Dorothea Sally Eilers (December 11, 1908 – January 5, 1978) was an American actress.

Early life

Eilers was born in New York City to a Jewish-American mother, Paula (or Pauline) Schoenberger, and a German-American father, Hio Peter Eilers (an inventor). She had one sibling, a brother, Hio Peter Eilers Jr. When Eilers was young, she moved to Los Angeles with her parents, and in 1927 she graduated from Fairfax High School.

Career

She made her film debut in 1927 in ''

The Red Mill ''The Red Mill'' is an operetta written by Victor Herbert, with a libretto by Henry Blossom. The farcical story concerns two American vaudevillians who wreak havoc at an inn in Holland, interfering with two marriages; but all ends well. The musica ...

'', directed by

Roscoe Arbuckle Roscoe Conkling "Fatty" Arbuckle (; March 24, 1887 – June 29, 1933) was an American silent film actor, comedian, director, and screenwriter. He started at the Selig Polyscope Company and eventually moved to Keystone Studios, where he worked ...

. After several minor roles as an extra, in 1927–1928 she found work with

Mack Sennett Mack Sennett (born Michael Sinnott; January 17, 1880 – November 5, 1960) was a Canadian-American film actor, director, and producer, and studio head, known as the 'King of Comedy'. Born in Danville, Quebec, in 1880, he started in films in the ...

as one of his "flaming youth" comedians in several comedy short subjects, along with Carole Lombard, who had been a school friend. In 1928, she was voted as one of the

WAMPAS Baby Stars The WAMPAS Baby Stars was a promotional campaign sponsored by the United States Western Association of Motion Picture Advertisers, which honored 13 (15 in 1932) young actresses each year whom they believed to be on the threshold of movie stardom. ...

, a yearly list of young actresses selected by publicity people in the film business, with selection based on the actresses' having "shown the most promise during the past 12 months." Eilers was a popular figure in early-1930s Hollywood, known for her high spirits and vivacity. Her films were mostly comedies and crime melodramas such as '' Quick Millions'' (1931) with

Spencer Tracy Spencer Bonaventure Tracy (April 5, 1900 – June 10, 1967) was an American actor. He was known for his natural performing style and versatility. One of the major stars of Hollywood's Golden Age, Tracy was the first actor to win two cons ...

and

George Raft George Raft (born George Ranft; September 26, 1901 – November 24, 1980) was an American film actor and dancer identified with portrayals of gangsters in crime melodramas of the 1930s and 1940s. A stylish leading man in dozens of movies, Raft is ...

. By the end of the decade, her popularity had waned, and her subsequent film appearances were few. She made her final film appearance in ''Stage to Tucson'' (1950).

Personal life

Sally Eilers and Hoot Gibson, 1951 (cropped)

She was married four times, beginning with Western actor

Hoot Gibson Edmund Richard "Hoot" Gibson (August 6, 1892 – August 23, 1962) was an American rodeo champion, film actor, film director, and producer. While acting and stunt work began as a sideline to Gibson's focus on rodeo, he successfully transitione ...

. She and her second husband,

Harry Joe Brown Harry Joe Brown (September 22, 1890 – April 28, 1972) was an American film producer, and earlier a theatre and film director. Biography Harry Joe Brown was born in 1890 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. As a producer, he had a partnership wit ...

, had one child, a son, Harry Joe Brown Jr. (1934–2006). She lived in a mansion in

Beverly Hills, California Beverly Hills is a city located in Los Angeles County, California. A notable and historic suburb of Greater Los Angeles, it is in a wealthy area immediately southwest of the Hollywood Hills, approximately northwest of downtown Los Angeles. B ...

Victoria Talbot, 'Beverly Hills Cultural Heritage Commission Splits 2 To 2 on Mountain Drive Landmark Vote', ''The Beverly Hills Courier'', October 3, 2014, Vol. XXXXVIIII, No. 39, p. 4 designed by architect Paul R. Williams. Eilers was a

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...

who supported Adlai Stevenson's campaign during the 1952 presidential election. Like her mother, Eilers adhered to

Judaism Judaism ( he, ''Yahăḏūṯ'') is an Abrahamic, monotheistic, and ethnic religion comprising the collective religious, cultural, and legal tradition and civilization of the Jewish people. It has its roots as an organized religion in the ...

Death

During her final years, Eilers suffered poor health, and died from a

heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which may tr ...

on January 5, 1978, in

Woodland Hills, California Woodland Hills is a neighborhood bordering the Santa Monica Mountains in the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles, California. Geography Woodland Hills is in the southwestern region of the San Fernando Valley, which is located east of Ca ...

, at the age of 69. She was cremated and her remains were interred in a small niche in the Freedom Mausoleum, Columbarium of Understanding, Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery, Glendale, California.''Celebrities in Los Angeles Cemeteries''
/ref>

Partial filmography

* ''

'' (1927) (uncredited) * '' Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans'' (1927) * ''

Paid to Love Paid or PAID may refer to: * ''Paid'' (1930 film), an American film starring Joan Crawford * ''Paid'' (2006 film), a Dutch film *''Personality and Individual Differences'', a journal See also * Paide, the capital of Järva County, Estonia * P ...

'' (1927) * ''

The Cradle Snatchers ''Cradle Snatchers'' is a 1927 American silent comedy film directed by Howard Hawks. The picture is based on the 1925 Russell Medcraft and Norma Mitchell stage play of the same name that starred Mary Boland, Edna May Oliver, Raymond Hackett, ...

'' (1927) * ''

The Campus Vamp ''The Campus Vamp'' is a 1928 American silent comedy short starring Daphne Pollard and Johnny Burke. "This early Mack Sennett comedy features a young Carole Lombard as well as the early two color Technicolor film" for a beach sequence that incl ...

'' (1928) (short subject) * '' Fazil'' (1928) * ''

The Good-Bye Kiss ''The Good-Bye Kiss'' is a 1928 American silent comedy film directed by Mack Sennett and written by Jefferson Moffitt, Mack Sennett and Carl Harbaugh. The film stars Johnny Burke, Sally Eilers, Matty Kemp, Wheeler Oakman, Irving Bacon and Lione ...

'' (1928) * '' The Crowd'' (1928) * ''

Dry Martini The martini is a cocktail made with gin and vermouth, and garnished with an olive or a lemon twist. Over the years, the martini has become one of the best-known mixed alcoholic beverages. A popular variation, the vodka martini, uses vodka in ...

'' (1928) * ''

Broadway Babies ''Broadway Babies'', aka ''Broadway Daddies'' (UK) and ''Ragazze d'America'' (Italy), is a 1929 talkie, all-talking Pre-Code Hollywood, Pre-Code black and white American musical film produced and distributed by First National Pictures, a subsidi ...

'' (1929) * ''

Weary River ''Weary River'' is a 1929 American romantic drama film directed by Frank Lloyd and starring Richard Barthelmess, Betty Compson, and William Holden (no relation to William Holden, star of such films as ''Sunset Boulevard''). Produced and distri ...

'' (1929) * '' Sailor's Holiday'' (1929) * '' The Long Long Trail'' (1929) * ''

The Show of Shows ''The Show of Shows'' is a 1929 American pre-Code musical revue film directed by John G. Adolfi and distributed by Warner Bros. The all-talking Vitaphone production cost $850,000 and was shot almost entirely in Technicolor. ''The Show of Sho ...

'' (1929) * '' She Couldn't Say No'' (1930) * ''

Let Us Be Gay ''Let Us Be Gay'' is a 1930 American pre-Code romantic comedy-drama film produced and distributed by MGM. It was directed by Robert Z. Leonard and stars Norma Shearer. It was filmed concurrently with and based upon the 1929 play by Rachel Croth ...

'' (1930) * ''

Doughboys Doughboy was a popular nickname for the American Infantry, infantryman World War I#Entry of the United States, during World War I. Though the origins of the term are not certain, the nickname was still in use as of the early 1940s. Examples inclu ...

'' (1930) * '' Trigger Tricks'' (1930) * ''

Roaring Ranch ''Roaring Ranch'' is a 1930 American pre-Code Western film written and directed by B. Reeves Eason. The film stars Hoot Gibson, and it was released on April 27, 1930, by Universal Pictures. Cast *Hoot Gibson as Jim Dailey * Frank Clark as To ...

'' (1930) * '' Clearing the Range'' (1931) * '' Parlor, Bedroom and Bath'' (1931) * '' Quick Millions'' (1931) * ''

The Black Camel ''The Black Camel'' (1929) is the fourth of the Charlie Chan novels by Earl Derr Biggers. Plot summary It tells the story of a Hollywood star (Shelah Fane), who is stopping in Hawaii after she finished shooting a film on location in Tahiti. ...

'' (1931) * ''

A Holy Terror ''A Holy Terror'' is a 1931 American pre-Code Western movie starring George O'Brien, Sally Eilers, Rita La Roy, and Humphrey Bogart. The film is an adaptation by Ralph Block, Alfred A. Cohn, and Myron C. Fagan of the novel ''Trailin'!'' by M ...

'' (1931) * '' Over the Hill'' (1931) * '' Reducing'' (1931) * '' Bad Girl'' (1931) * ''

Disorderly Conduct Disorderly conduct is a crime in most jurisdictions in the United States, the People's Republic of China, and Taiwan. Typically, "disorderly conduct" makes it a crime to be drunk in public, to " disturb the peace", or to loiter in certain are ...

'' (1932) * '' Hat Check Girl'' (1932) * ''

Hold Me Tight "Hold Me Tight" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1963 album ''With the Beatles''. It was first recorded during the '' Please Please Me'' album session, but not selected for inclusion and re-recorded for their second albu ...

'' (1933) * ''

Made on Broadway ''Made on Broadway'' is a 1933 American Pre-Code Hollywood, pre-Code comedy film directed by Harry Beaumont and written by Courtney Terrett. The film stars Robert Montgomery (actor), Robert Montgomery, Sally Eilers, Madge Evans, Eugene Pallette, ...

'' (1933) * ''

Sailor's Luck ''Sailor's Luck'' is a 1933 American pre-Code romantic comedy film directed by Raoul Walsh for Fox Film Corporation. It stars James Dunn, Sally Eilers, Victor Jory, and Frank Moran. The plot has a sailor on shore leave falling for a nice gir ...

'' (1933) * ''

Second Hand Wife ''Second Hand Wife'' is a 1933 American pre-Code drama film written and directed by Hamilton MacFadden. The film stars Sally Eilers, Helen Vinson, Ralph Bellamy, and Victor Jory. The film was released on January 8, 1933 by Fox Film Corporation ...

'' (1933) * '' Central Airport'' (1933) * ''

State Fair A state fair is an annual competitive and recreational gathering of a U.S. state's population, usually held in late summer or early fall. It is a larger version of a county fair, often including only exhibits or competitors that have won in th ...

'' (1933) * ''

Walls of Gold ''Walls of Gold'' is a 1933 American Pre-Code drama film directed by Kenneth MacKenna and starring Sally Eilers, Norman Foster, and Ralph Morgan.Goble p.1009 Plot Cast * Sally Eilers as Jeanie Satterlee Ritchie * Norman Foster as Barnes Rit ...

'' (1933) * ''

She Made Her Bed ''She Made Her Bed'' is a 1934 American pre-Code romantic drama film directed by Ralph Murphy and written by James M. Cain, Casey Robinson and Frank R. Adams. The film stars Richard Arlen, Sally Eilers, Robert Armstrong (actor), Robert Armstrong, ...

'' (1934) * '' Three on a Honeymoon'' (1934) * ''

I Spy I spy is a guessing game where one player (the ''spy'' or ''it'') chooses an object within sight and announces to the other players that "I spy with my little eye something beginning with...", naming the first letter of the object. Other players a ...

'' (1934) * '' Pursuit'' (1935) * ''

Alias Mary Dow ''Alias Mary Dow'' is a 1935 American drama film directed by Kurt Neumann and starring Sally Eilers, Ray Milland and Henry O'Neill.Quinlan p.331 The film's sets were designed by the art director Ralph Berger. Premise In order to comfort his dy ...

'' (1935) * ''

Carnival Carnival is a Catholic Christian festive season that occurs before the liturgical season of Lent. The main events typically occur during February or early March, during the period historically known as Shrovetide (or Pre-Lent). Carnival typi ...

'' (1935) * '' Remember Last Night?'' (1935) * '' Don't Get Personal'' (1936) * ''

Florida Special ''Florida Special'' is a 1936 American comedy film directed by Ralph Murphy and written by David Boehm, Marguerite Roberts, Laura Perelman and S. J. Perelman. The film stars Jack Oakie, Sally Eilers, Kent Taylor, Frances Drake, Claude Gilling ...

'' (1936) * ''

Talk of the Devil ''Talk of the Devil'' is a 1936 British crime film directed by Carol Reed and starring Ricardo Cortez, Sally Eilers and Basil Sydney. Reed had previously been working for Ealing Studios, but he made the film for the independent producer Herb ...

'' (1936) (British) * ''

Without Orders ''Without Orders'' is a 1936 American drama film directed by Lew Landers and starring Sally Eilers, Robert Armstrong, Frances Sage, Charley Grapewin and Vinton Haworth. It was produced by RKO Radio Pictures, who released the picture on October 2 ...

'' (1936) * '' Strike Me Pink'' (1936) * ''

Danger Patrol ''Danger Patrol'' is a 1937 American drama film directed by Lew Landers from a screenplay by Sy Bartlett based on a story by Helen Vreeland and Hilda Vincent. Produced and distributed by RKO Radio Pictures, it was released on December 3, 1937 ...

'' (1937) * ''

We Have Our Moments ''We Have Our Moments'' is a 1937 American comedy mystery film directed by Alfred L. Werker and starring Sally Eilers, James Dunn and Mischa Auer Mischa Auer (born Mikhail Semyonovich Unkovsky (Михаил Семёнович Унковск� ...

'' (1937) * ''

Lady Behave! ''Lady Behave!'' is a 1938 American film directed by Lloyd Corrigan. The sophisticated comedy was released by Republic Pictures. Plot Prior to leaving for Haiti, two sisters and their godfather/legal advisor are having a holiday in New Orl ...

'' (1937) * '' Tarnished Angel'' (1938) * ''

Condemned Women ''Condemned Women'' is a 1938 American drama film directed by Lew Landers and written by Lionel Houser. The film stars Sally Eilers, Louis Hayward, Anne Shirley, Esther Dale and Lee Patrick. The film was released on March 18, 1938. Plot Linda W ...

'' (1938) * '' Everybody's Doing It'' (1938) * ''

The Nurse from Brooklyn ''The Nurse from Brooklyn'' is a 1938 American drama film, directed by S. Sylvan Simon for Universal Pictures. It stars Sally Eilers, Paul Kelly, and Larry J. Blake. Cast * Sally Eilers as Elizabeth Thomas * Paul Kelly as Jim Barnes * Larry J. ...

'' (1938) * ''

Full Confession ''Full Confession'' is a 1939 is a US proto film-noir, crime drama film made by RKO Radio Pictures. It was directed by John Farrow from an adaptation by Jerome Cady of Leo Birinski's story. The film stars Victor McLaglen, Sally Eilers, Barry Fit ...

'' (1939) * ''

They Made Her a Spy ''They Made Her a Spy'' is a 1939 American spy drama film produced and distributed by RKO Radio Pictures. It was the first film directed by Jack Hively, who after toiling as an editor for RKO for the prior five years, was given the opportunity ...

'' (1939) * ''

I Was a Prisoner on Devil's Island ''I Was a Prisoner on Devil's Island'' is a 1941 American crime film directed by Lew Landers and written by Karl Brown (cinematographer), Karl Brown. The film stars Sally Eilers, Donald Woods (actor), Donald Woods, Eduardo Ciannelli, Victor Kilia ...

'' (1941) * ''First Aid '' (1943) (short subject) * ''

A Wave, a WAC and a Marine ''A WAVE, a WAC and a Marine'' is an American 1944 musical comedy film directed by Phil Karlson (in his directorial debut) for low-budget Monogram Pictures. Plot Sally Eilers runs a talent agency and sets out to put a couple of Broadway stars u ...

'' (1944) * ''

Strange Illusion ''Strange Illusion'' is a 1945 film noir version of Hamlet, envisioned as a modern crime film. It was directed by Edgar G. Ulmer and starred Jimmy Lydon, Warren William and Sally Eilers. According to noir historian Spencer Selby the film is "a st ...

'' (1945) * ''

Coroner Creek ''Coroner Creek'' is a 1948 American Western film directed by Ray Enright and starring Randolph Scott and Marguerite Chapman. It was based on the novel of the same name by Luke Short. Plot After his fiancée is abducted from a stagecoach and ...

'' (1948)

References

External links

*
Photographs of Sally Eilers
{{DEFAULTSORT:Eilers, Sally 1908 births 1978 deaths Actresses from New York City People from Beverly Hills, California American film actresses American silent film actresses American people of German descent 20th-century American actresses Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale) New York (state) Democrats California Democrats Jewish American actresses WAMPAS Baby Stars Fairfax High School (Los Angeles) alumni 20th-century American Jews