Martha Sleeper

Born

June 24, 1910

Died

March 25, 1983 (72 years old)

Known For

Acting

Place of Birth

Lake Bluff, Illinois, USA

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.

Days of Thrills and Laughter

Days of Thrills and Laughter

Self (archive footage) (uncredited)

5.5

1961

The Bells of St. Mary's

The Bells of St. Mary's

Mary Gallagher

6.8

1945

Four Days Wonder

Nancy Fairbrother

0.0

1936

Rhythm on the Range

Rhythm on the Range

Constance Hyde

4.0

1936

Two Sinners

Two Sinners

Elsie Summerstone

10.0

1935

The Scoundrel

The Scoundrel

Julia Vivian

6.3

1935

Great God Gold

Great God Gold

Marcia Harper

5.0

1935

West of the Pecos

West of the Pecos

Ril Lambeth

0.0

1934

Tomorrow's Youth

Tomorrow's Youth

Ellen Hall

0.0

1934

Hollywood Party

Hollywood Party

Show Girl (uncredited)

5.8

1934

Spitfire

Spitfire

Eleanor Stafford

5.4

1934

Broken Dreams

Broken Dreams

Martha Morley

6.0

1933

Bombshell

Bombshell

Lola's Hair Stylist (uncredited)

6.5

1933

Penthouse

Penthouse

Sue Leonard

6.7

1933

Midnight Mary

Midnight Mary

Barbara

6.8

1933

The Secret of Madame Blanche

The Secret of Madame Blanche

Chorus Girl Who Hears 'My Country Tis of Thee' (Uncredited)

4.0

1933

Rasputin and the Empress

Rasputin and the Empress

Party Girl (uncredited)

5.3

1932

Huddle

Huddle

Barbara

6.6

1932

Confessions of a Co-Ed

Confessions of a Co-Ed

Lucille

5.8

1931

A Tailor-Made Man

A Tailor-Made Man

Corrine

0.0

1931

Girls Demand Excitement

Girls Demand Excitement

Harriet Mundy

0.0

1931

Ten Cents a Dance

Ten Cents a Dance

Nancy Clark

6.8

1931

War Nurse

War Nurse

Helen

5.1

1930

Madam Satan

Madam Satan

Fish Girl

5.8

1930

Our Blushing Brides

Our Blushing Brides

Evelyn Woodforth

5.9

1930

Taxi 13

Flora Mactavish

0.0

1928

Danger Street

Danger Street

Kitty

0.0

1928

The Little Yellow House

The Little Yellow House

Emmy Milburn

0.0

1928

Should Tall Men Marry?

Should Tall Men Marry?

Martha Skittle

5.9

1928

Pass the Gravy

Pass the Gravy

Daughter

6.4

1928

Flaming Fathers

Flaming Fathers

Daughter

5.2

1927

Fighting Fathers

Max's Daughter

0.0

1927

Love 'em and Feed 'em

Martha, a stenographer

6.0

1927

Fluttering Hearts

Fluttering Hearts

Daughter

5.1

1927

Jewish Prudence

Jewish Prudence

Rachel Gimplewart

6.5

1927

The Honorable Mr. Buggs

The Honorable Mr. Buggs

The Fiancée

6.0

1927

Bromo and Juliet

Bromo and Juliet

Bit Role (uncredited)

5.6

1926

Crazy Like a Fox

Crazy Like a Fox

The bride

6.2

1926

Along Came Auntie

Along Came Auntie

Marie, the Maid

6.1

1926

Thundering Fleas

Thundering Fleas

Bride

5.5

1926

Long Fliv the King

Long Fliv the King

Princess Helga of Thermosa

5.6

1926

Say It with Babies

Say It with Babies

Hector's Wife

5.0

1926

Mum's the Word

Mum's the Word

The Nervous Little Girl

5.7

1926

Madame Mystery

Madame Mystery

5.6

1926

What's the World Coming To?

What's the World Coming To?

The Butler

4.5

1926

A Punch in the Nose

A Punch in the Nose

0.0

1926

Should Sailors Marry?

Should Sailors Marry?

Smyrna, Verbena's Daughter

5.4

1925

Better Movies

Better Movies

Teenaged 'Vamp'

5.8

1925

Innocent Husbands

Innocent Husbands

Girl at Party (uncredited)

6.2

1925

Sherlock Sleuth

Hotel Telephone Operator

0.0

1925

Sure-Mike!

Sure-Mike!

Vermuda

0.0

1925

Big Red Riding Hood

Big Red Riding Hood

Book store clerk

5.0

1925

Bad Boy

Bad Boy

Jimmie's Girl Friend

6.7

1925

Plain and Fancy Girls

Plain and Fancy Girls

Fiance

0.0

1925

The Rat's Knuckles

The Rat's Knuckles

Flirty McFickle

6.8

1925

There Goes the Bride

There Goes the Bride

Imogene-the Bride

0.0

1925

Laughing Ladies

Laughing Ladies

0.0

1925

The Royal Razz

The Royal Razz

0.0

1924

Too Many Mammas

Too Many Mammas

The Apache Dancer

4.4

1924

Outdoor Pajamas

Outdoor Pajamas

Girl with Runaway Pony

5.0

1924

Sweet Daddy

Sweet Daddy

Daughter

0.0

1924

Seeing Nellie Home

Seeing Nellie Home

5.0

1924

A Ten-Minute Egg

A Ten-Minute Egg

Mrs. Dugan

5.0

1924

All Wet

All Wet

Boarding house maid (uncredited)

5.2

1924