Sally Eilers
Encyclopedia
Life and career
Born as Dorothea Sally Eilers in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to a Jewish-American mother, Paula, and an Irish-American father, Peter Eilers, (who was an inventor). She was educated in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
and went into films because so many of her friends were in pictures. She studied for the stage, specialising in dancing. Her first try was a failure so she tried typing but then went back into pictures and succeeded.
She made her film debut in 1927 in The Red Mill
The Red Mill (film)
The Red Mill is a 1927 comedy film directed by Fatty Arbuckle and written by Frances Marion. The film never had a VHS release, though it aired on the network channel Turner Classic MoviesTCM on January 3, 2008, which was the birthday of leading role actress Marion Davies...
, directed by Roscoe Arbuckle. After several minor roles as an extra, she found work with Mack Sennett
Mack Sennett
Mack Sennett was a Canadian-born American director and was known as the innovator of slapstick comedy in film. During his lifetime he was known at times as the "King of Comedy"...
as one of his Sennett Bathing Beauties in several comedy short subjects, along with Carole Lombard
Carole Lombard
Carole Lombard was an American actress. She was particularly noted for her comedic roles in the screwball comedies of the 1930s...
, who had been a school friend. In 1928 she was voted as one of the WAMPAS Baby Stars
WAMPAS Baby Stars
The WAMPAS Baby Stars was a promotional campaign sponsored by the Western Association of Motion Picture Advertisers in the United States which honored thirteen young women each year whom they believed to be on the threshold of movie stardom. They were selected from 1922 to 1934, and annual...
, a yearly list of young actresses nominated by exhibitors based on their box-office appeal.
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
Quick Millions
Quick Millions is a 1931 Pre-Code crime film directed by Rowland Brown. The film involves a truck driver and the wealthy woman that he covets, and also features George Raft and Leon Ames in supporting roles.-Cast:...
(1931) with Spencer Tracy
Spencer Tracy
Spencer Bonaventure Tracy was an American theatrical and film actor, who appeared in 75 films from 1930 to 1967. Tracy was one of the major stars of Hollywood's Golden Age, ranking among the top ten box office draws for almost every year from 1938 to 1951...
and George Raft
George Raft
George Raft was an American film actor and dancer identified with portrayals of gangsters in crime melodramas of the 1930s and 1940s...
. She was married for a short time to Hoot Gibson
Hoot Gibson
Hoot Gibson was an American rodeo champion and a pioneer cowboy film actor, director and producer.-Early life and career:...
, though the marriage ended in divorce in 1933.
By the end of the decade her popularity had waned, and her subsequent film appearances were few. She made her final film appearance in 1950.
Death
During her final years, Eilers suffered poor health, and died from a heart attackMyocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
in Woodland Hills, California, at the age of 69.
Selected filmography
- The Red MillThe Red Mill (film)The Red Mill is a 1927 comedy film directed by Fatty Arbuckle and written by Frances Marion. The film never had a VHS release, though it aired on the network channel Turner Classic MoviesTCM on January 3, 2008, which was the birthday of leading role actress Marion Davies...
(1927) - The Show of ShowsThe Show of Shows (film)The Show of Shows is a lavish all talking Vitaphone musical revue film which cost $850,000 to make. The Show of Shows was Warner Bros. fifth color movie, the first four were The Desert Song , On With the Show , Gold Diggers of Broadway and Paris . This movie featured most of the contemporary...
(1929) - She Couldn't Say NoShe Couldn't Say No (1930 film)She Couldn't Say No is a musical drama that stars Winnie Lightner, fresh from her success in Gold Diggers of Broadway . It was adapted from a play by Benjamin M. Kaye...
(1930) - Parlor, Bedroom and BathParlor, Bedroom and BathParlor, Bedroom and Bath is a comedy film starring Buster Keaton, released by Metro-Goldwyn Mayer in 1931. It was one of Keaton's early talking pictures, released in the aftermath of his silent career. The film was released in the United Kingdom as Romeo in Pyjamas...
(1931) - Quick MillionsQuick MillionsQuick Millions is a 1931 Pre-Code crime film directed by Rowland Brown. The film involves a truck driver and the wealthy woman that he covets, and also features George Raft and Leon Ames in supporting roles.-Cast:...
(1931) - The Black CamelThe Black Camel (film)The Black Camel is a 1931 mystery film, the second starring Warner Oland as the detective Charlie Chan and the sole survivor of the first five Oland/Chan films. It was based on the novel of the same name by Earl Derr Biggers...
(1931) - Bad Girl (1931)
- Central AirportCentral Airport (film)Central Airport is a 1933 film starring Richard Barthelmess and Sally Eilers. John Wayne had an unbilled part, as a co-pilot, and this film features his first on-screen death.-Cast:* Richard Barthelmess as James 'Jim' Blaine...
(1933) - State Fair (1933)
- CarnivalCarnival (1935 film)Carnival is a 1935 American film directed by Walter Lang and starring Jimmy Durante, Lee Tracy, and Sally Eilers.The film also includes a young Lucille Ball in a small uncredited role as a nurse....
(1935) - Remember Last Night?Remember Last Night?Remember Last Night? is a 1935 American mystery comedy film directed by James Whale. The film, based on the novel The Hangover Murders, is about the investigation of the murder of one of a group of friends. The survivors are unable to recall the events of the night of the murder because they were...
(1935) - Talk of the Devil (1936)
- Coroner CreekCoroner CreekCoroner Creek is a 1948 western film starring Randolph Scott as a man who seeks vengeance for the death of his fiancée. It was based on the novel of the same name by Luke Short.-Cast:*Randolph Scott as Chris Denning*Marguerite Chapman as Kate Hardison...
(1948)