Marlene Dietrich
Known for: Acting
Marlene Dietrich (1901–1992) was a German-American actress and singer, widely regarded as one of the most iconic figures of classic Hollywood. She rose to fame in the 1930s with films like The Blue Angel, Shanghai Express, and Destry Rides Again, captivating audiences with her sultry voice, striking beauty, and androgynous style. Known for her ability to reinvent herself, Dietrich transitioned from film star to a celebrated cabaret performer, touring internationally for decades. Beyond her career, Dietrich was known for her progressive views and unconventional lifestyle. She openly defied gender norms, often wearing men's clothing both on and off-screen, which contributed to her enigmatic persona. Her personal life has long been the subject of speculation, particularly regarding her sexuality. While she was married to Rudolf Sieber, she was rumored to have had relationships with both men and women, including actresses Claudette Colbert and Mercedes de Acosta. Some sources suggest she was part of Hollywood’s so-called “sewing circle,” a network of women engaged in same-sex relationships. However, Dietrich never publicly confirmed these rumors, maintaining an air of mystery that only added to her legendary status. Her legacy continues to inspire discussions on gender, sexuality, and Hollywood’s golden age.
Filmography
Series
Tony Awards
Self - Recipient
1956
German Film Award
Self
1951
Film
Witness for the Prosecution
Christine
1957
Sternstunde Kunst
Self (archive footage)
1998
Film
Around the World in 80 Days
Saloon Hostess
1956
Film
Touch of Evil
Tana
1958
Film
Judgment at Nuremberg
Mrs. Bertholt
1961
Film
Paris When It Sizzles
Marlene Dietrich (uncredited)
1964
Film
The Blue Angel
Lola Lola
1930
Film
Stage Fright
Charlotte Inwood
1950
Film
Desire
Madeleine de Beaupré
1936
Film
Morocco
Mademoiselle Amy Jolly
1930
Film
The Spoilers
Cherry Malotte
1942
Film
That's Entertainment! III
(archive footage)
1994
Film
Rancho Notorious
Altar Keane
1952
Series
Das Jahrhundert des Theaters
Self (archive footage)
2002
Film
Shanghai Express
Shanghai Lily
1932
Film
The Scarlet Empress
Princess Sophia Frederica / Catherine II
1934
Film
Destry Rides Again
Frenchy
1939
Film
Seven Sinners
Bijou
1940
Film
Dishonored
Magda / X27
1931
Legenden
Self (archive footage)
1998
Film
The Monte Carlo Story
Maria de Crevecoeur
1956
Film
A Foreign Affair
Erika Von Schlüetow
1948
Film
Classic Movie Bloopers: Uncensored
Self (archive footage)
2013
Film
Becoming Cary Grant
Self (archive footage)
2017
Film
Blonde Venus
Helen Faraday, aka Helen Jones
1932
Das Jahrhundert des Kabaretts
Self (archive Footage)
2001
Film
Complicated Women
Self (archive footage)
2003
Film
The Flame of New Orleans
Countess Claire Ledoux, aka Lili
1941
Film
Manpower
Fay Duval
1941
Film
Angel
Lady Maria Barker, aka Angel
1937
Film
Kismet
Jamilla
1944
Film
No Highway in the Sky
Monica Teasdale
1951
Film
Triumph Over Violence
Self (archive footage)
1965
Film
Just a Gigolo
Baroness von Semering
1978
Film
The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies
Self (archive footage)
1995
Film
Marlene Dietrich: Her Own Song
Self (archive footage)
2002
Film
Breakdowns of 1942
Self
1942
Film
Follow the Boys
Marlene Dietrich
1944
Film
The Garden of Allah
Domini Enfilden
1936
Film
Cameraman: The Life and Work of Jack Cardiff
Countess Alexandra Vladinoff (archive footage)
2010
Series
The Century of Icons
Self (archive footage)
2022
Film
Marlene
Herself (Voice)
1984
Film
Going Hollywood: The '30s
Self (archive footage)
1984
Film
Vito
Self (archive)
2011
Film
Stardust: The Bette Davis Story
Self (archive footage)
2006
Film
Art of Love
Chichotte de Gastoné
1928
Film
The Song of Songs
Lily Czepanek
1933
Film
Marlene Dietrich: Home Movies
Herself
Film
Jigsaw
Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
1949
Film
Why Be Good?: Sexuality & Censorship in Early Cinema
Self (archive footage)
2007
Film
The Devil Is a Woman
Concha Perez
1935
Film
The Lady Is Willing
Elizabeth Madden
1942
Film
Mythos Côte d'Azur - Liebe, Luxus, Leidenschaft
2021
Film
The Tragedy of Love
Lucy
1923
Film
Martin Roumagnac
Blanche Ferrand
1946
Film
Knight Without Armour
Countess Alexandra Vladinoff
1937
Film
Pittsburgh
Josie 'Hunky' Winters
1942
Film
100 Years of the UFA
Self - Actress (archive footage)
2017
Film
Her Dancing Partner
Dancer (Extra)
1925
Film
Golden Earrings
Lydia
1947
Film
The Casting Couch
1995
Film
The Film Parade
(archive footage) (uncredited)
1933
Film
Show-Business at War
Self
1943
Film
The Woman One Longs For
Stascha
1929
Film
Rediscovering John Gilbert
Self (archive footage)
2010
Film
Leap Into Life
Mädchen
1924
I Wish You Love
Herself
1973
Film
Manon Lescaut
Micheline
1926
Film
His Greatest Bluff
Yvette
1927
Film
Marilyn Monroe: The Rise of an Icon
archive footage
2026
Film
Erich Maria Remarque und Marlene Dietrich - Flucht in die Liebe
Self (archive footage)
2025
Checking Out: Grand Hotel
Self (archive footage)
2004
Film
Man by the Roadside
Krämerstochter
1923
Film
Beautiful Like a Poem
Self (archive footage)
2020
Film
The Fashion Side of Hollywood
Self
1935
Film
The Great Yiddish Love
(archive footage)
2002
Film
Hitchcock and 'Stage Fright'
Self (archive footage)
2004
Film
Coisa Mais Linda - Histórias e Casos da Bossa Nova
Self (archive footage)
2005
Film
Dangers of the Engagement Period
Evelyne
1930
Nylon Blues: A History of the Nylon Stocking
(archive footage)
1991
Film
The Imaginary Baron
Sophie
1927
Film
Black Fox: The Rise and Fall of Adolf Hitler
Narrator (voice)
1962
Film
The Ship of Lost Men
Ethel Marley
1929
Film
No Angel: A Life of Marlene Dietrich
1996
Film
Maria Callas: The Final Act
Self (archive photo)
2024
Film
The Countess of Paris
Lucie
1923
A Modern Dubarry
Kokotte
1927
Film
Normandie ne partira pas ce soir
2021
Film
The Meeting of Two Queens
(archive footage)
1991
Heads Up, Charley
Edmée Marchand
1927
Film
Marlene Dietrich, “The Blue Angel” Screen Test
1930
Film
Cafe Electric
Erni Göttlinger - ein flatterhaftes Mädchen
1927
Film
I Kiss Your Hand, Madame
Laurence Gerard / Lucille
1929
Film
Ettan gästar: Marlene Dietrich
Interviewee, herself
1971
Im Schatten des Glücks
(unconfirmed)
1919
Bodies and Spaces, Fabric and Light
(archive footage)
2018