GONE, BUT NOT FORGOTTEN - ZASU PITTS: A FUNNY, FLUSTERED FEMALE

Since the advent of cinema, many well-known actors have faded from the public eye due to the changes reflected in popular culture and the passing of time. Today, we are going to take a look at the life and career of one of these actors, ZaSu Pitts, by chronicling her journey through the entertainment industry. Please enjoy.





Full name: ZaSu Pitts / Occupation: Actress / Born: January 3, 1894, in Parsons, Kansas, USA / Died: June 7, 1963, in Los Angeles, California, USA (aged 69) / Years active: 1917 to 1963

What do we know about her life before she started her career? When she was five years old, ZaSu's father, Rulandus Pitts, tragically passed away. He lost his leg while fighting in the American Civil War and was unwell for quite some time. A few years later (circa 1903), his wife and ZaSu's mother, Nelly, decided to move her and her four children from where they lived in Parsons, Kansas, to Santa Cruz, California, which was where they eventually ran a boarding house. In Santa Cruz, ZaSu went to the local high school, Santa Cruz High School, and was first introduced to acting by participating in school plays.

How did she start her career? For financial reasons, ZaSu left home in 1916 and gradually traveled to Hollywood to become an actress. Her first role was as an editor's assistant in the silent short, 'Uneasy Money' (1917), and she continued to play similar, minor roles until she was discovered by a man from the casting office while on the set of the Mary Pickford classic, 'Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm' (1917). The man initially introduced ZaSu to the screenwriter, Frances Marion, who then managed to get ZaSu a role in Mary's next film, 'A Little Princess' (1917), which Frances was writing at the time.

What happened next? ZaSu's performance in 'A Little Princess' (1917) was praised by some of the critics and she went on to play a variety of different roles in many silent films. This included another film starring Mary Pickford, 'How Could You, Jean?' (1918), a drama directed by King Vidor, 'Better Times' (1919), and her first major role in a thriller directed by Erich von Stroheim, 'Greed' (1924). ZaSu also appeared in many sound films too, most notably, in a series of comedies produced by Hal Roach and starring the adorable actress, Thelma Todd, along with several other comedies with the clumsy comedian, Slim Summerville. From the 1930s onwards, ZaSu branched out and began working in radio and then TV, such as the radio show, 'Big Sister' (1936 to 1952), and the TV show, 'The Gale Storm Show: Oh! Susanna' (1956 to 1960).

What was she best known for? Even though she was praised by Erich von Stroheim for being a great dramatic actress, ZaSu Pitts was usually known for playing a very specific type of role. That being, a funny, flustered female, typically a spinster, who was good-hearted in nature and occasionally rather clumsy. She played this type of role in such films as 'Miss Polly' (1941) and 'Life with Father' (1947).

Was she married? Yes, she was married twice. From 1920 to 1933, ZaSu was married to the actor, Thomas Sarsfield Gallery, and then from 1933 until her death in 1963, she was married to the tennis player, John Edward Woodall. While she was with Thomas, the two of them had two children together. Their first was a girl named ZaSu Ann Gallery, whereas their second child was a boy named Donald Michael Gallery. Donald was adopted, though, because ZaSu knew his biological mother, the actress and screenwriter, Barbara La Marr, and she promised to look after him when Barbara tragically died in 1926 due to complications associated with tuberculosis and nephritis.

How did she pass away? ZaSu was diagnosed with cancer in the mid-1950s, and even though she continued to work for the next several years, she eventually succumbed to her illness.

Additional information:

• Her unusual name (pronounced 'Say Zoo') derived from her father's two sisters, Eliza and Susan, consisting of the last two and the first two letters from each respective name. 'Za' from Eliza and 'Su' from Susan.
• ZaSu first realized that she could be funny when she was chosen by her high school graduation class to recite the poem, 'The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere'. Despite being embarrassed when her initial attempts to read the poem in a melodramatic fashion were met with laughter, she was coaxed to finish it and found that making others laugh was the key to social acceptance.
• ZaSu Pitts and Stan Laurel's first wife, Lois Nelson, not only went to high school together, but years later, they also shared an apartment in Hollywood while they were both fledgling actresses.
• In 1944, ZaSu starred in the Broadway play, 'Ramshackle Inn', which was specifically written for her by the playwright, George Batson.
• According to the popular voice actress, Mae Questel, she based the fluttering utterances of the cartoon character, Olive Oyl, on ZaSu's on-screen persona.
• ZaSu was a fairly good cook and wrote a book full of candy recipes, entitled 'Candy Hits', which was published posthumously in 1963.
• Her last appearance on film was in the all-star comedy classic, 'It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World' (1963).

So, there you have it, folks, a quick look at the life and career of the actress, ZaSu Pitts. Out of curiosity, have you seen any of the films ZaSu starred in? And if you have, which one is your favorite and why? Either way, please feel free to leave your thoughts in the comment section below.