Martha Sleeper
| Martha Sleeper | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
Martha Marie Sleeper June 24, 1910 Lake Bluff, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | March 25, 1983 (aged 72) Beaufort, South Carolina, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Heart Attack |
| Occupation | Actress - businesswoman |
| Years active | 1923–1945 |
| Spouse(s) |
Hardie Albright (1934-1940; divorced) Harry Deutschbein (1944-195?; divorced) Col. Howard C. Stelling (1969-1983; her death) |
Hardie Albright (1934-1940; divorced)
Harry Deutschbein (1944-195?; divorced)
Martha Sleeper (June 24, 1910 – March 25, 1983) was a film actress of the 1920s-1930s and, later, a Broadway stage actress. She studied dancing for five years with Russian ballet master, Louis H. Chalif, at his New York dancing studio. Her first public exhibitions were at Carnegie Hall at his class exhibitions.
Martha Sleeper reputedly spent her first years on a sheep ranch in Wyoming. Her father, William B. Sleeper, was an official of the Keith-Albee-Orpheum vaudeville circuit in New York City. Her uncle was John J. Murdock, head of KAO and one of the most powerful men in the business. He would have a major impact on her career. Her mother was Minnie Akass. He retired to Los Angeles, California in 1923 because of ill health. Martha was under contract to Hal Roach studios beginning in 1924, when she was 14 years old. Her father was found dead of heart disease on September 1, 1925, in bed at his home on 1756 N. Tamarind Street. Martha, then 15 years old, with her mother and sister, were away, having taken a short trip to New York City.
Some sources indicate that Martha, in 1926, aged 16, wrote and published a book "Hollywood Be Thy Name". This may have been a studio publicity stunt as there is no verification that this book was ever published.
Martha Sleeper's film career began in 1923 and continued until 1945. Her first screen appearance, at the age of 13, was in "The Mailman (1923), an independent production. After appearing in several Buddy Messinger kiddie comedies at the Christie studio she was signed by the Hal Roach studio for the 'Our Gang" series but she quickly outgrew that role. During the period 1925-1927 she was a very busy actress appearing in many comedies playing opposite the studio's most popular male stars even though she was still an underage teen. Her best films during her Roach studio days were domestic comedies where she played either the feminine lead to Charley Chase or she played Max Davidson's daughter. Wanting to move into feature films, and wanting to play more dramatic roles, she left the Roach studio in late 1927 and moved to the FBO studio where she starred in six silent features during 1928-1929. With the coming of sound she was signed by MGM and placed in their training program. From 1930-1936 she played supporting roles in many melodramas her role typically that of a well bred somewhat snobbish society woman who ends up losing her man to the film's leading lady. Frustrated by the types of roles she was being offered Martha began playing live stage roles in and about Los Angeles, at one point drawing raves as Eliza Doolittle in a performance of "Pygmalion" in 1932. After appearing in some low budget melodramas for the poverty row Monogram studio Martha and her husband, actor Hardie Albright, left Hollywood for New York in 1936 where Martha began a long run in both on and off-Broadway plays. In 1945, as a favor to director Leo McCarey, Martha played the role of Patsy's mother in "The Bells of St. Mary's". It was Martha's final screen role.
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