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marlene dietrichEnlarge Marlene Dietrich (1901-1992)

Marlene Dietrich possessed no extraordinary gifts as either an actress or a singer. Yet there was an alluring elegance in her mannerisms and husky voice that created a compelling presence and made her one of the entertainment world's more enduring legends. The German-born Dietrich began her rise to celebrity in America in 1930 when she bowled audiences over wither performances in the movies, Morocco and The Blue Angel. Within six years she had come the highest salaried actress in Hollywood, known far and wide for her "worldly sexuality . . . and orchid-like glamour."

Dietrich aged well and was quite successful as a cabaret singer. As she grew older, she became known as "the world's most glamorous grandmother."

This Danish poster was made to promote The Scarlet Empress in which Dietrich played Russia's Catherine the Great.



W. Palle (active circa 1930-1945)
Color lithograph, 1934
National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution

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