Marlene Dietrich became one of Hollywood's biggest stars. She was born Marie Magdalene Dietrich on December 27, 1901, near Berlin, Germany. Her father worked as a police officer and died when she turned six years old. Her stepfather also died from war wounds when Marlene was 15. She learned violin and theater during school but hurt her wrist and could not play music professionally.
Dietrich started as a chorus girl and got small parts before landing her breakthrough role. She played Lola Lola, a cabaret singer, in the 1930 film Blue Angel. Director Josef Von Sternberg helped make her famous with several movies. The Nazi party wanted her to act for them but she refused. She gave up her German citizenship and moved to America.
Dietrich dated both men and women throughout her life. She married Rudolph Sieber in 1923 but had many other lovers. Her husband knew about her affairs and gave her advice about them. She dated famous people like John Wayne and Frank Sinatra. Rumors said she also dated Swedish actress Greta Garbo.
The actress defied gender rules and joined a boxing gym when it opened to women. She participated in drag balls during Berlin's hidden gay scene. Her movie characters often had masculine and feminine traits mixed together. She filmed one of the first gay kisses in the movie Morocco.
Dietrich retired from acting and lived alone during her final years. She died from kidney failure in Paris during 1992. Thousands of people attended her funeral ceremony. Ambassadors from Russia and Britain came to honor her memory. Workers buried her body in Berlin near her family graves.
Dietrich started as a chorus girl and got small parts before landing her breakthrough role. She played Lola Lola, a cabaret singer, in the 1930 film Blue Angel. Director Josef Von Sternberg helped make her famous with several movies. The Nazi party wanted her to act for them but she refused. She gave up her German citizenship and moved to America.
Dietrich dated both men and women throughout her life. She married Rudolph Sieber in 1923 but had many other lovers. Her husband knew about her affairs and gave her advice about them. She dated famous people like John Wayne and Frank Sinatra. Rumors said she also dated Swedish actress Greta Garbo.
The actress defied gender rules and joined a boxing gym when it opened to women. She participated in drag balls during Berlin's hidden gay scene. Her movie characters often had masculine and feminine traits mixed together. She filmed one of the first gay kisses in the movie Morocco.
Dietrich retired from acting and lived alone during her final years. She died from kidney failure in Paris during 1992. Thousands of people attended her funeral ceremony. Ambassadors from Russia and Britain came to honor her memory. Workers buried her body in Berlin near her family graves.
