Dorothy Appleby
Encyclopedia
Dorothy Appleby was an American film actress. She appeared in over 50 films between 1931 and 1943.
) towered over her. She soon found steady if not prestigious work in Columbia Pictures
' two-reel comedies. She appeared frequently with The Three Stooges, who were only a few inches taller than she was, and in 1940 she became Buster Keaton
's leading lady, for the same reason: her height complemented his. She also worked with Columbia comics Andy Clyde
, El Brendel
, and Hugh Herbert
.
Some of her Stooge comedies were Loco Boy Makes Good
, So Long Mr. Chumps
, and In the Sweet Pie and Pie
. One memorable appearance was as Mexican
brunette Rosita in 1940's Cookoo Cavaliers
. In the film, Appleby gets clobbered by the Stooges when a facial
"mud pack" made of cement
dries on her face.
Her petite figure belied her age, and she continued to play "younger" roles into the 1940s. One of her last screen roles was a one-line bit (playing a college co-ed at age 35) in the 1941 Jane Withers
feature Small Town Deb.
soon thereafter. They remained married until her passing on August 9, 1990.
Career
Appleby was seen in many supporting roles, almost always in short subjects or low-budget feature films. She never progressed to leading roles in important pictures because of her height, which made her difficult to cast. The trim brunette stood just over five feet tall, and her early leading men (like comedian Charley ChaseCharley Chase
Charley Chase was an American comedian, actor, screenwriter and film director, best known for his work in Hal Roach short film comedies...
) towered over her. She soon found steady if not prestigious work in Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production and distribution company. Columbia Pictures now forms part of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. It is one of the leading film companies...
' two-reel comedies. She appeared frequently with The Three Stooges, who were only a few inches taller than she was, and in 1940 she became Buster Keaton
Buster Keaton
Joseph Frank "Buster" Keaton was an American comic actor, filmmaker, producer and writer. He was best known for his silent films, in which his trademark was physical comedy with a consistently stoic, deadpan expression, earning him the nickname "The Great Stone Face".Keaton was recognized as the...
's leading lady, for the same reason: her height complemented his. She also worked with Columbia comics Andy Clyde
Andy Clyde
Andy Clyde was a Scottish movie and TV actor whose career spanned more than four decades. He broke into silent films in 1925 as a Mack Sennett comic...
, El Brendel
El Brendel
El Brendel was a vaudeville comedian turned movie star, best remembered for his dialect schtick as a Swedish immigrant. His biggest role was as "Single-0" in the sci-fi musical Just Imagine , produced by Fox Film Corporation...
, and Hugh Herbert
Hugh Herbert
Hugh Herbert was a motion picture comedian. He began his career in vaudeville, and wrote more than 150 plays and sketches.-Career:...
.
Some of her Stooge comedies were Loco Boy Makes Good
Loco Boy Makes Good
Loco Boy Makes Good is the 60th short subject starring American slapstick comedy team the Three Stooges. The trio made a total of 190 shorts for Columbia Pictures between 1934 and 1959.- Plot :...
, So Long Mr. Chumps
So Long Mr. Chumps
So Long Mr. Chumps is the 53rd short subject starring American slapstick comedy team the Three Stooges. The trio made a total of 190 shorts for Columbia Pictures between 1934 and 1959.-Plot:...
, and In the Sweet Pie and Pie
In the Sweet Pie and Pie
In the Sweet Pie and Pie is the 58th short subject starring American slapstick comedy team the Three Stooges. The trio made a total of 190 shorts for Columbia Pictures between 1934 and 1959.-Plot:...
. One memorable appearance was as Mexican
Mexican people
Mexican people refers to all persons from Mexico, a multiethnic country in North America, and/or who identify with the Mexican cultural and/or national identity....
brunette Rosita in 1940's Cookoo Cavaliers
Cookoo Cavaliers
Cookoo Cavaliers is the 51st short subject starring American slapstick comedy team the Three Stooges. The trio made a total of 190 shorts for Columbia Pictures between 1934 and 1959.-Plot:...
. In the film, Appleby gets clobbered by the Stooges when a facial
Facial
A facial is a procedure involving a variety of skin treatments, including: steam, exfoliation, extraction, creams, lotions, facial masks, peels, and massage...
"mud pack" made of cement
Cement
In the most general sense of the word, a cement is a binder, a substance that sets and hardens independently, and can bind other materials together. The word "cement" traces to the Romans, who used the term opus caementicium to describe masonry resembling modern concrete that was made from crushed...
dries on her face.
Jane Withers
Jane Withers is an American actress best known for being one of the most popular child film stars of the 1930s and early 1940s, as well as for her portrayal of "Josephine the Plumber" in a series of TV commercials for Comet cleanser in the 1960s and early 1970s.-Biography:Withers began her career...
feature Small Town Deb.
Personal and death
Appleby left Hollywood in 1943 and married musician Paul DrakePaul Drake
Paul Drake was the private detective in the Perry Mason series of murder mystery novels by Erle Stanley Gardner. Drake was described as tall and slouching, frequently wearing an expression of droll humor...
soon thereafter. They remained married until her passing on August 9, 1990.
Selected filmography
- Under 18Under 18Under 18 is a romantic drama film starring Marian Marsh, Anita Page, Regis Toomey, and Warren William. It is based on the short story "Sky Life" by Frank Mitchell Dazey and Agnes Christine Johnston...
(1931) - As the Earth Turns (1934)
- I Give My Love (1934)
- Charlie Chan in ParisCharlie Chan in ParisCharlie Chan in Paris is the seventh film produced by Fox with Warner Oland as Charlie Chan.-Plot:Chan is on his way back from completing the London case -- they always mentioned the previous case -- to go on "vacation" to Paris, but this is just a way to make people think that heis innocently there...
(1935) - RiffraffRiffraff (1936 film)Riffraff is a 1936 film starring Jean Harlow and Spencer Tracy. The movie was written by Frances Marion, Anita Loos, and H. W. Hannaford, and directed by J. Walter Ruben.-Plot:...
(1936) - Nothing but Pleasure (1940)
- Rockin' Thru the RockiesRockin' thru the RockiesRockin' thru the Rockies is the 45th short subject starring American slapstick comedy team the Three Stooges. The trio made a total of 190 shorts for Columbia Pictures between 1934 and 1959.-Plot:...
(1940) - From Nurse to WorseFrom Nurse to Worse (1940 film)From Nurse To Worse is the 49th short subject starring American slapstick comedy team the Three Stooges. The trio made a total of 190 shorts for Columbia Pictures between 1934 and 1959.- Plot :...
(1940) (uncredited) - The Spook Speaks (1940)
- Cookoo CavaliersCookoo CavaliersCookoo Cavaliers is the 51st short subject starring American slapstick comedy team the Three Stooges. The trio made a total of 190 shorts for Columbia Pictures between 1934 and 1959.-Plot:...
(1940) (uncredited) - High Sierra (1941) (uncredited)
- So Long Mr. ChumpsSo Long Mr. ChumpsSo Long Mr. Chumps is the 53rd short subject starring American slapstick comedy team the Three Stooges. The trio made a total of 190 shorts for Columbia Pictures between 1934 and 1959.-Plot:...
(1941) (uncredited) - ManpowerManpower (1941 film)Manpower is a 1941 film about power company linemen starring Edward G. Robinson, Marlene Dietrich, and George Raft. The memorable posters for the movie proclaimed, "Robinson - He's mad about Dietrich. Dietrich - She's mad about Raft...
(1941) - In the Sweet Pie and PieIn the Sweet Pie and PieIn the Sweet Pie and Pie is the 58th short subject starring American slapstick comedy team the Three Stooges. The trio made a total of 190 shorts for Columbia Pictures between 1934 and 1959.-Plot:...
(1941) - Loco Boy Makes GoodLoco Boy Makes GoodLoco Boy Makes Good is the 60th short subject starring American slapstick comedy team the Three Stooges. The trio made a total of 190 shorts for Columbia Pictures between 1934 and 1959.- Plot :...
(1942) - What's the Matador?What's the Matador?What's the Matador? is the 62nd short subject starring American slapstick comedy team the Three Stooges. The trio made a total of 190 shorts for Columbia Pictures between 1934 and 1959.- Plot :...
(1942)
External links
- Dorothy Appleby at threestooges.net