(August 7, 1885 - May 14, 1970)
Best known to contemporary audiences for her role as Glinda the Good Witch of the North in the film The Wizard of Oz, Billie Burke had a prolific career and performed in many roles on stage, in film, and on television. She was born into a show business family of sorts; her family toured the United States and Europe while her father performed as a circus clown for many years before settling in London.1 In 1903, Burke made her stage debut in London, then began her career on Broadway to favorable reviews.
Burke married Florenz Ziegfeld of The Ziegfeld Follies fame in 1914, and the couple had one daughter, Patricia Ziegfeld. At this point Burke focused her career on Hollywood, appearing in over fifty films throughout her lifetime.2 Burke was able to establish herself as a film actress at the inception of the Hollywood system, appearing in her first film, Peggy, in 1916. She played the role of Elizabeth Banks in The Education of Elizabeth (1921) and then retired from film acting, still making appearances on stage.
The Wall Street Crash of 1929 decimated her family's assets, so Burke returned to the screen to make an income. In her most well known role, Burke appeared as Glinda the Good Witch of the North in the Oscar-winning classic musical picture, The Wizard of Oz (1939). Burke also appeared in the box office successes Father of the Bride (1950) and Father's Little Dividend (1951) along with Hollywood stars Spencer Tracy and Elizabeth Taylor.
Beginning in 1943, Burke could be heard on the CBS radio comedy program The Billie Burke Show. She also made regular appearances on television during the 1950s, in the comedy program Doc Corkle. Until she died in Los Angeles at the age of 80, Burke retained much of the charm upon which she based her career. In her memoir she stated: "Age, of course, is not a matter of years, but a matter of good health, good fortune, how old other people think you are, and how much you are willing to tell." 3
1. Burke, Feather 20
2. www.imdb.com
3. Burke, Powder 221
Resources
Burke, Billie. With a Feather on My Nose. New York: Crowell-Collier Publishing Co., 1948.
The first of two published collections of Burke's reminisces of working on the stage and screen.
Burke, Billie. With Powder on My Nose. New York: Coward McCann Inc., 1959. < /b>
The second collection of writings by Billie Burke, containing many anecdotal observations, stories, and pieces of advice for her fans.
"Billie Burke." Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billie_Burke 10 October 2007.
"Billie Burke" IMDb. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000992/.