Martha Sleeper
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.
Filmography · 63
The Bells of St. Mary's
1945 · Mary Gallagher
The Mailman
1923 · Betty
Outdoor Pajamas
1924 · Girl with Runaway Pony
Huddle
1932 · Barbara
Fluttering Hearts
1927 · Daughter
Hollywood Party
1934 · Show Girl (uncredited)
Rasputin and the Empress
1932 · Party Girl (uncredited...
Ten Cents a Dance
1931 · Nancy Clark
Danger Street
1928 · Kitty
The Air Legion
1929 · Sally
Bombshell
1933 · Lola's Hair Stylist (u...
Madam Satan
1930 · Fish Girl
Skinner's Big Idea
1928 · Dorothy
Our Blushing Brides
1930 · Evelyn Woodforth
Days of Thrills and Laughter
1961 · Self (archive footage)...
Midnight Mary
1933 · Barbara
There Goes the Bride
1925 · Imogene-the Bride
Sweet Daddy
1924 · Daughter
Pass the Gravy
1928 · Daughter
Crazy Like a Fox
1926 · The bride
The Rat's Knuckles
1925 · Flirty McFickle
Bromo and Juliet
1926 · Bit Role (uncredited)
Girls Demand Excitement
1931 · Harriet Mundy
The Secret of Madame Blanche
1933 · Chorus Girl Who Hears...
The Honorable Mr. Buggs
1927 · The Fiancée
Penthouse
1933 · Sue Leonard
War Nurse
1930 · Helen
Confessions of a Co-Ed
1931 · Lucille
Rhythm on the Range
1936 · Constance Hyde
Sure-Mike!
1925 · Vermuda
Long Fliv the King
1926 · Princess Helga of Ther...
Along Came Auntie
1926 · Marie, the Maid
Big Red Riding Hood
1925 · Book store clerk
West of the Pecos
1934 · Ril Lambeth
Spitfire
1934 · Eleanor Stafford
Tomorrow's Youth
1934 · Ellen Hall
The Scoundrel
1935 · Julia Vivian
Plain and Fancy Girls
1925 · Fiance
The Royal Razz
1924
Broken Dreams
1933 · Martha Morley
Too Many Mammas
1924 · The Apache Dancer
What's the World Coming To?
1926 · The Butler
Flaming Fathers
1927 · Daughter
All Wet
1924 · Boarding house maid (u...
A Tailor-Made Man
1931 · Corrine
Don Key (Son of Burro)
1926
Madame Mystery
1926
Say It with Babies
1926 · Hector's Wife
Should Tall Men Marry?
1928 · Martha Skittle
Thundering Fleas
1926 · Bride
Laughing Ladies
1925
A Punch in the Nose
1926
A Ten-Minute Egg
1924 · Mrs. Dugan
Great God Gold
1935 · Marcia Harper
Jewish Prudence
1927 · Rachel Gimplewart
Innocent Husbands
1925 · Girl at Party (uncredi...
Bad Boy
1925 · Jimmie's Girl Friend
Mum's the Word
1926 · The Nervous Little Gir...
Should Sailors Marry?
1925 · Smyrna, Verbena's Daug...
Two Sinners
1935 · Elsie Summerstone
Seeing Nellie Home
1924
Better Movies
1925 · Teenaged 'Vamp'
The Little Yellow House
1928 · Emmy Milburn