maria de Crevecoeur
I Wish You Love
Movie • 1973
Herself
Marlene Dietrich, “The Blue Angel” Screen Test
Movie • 1930
Cafe Electric
Movie • 1927
Erni Göttlinger - ein flatterhaftes Mädchen
I Kiss Your Hand, Madame
Movie • 1929
Laurence Gerard / Lucille
The Ship of Lost Men
Movie • 1929
Ethel Marley
Checking Out: Grand Hotel
Movie • 2004
Self (archive footage)
A Modern Dubarry
Movie • 1927
Kokotte
Going Hollywood: The '30s
Movie • 1984
Self (archive footage)
Classic Movie Bloopers: Uncensored
Movie • 2013
Self (archive footage)
Hitchcock and 'Stage Fright'
Movie • 2004
Self (archive footage)
The Great Yiddish Love
Movie • 2002
(archive footage)
Coisa Mais Linda - Histórias e Casos da Bossa Nova
Movie • 2005
Self (archive footage)
Black Fox: The Rise and Fall of Adolf Hitler
Movie • 1962
Narrator (voice)
Bodies and Spaces, Fabric and Light
Movie • 2018
(archive footage)
The Fashion Side of Hollywood
Movie • 1935
Self
Marlene Dietrich: Her Own Song
Movie • 2002
Self (archive footage)
That's Entertainment! III
Movie • 1994
(archive footage)
No Angel: A Life of Marlene Dietrich
Movie • 1996
His Greatest Bluff
Movie • 1927
Yvette
Dangers of the Engagement Period
Movie • 1930
Evelyne
Show-Business at War
Movie • 1943
Self
The Imaginary Baron
Movie • 1927
Sophie
Leap Into Life
Movie • 1924
Mädchen
Man by the Roadside
Movie • 1923
Krämerstochter
Complicated Women
Movie • 2003
Self (archive footage)
The Countess of Paris
Movie • 1923
Lucie
The Tragedy of Love
Movie • 1923
Lucy
Heads Up, Charley
Movie • 1927
Edmée Marchand
Memo for Joe
Movie • 1944
Self
The Film Parade
Movie • 1933
(archive footage) (uncredited)
Why Be Good?: Sexuality & Censorship in Early Cinema
Movie • 2007
Self (archive footage)
The Blue Angel
Movie • 1930
Lola Lola
Im Schatten des Glücks
Movie • 1919
(unconfirmed)
Her Dancing Partner
Movie • 1925
Dancer (Extra)
Art of Love
Movie • 1928
Chichotte de Gastoné
100 Years of the UFA
Movie • 2017
Self - Actress (archive footage)
Nylon Blues: A History of the Nylon Stocking
Movie • 1991
(archive footage)
Cameraman: The Life and Work of Jack Cardiff
Movie • 2010
Countess Alexandra Vladinoff (archive footage)
The Meeting of Two Queens
Movie • 1991
(archive footage)
Breakdowns of 1942
Movie • 1942
Self
Maria Callas: The Final Act
Movie • 2024
Self (archive photo)
Beautiful Like a Poem
Movie • 2020
Self (archive footage)
Erich Maria Remarque und Marlene Dietrich - Flucht in die Liebe
Movie • 2025
Self (archive footage)
Rediscovering John Gilbert
Movie • 2010
Self (archive footage)
Mythos Côte d'Azur - Liebe, Luxus, Leidenschaft
Movie • 2021
The Mystery of Marilyn Monroe: The Unheard Tapes
Movie • 2022
German Film Award
TV • 1951
Self
Legenden
TV • 1998
Self (archive footage)
The Century of Icons
TV • 2022
Self (archive footage)
Das Jahrhundert des Theaters
TV • 2002
Self (archive footage)
Das Jahrhundert des Kabaretts
TV • 2001
Self (archive Footage)