Marlene Dietrich

NAME Marlene Dietrich

WHAT FAMOUS FOR Actress, singer, and entertainer; icon of Hollywood's Golden Age; known for her sultry voice, captivating stage presence, and androgynous style. 

BIRTH Marlene Dietrich was born on December 27, 1901, at Leberstrasse 65 on the Rote Insel in Schöneberg, now a district of Berlin, Germany.

FAMILY BACKGROUND Dietrich was born into a middle-class family in the Schöneberg district of Berlin12. Her father, Louis Erich Otto Dietrich, was a police lieutenant, and her mother, Wilhelmina Elisabeth Josefine, came from an affluent Berlin family that owned a jewelry and clock-making firm2. Dietrich had one older sister, Elisabeth. Tragically, her father passed away when she was only about six years old

CHILDHOOD  As a teenager, she became interested in theater and poetry. Despite not being accepted into Max Reinhardt's drama academy initially, she persevered and eventually found work in his theaters as a chorus girl and in small dramatic roles.

Dietrich later reflected on her childhood, writing in her memoirs, "My parents were wealthy, I enjoyed the best upbringing imaginable". This privileged background and comprehensive education laid the foundation for her future success as a versatile and accomplished performer.

EDUCATION Before formal schooling, Dietrich and her sister received home tutoring, becoming fluent in both French and English by the age of twelve.  She attended the Auguste-Viktoria Girls' School from 1907 to 1917, followed by the Victoria-Luise-Schule (now the Goethe-Gymnasium) in Berlin-Wilmersdorf, from which she graduated in 1918.  

Her artistic development was nurtured through ballet, violin lessons with the renowned Bernhard Dessau, and piano instruction. In 1920, she moved to Weimar to pursue her passion for music, studying to become a concert violinist under Robert Reitz.  A wrist injury, however, tragically ended her musical aspirations in her teens.  Undeterred, Dietrich shifted her focus to acting, receiving private lessons from members of Max Reinhardt's ensemble. This training included rhythmic movement, gymnastics, fencing, and voice work, providing a solid foundation for her future stage and screen career.

CAREER RECORD Dietrich's big break came in 1930 when she was cast as Lola-Lola, a seductive cabaret singer, in The Blue Angel (Der blaue Engel). The film made her an international star and led to a contract with Paramount Pictures in Hollywood.

Her Hollywood career flourished throughout the 1930s and 1940s with films like Morocco (1930), Shanghai Express (1932), Destry Rides Again (1939), and Witness for the Prosecution (1957).

During World War II, she became known for her work entertaining Allied troops and was awarded the Medal of Freedom by the U.S. government for her efforts.

APPEARANCE Marlene Dietrich was famous for her striking facial features, high cheekbones, and piercing blue eyes. Her signature look included arched eyebrows, dramatic makeup, and platinum blonde hair. On film sets, she always had a mirror nearby to check her appearance.

Marlene Dietrich 1951

FASHION Dietrich was a trailblazer in fashion, known for her elegant gowns, top hats, and masculine-inspired clothing. Her role in Morocco (1930) popularized women wearing slacks worldwide.

Dietrich was so dedicated to her glamorous image that she insisted Max Factor sprinkle half an ounce of real gold dust into her wigs to enhance their sparkle on camera.

In May 1933, Marlene Dietrich arrived at the Gare Saint-Lazare train station in Paris wearing a trouser suit. Dietrich's outfit caused a sensation and was widely commented on in the press,.

CHARACTER Dietrich was known for her strong personality, discipline, and professionalism. Her makeup artist once noted that she kissed so passionately that she needed a fresh coat of lipstick after every kiss scene.

SPEAKING VOICE Dietrich had a deep, sultry voice with a distinctive, husky quality that added to her allure. Her singing style was intimate and smoky, making her a captivating performer in both film and music.

SENSE OF HUMOUR Marlene Dietrich was known for her sharp wit and dry sense of humor. She often used sarcasm to disarm those around her and had a knack for self-deprecating jokes. Her humor extended to her personal life, as she would teasingly poke fun at her own legendary status, once quipping, “I am at heart a gentleman.”

RELATIONSHIPS Marlene Dietrich married Rudolf Sieber on May 17, 1923, in a civil ceremony in Berlin, Germany. Their wedding took place when Dietrich was 21 years old, shortly after they met on the set of the film Tragedy of Love in 1923. This marriage would last for 53 years, until Sieber's death in 1976.

Dietrich and Rudolf Sieber on their wedding day, 

The wedding was a significant event in Dietrich's life, occurring early in her career before she achieved international stardom. At the time, Dietrich was still working in German theater and film productions, and Sieber was an assistant casting director. Their union marked the beginning of what would become one of the most unusual and enduring marriages in show business history, characterized by long separations and an unconventional arrangement that allowed for both partners to pursue other relationships while remaining married.

Beyond her marriage, Dietrich had a reputation for numerous high-profile affairs with both men and women, including Jean Gabin, Erich Maria Remarque, and possibly even John F. Kennedy. She was known for her passionate yet fleeting romantic entanglements, but she maintained deep lifelong friendships with many of her former lovers.

Marlene Dietrich had one child, a daughter named Maria Elisabeth Sieber, who was born on December 13, 1924, in Berlin. Maria later became known professionally as Maria Riva and worked as an actress, primarily in television.

MONEY AND FAME Dietrich was one of the highest-paid actresses of Hollywood’s Golden Age, commanding a then-unprecedented $200,000 per film in the early 1930s. However, she was pragmatic about wealth, famously stating, “Glamour is what I sell; it’s my stock in trade.” Unlike some of her contemporaries, she lived relatively modestly, investing wisely and ensuring her financial security long after her film career waned.

FOOD AND DRINK Dietrich was a passionate cook and took pride in preparing meals for her guests. She was known for making delicious German dishes, particularly her homemade soups and stews. She had a particular fondness for caviar and champagne but was not a heavy drinker herself. When traveling, she carried her own spices and cooking equipment, believing that a well-prepared meal was essential to good living.

MUSIC AND ARTS Dietrich had a lifelong love for music, both as a performer and a fan. She was trained as a violinist before turning to acting and later became an iconic cabaret singer. She worked closely with composer Burt Bacharach, who helped shape her distinctive nightclub act in the 1950s and '60s. Even in her later years, her husky, melancholic voice continued to captivate audiences worldwide.

In The Blue Angel, she famously sang "Falling in Love Again," but the scene required 236 retakes because she had trouble pronouncing the word "moths."

During her USO tours, Dietrich was noted for playing music on a saw, which was particularly enjoyed by the soldiers. (1)

CINEMA If Hollywood had a Mount Rushmore of cinematic cool, Marlene Dietrich’s chiseled cheekbones would be right up there, glaring down at the world with an eyebrow slightly raised in amused detachment. Her film career, which astonishingly spanned nearly seven decades, reads like a whirlwind tour through the evolution of cinema itself—beginning in the silent era and ending with a delightfully grumpy refusal to be filmed for a documentary about her own life.

Dietrich’s early years in German silent films were a bit like the warm-up act before the main event. She popped up in films like The Little Napoleon (1923) and Café Elektric (1927), exuding an already magnetic presence but largely waiting for something big to happen. Then, as luck (and considerable talent) would have it, that “something big” turned out to be The Blue Angel (1930), a film that not only launched her into international superstardom but also introduced the world to the seductive, smoky strains of “Falling in Love Again.”

After The Blue Angel, Dietrich packed up her sultry glances and razor-sharp wit and headed straight for Hollywood, where she quickly became Paramount Pictures' answer to Greta Garbo. Under the direction of the extravagantly meticulous Josef von Sternberg, she made a string of visually stunning films in which she smoldered, schemed, and generally outclassed everyone around her. Among them:

Morocco (1930), where she famously wore a tuxedo, kissed a woman, and single-handedly set back Hollywood gender norms by about a century.

Shanghai Express (1932), a gorgeously lit, ludicrously plotted film in which Dietrich’s main job was to be enigmatic and stunning, both of which she did exceptionally well.

The Scarlet Empress (1934), in which she played Catherine the Great with such dazzling excess that the set itself practically burst into flames out of sheer admiration.

By the late 1930s, Dietrich’s star had dimmed a little, and some Hollywood executives even labeled her “box office poison” (which, frankly, says more about their poor judgment than anything else). But then along came Destry Rides Again (1939), a Western comedy where Dietrich played a feisty saloon singer opposite Jimmy Stewart, proving that not only could she do comedy, but she could do it while starting a barroom brawl. This single-handedly resurrected her career and led to more films, including Seven Sinners (1940) and The Spoilers (1942), both of which leaned heavily on her newfound knack for playing a woman who looks like trouble but turns out to have a heart of gold.

After World War II—during which she had done the extraordinary by literally going to war zones to entertain the troops—Dietrich settled into a series of film roles that reinforced her legendary status. Billy Wilder cast her in A Foreign Affair (1948), where she played a sultry nightclub singer (because of course she did), and Alfred Hitchcock put her in Stage Fright (1950), where she got to be enigmatic and stunning all over again. Other highlights included:

Witness for the Prosecution (1957), where she did a staggering number of accent changes and dramatic double-crosses, leaving audiences deliciously confused and delighted.

Touch of Evil (1958), where she played opposite Orson Welles and delivered what is arguably the best closing line in cinema history: “He was some kind of a man.”

Judgment at Nuremberg (1961), in which she played a woman grappling with Germany’s wartime atrocities, a role that hit uncomfortably close to home.

By the 1960s, Dietrich was winding down her film career, though she still made memorable appearances in Paris When It Sizzles (1964) (blink and you’ll miss her) and Just a Gigolo (1978), which she apparently agreed to do because David Bowie asked nicely. Her very last on-screen appearance was in Marlene (1984), a documentary she agreed to participate in under one condition—she would not, under any circumstances, be filmed. Which is classic Dietrich, really.

Even after her film career ended, Dietrich remained an icon. She was the embodiment of glamour, cool sophistication, and effortless rebellion. In 1999, the American Film Institute ranked her as the ninth-greatest female star of classic Hollywood cinema—though if she were around to hear that, she’d probably roll her eyes and tell them they were late to the party.

LITERATURE A voracious reader, Dietrich had an impressive library and was particularly fond of German literature. She admired the works of Goethe and Thomas Mann and had a deep intellectual connection with author Erich Maria Remarque. She was also known to carry a copy of Rilke’s poetry with her wherever she went.

Her autobiography Nehmt nur mein Leben (Take Just My Life), was published in 1979

NATURE Though she was often associated with glamorous city life, Dietrich had a deep appreciation for nature. She loved flowers, particularly orchids and roses, and took pride in her knowledge of plants. While she was rarely seen engaging in outdoor activities, she enjoyed the serenity of gardens and often found inspiration in natural beauty.

PETS Dietrich had a great love for animals and often surrounded herself with pets, particularly dogs. She was known to be extremely affectionate with them, treating them as members of her family. At one point, she even had a pet lion cub, which she kept briefly before realizing it was not practical to raise such a creature in a city setting.

HOBBIES AND SPORTS She was an expert knitter and often knitted on film sets and during her travels. She also loved playing cards, particularly bridge, and was known to be quite competitive. 

Unlike many of her Hollywood peers, she had little interest in traditional sports but maintained a strict fitness regimen to keep her legendary figure. 

Defying conventional gender roles, Dietrich practiced boxing at Sabri Mahir's studio in Berlin in the late 1920s

SCIENCE AND MATHS Dietrich was an early adopter of technology. She was fascinated by engineering and mechanics, often surprising men with her knowledge of how things worked. During World War II, she toured with the USO and personally helped repair damaged military equipment, impressing soldiers with her technical skills.

PHILOSOPHY & THEOLOGY Dietrich was not religious in a traditional sense, though she often referenced moral codes of honor and duty. She had a strong belief in personal integrity and despised hypocrisy. Her philosophy in life was rooted in independence, self-reliance, and an unwavering commitment to justice, which influenced her political and personal decisions. She also admired existentialist thinkers and often read philosophical works.

POLITICS Dietrich was a staunch anti-fascist, which greatly shaped her public and private life. During the 1940s, she distanced herself from her German homeland, actively participating in the war effort alongside her Hollywood contemporaries. She openly opposed Adolf Hitler and rejected invitations to return to Nazi Germany as a national icon. Her political stance made her controversial in post-war Germany, where she was met with hostility by some for siding with the Allies.

SCANDAL Dietrich’s personal life was often a subject of scandal, particularly due to her many affairs with both men and women. Her rumored open marriage to Rudolph Sieber fueled speculation, as did her alleged relationships with figures like Jean Gabin, Erich Maria Remarque, and John F. Kennedy. In addition, her rejection of Nazi Germany and her embrace of American values led to accusations of betrayal from some German nationals.

MILITARY RECORD Dietrich’s contributions to World War II were extraordinary. She not only performed on multiple War Bond promotional tours but also traveled to active war zones, entertaining Allied troops on the front lines. She recorded a version of "Lili Marleen" in her native German, designed to demoralize enemy soldiers. Her tireless work for the troops earned her the Presidential Medal of Freedom, one of the highest civilian honors in the United States.

Dietrich with airmen of the 401st Bomb Group (September 29, 1944)

HEALTH AND PHYSICAL FITNESS Dietrich maintained a disciplined approach to her health and physique, which contributed to her legendary image. She followed strict beauty and diet regimens, avoided excessive drinking, and kept up with a demanding performance schedule well into her later years. However, in her final decades, she suffered from various ailments, including arthritis and kidney disease, which led her to live in seclusion.

HOMES Throughout her life, Dietrich resided in several glamorous locations. In Hollywood, she lived in a stylish estate that became a gathering place for intellectuals and artists. Later, she settled in Paris, where she spent her final years in near-complete isolation in a modest apartment on Avenue Montaigne.

TRAVEL Dietrich was a world traveler, performing across Europe, North America, and Asia during her concert tours. She traveled extensively during World War II, often under dangerous conditions, to entertain soldiers. Even in her later years, she maintained a fascination with different cultures and was known for carrying personal cooking ingredients wherever she went.

DEATH Marlene Dietrich died on May 6, 1992, at the age of 90. She passed away in her Paris apartment, where she had lived in relative seclusion for the last 12 years of her life. The exact cause of death was not specified, though some sources attributed it to renal failure and others to natural causes or old age

A solemn funeral service was held for Dietrich on May 14, 1992, at the Madeleine church in Paris. Her closed coffin, draped in the French flag and adorned with a simple bouquet of white wildflowers, rested beneath the altar. Three medals, including France's Legion of Honor, were displayed at the foot of the coffin in military style. The ceremony paid tribute to Dietrich's sense of duty, both in her career and her fight against Nazism. About 1,500 mourners attended the service inside the church, with thousands more outside.

Following Dietrich's wishes, her body was flown to Berlin on May 16, 1992, for burial. She was interred at the Städtischer Friedhof III cemetery in Berlin-Friedenau, next to her mother's grave. The burial was a relatively small affair, attended by about 50 mourners, including Dietrich's daughter, Maria Riva.

Her gravestone bears the inscription: "Hier steh ich an den Marken meiner Tage" ("Here I stand at the marks of my days"), a line from Theodor Körner’s sonnet Abschied vom Leben ("Farewell to Life").

APPEARANCES IN MEDIA Dietrich’s legacy endures through numerous portrayals in film, literature, and documentaries. She was the subject of the acclaimed documentary Marlene (1984), directed by Maximilian Schell, in which she refused to appear on camera but gave a candid audio interview. Her life has also been dramatized in books and television, cementing her place as one of the most fascinating icons of the 20th century.

ACHIEVEMENTS  International film star, acclaimed singer, fashion icon, and anti-Nazi activist. 

 Dietrich received numerous awards and honors, including an Academy Award nomination for Morocco.  

She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom for her service during World War II and received France’s Legion of Honour.

A cultural icon, her influence on fashion, film, and music remains immeasurable.

Source Women's History.org