Gertrude Astor

Biography

Gertrude Astor (Born Gertrude Eyster November 9, 1887 – November 9, 1977) was an American motion picture character actress, who began her career playing trombone on a riverboat. Born in Lakewood, Ohio, Astor at the age of 12 ran off and joined a woman's band as a trombone player and toured the states. In New York she left the band to obtain film work and got a job as an extra before her career took off. Astor was a prolific performer, between 1915 and 1962 she appeared in over 250 movies. Her first known credit is in a Biograph short in 1915. She then became a contract player at Universal. A tall, angular and beautiful woman, Astor frequently towered over the leading men of the era; thus, she was most frequently utilized in comedy roles as aristocrats, golddiggers and "heroine's best pal". Her best-known silent appearances were as the visiting stage star in Stage Struck (1925) with Gloria Swanson, as the vamp who plants stolen money on Harry Langdon in The Strong Man (1926), and as Laura LaPlante's wisecracking travelling companion in The Cat and the Canary (1927). Astor worked prolifically at Hal Roach studios with such headliners as Laurel and Hardy, Our Gang, and especially Charley Chase. She was also kept busy at Columbia Pictures' short subjects unit. She continued to play bits in feature films throughout the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s. She was briefly glimpsed as the first murder victim in the Sherlock Holmes adventure The Scarlet Claw and was among the ranks of dress extras in 1956's Around the World in Eighty Days. Her last appearance was in John Ford's The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. In her later years, Astor was a welcome guest at several Sons of the Desert gatherings, and became an honorary member of the Way Out West tent. She died in Woodland Hills, California from a stroke. She is interred in the Abbey of Psalms in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Hollywood, CA.

Known For

I Love Lucy

The Sound of Music

Sunset Boulevard

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

My Mother the Car

Around the World in 80 Days

All About Eve

The Best Years of Our Lives

All Movies (222)

• Jesse James Meets Frankenstein's Daughter1966 · as Townswoman
• The Sound of Music1965 · as Party Guest (uncredited)
• The Unsinkable Molly Brown1964 · as Denver Party Guest (uncredited)
• The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance1962 · as Townswoman (uncredited)
• The Devil's Hand1961 · as The Elderly Cultist
• Two Rode Together1961 · as Mrs. Wringle (uncredited)
• All in a Night's Work1961 · as Customer (uncredited)
• Sergeant Rutledge1960 · as Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
• The Best of Everything1959 · as Leading Woman in Play (uncredited)
• The Tingler1959 · as Member of Silent Movie Audience (uncredited)
• The Horse Soldiers1959 · as Townswoman (uncredited)
• The Female Animal1958 · as Actress on Movie Set (uncredited)
• My Man Godfrey1957 · as Party Guest (uncredited)
• Around the World in 80 Days1956 · as Extra (uncredited)
• The Virgin Queen1955 · as Lady-in-Waiting - 2nd Group
• Wichita1955 · as Saloon Madam (uncredited)
• Daddy Long Legs1955 · as Art Gallery Patron (uncredited)
• Deep in My Heart1954 · as Dorothy's Nurse (uncredited)
• A Star Is Born1954 · as Racetrack Spectator (uncredited)
• Scared Stiff1953 · as Man with Spaghetti's Wife (uncredited)
• Angel Face1953 · as Matron (uncredited)
• The Old West1952 · as Townswoman (uncredited)
• The Merry Widow1952 · as Reception Guest (uncredited)
• Paula1952 · as Mrs. Brown (uncredited)
• Fort Osage1952 · as Townswoman (uncredited)
• Scandal Sheet1952 · as Neighbor (uncredited)
• Thunder on the Hill1951 · as Village Woman (uncredited)
• When Worlds Collide1951 · as Traveler (uncredited)
• A Place in the Sun1951 · as Bit Part (uncredited)
• Apache Drums1951 · as Townswoman (uncredited)
• All About Eve1950 · as Sarah Siddons Awards Guest (uncredited)
• Again Pioneers1950 · as Mrs. Jans
• Bunco Squad1950 · as Club Patron (uncredited)
• Sunset Boulevard1950 · as Courtier (uncredited)
• Caged1950 · as Inmate (uncredited)
• Woman in Hiding1950 · as Woman in Drugstore (uncredited)
• The File on Thelma Jordon1949 · as Juror (uncredited)
• The Doolins of Oklahoma1949 · as Saloon Girl (uncredited)
• 3 Godfathers1948 · as Saloon Girl (uncredited)
• My Dear Secretary1948 · as Miss Gee (uncredited)
• Joe Palooka in Winner Take All1948 · as Mrs. Howard
• Music Man1948 · as Mrs. Larkin
• Here Comes Trouble1948 · as Woman with Dog (uncredited)
• Sitting Pretty1948 · as Townswoman (uncredited)
• Monsieur Verdoux1947 · as Garden Party Guest (uncredited)
• Fun on a Weekend1947 · as Party Guest (uncredited)
• The Best Years of Our Lives1946 · as Wedding Guest (uncredited)
• Calcutta1946 · as Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
• Sister Kenny1946 · as Doctor (uncredited)
• Crack-Up1946 · as Nagging Wife on Train (Uncredited)
• Dragonwyck1946 · as Nurse (uncredited)
• Leave Her to Heaven1945 · as Prison Matron (uncredited)
• Dick Tracy1945 · as Woman (uncredited)
• An Angel Comes To Brooklyn1945 · as Eva Tanguay (uncredited)
• Girls of the Big House1945 · as Railroad Matron
• Swingin' on a Rainbow1945 · as Bit Part (uncredited)
• The Climax1944 · as Woman in Audience Behind Franz (Uncredited)
• The Scarlet Claw1944
• Weird Woman1944 · as Party Guest (uncredited)
• The Kansan1943 · as Blonde Townswoman
• The Avenging Rider1943 · as Martha
• Idaho1943 · as Party Guest
• Lost Canyon1942 · as Mrs. Anson
• Moontide1942 · as Woman (uncredited)
• Reap the Wild Wind1942 · as Ball Guest (uncredited)
• Frisco Lil1942
• The Wolf Man1941 · as Townswoman (uncredited)
• Hold Back the Dawn1941 · as Young Woman in Bar (uncredited)
• Misbehaving Husbands1940 · as Gossiping Friend
• The Doctor Takes a Wife1940 · as Extra (uncredited)
• The Llano Kid1939 · as Saloon Hostess
• $1,000 a Touchdown1939 · as McGlen Wife (uncredited)
• Dust Be My Destiny1939 · as Dame (uncredited)
• The Women1939 · as Mud Bath Nurse (uncredited)
• Tassels in the Air1938 · as Louella Pindell (uncredited)
• The Big Broadcast of 19381938 · as Woman (uncredited)
• Wells Fargo1937 · as Pioneer Woman
• All Over Town1937 · as Mamie
• Easy Living1937 · as Saleswoman (uncredited)
• Rich Relations1937
• Empty Saddles1936 · as Eloise Hayes
• Great Guy1936 · as Party Guest (Uncredited)
• Wives Never Know1936 · as Mrs. Merchant (uncredited)
• Postal Inspector1936 · as Woman with Drumsticks (uncredited)
• San Francisco1936 · as Drunk's Girl (uncredited)
• I Don't Remember1935 · as Sophie Glick
• Manhattan Monkey Business1935 · as Gwendolyn
• Bad Boy1935
• It's in the Air1935 · as (uncredited)
• Cappy Ricks Returns1935 · as Speaker (uncredited)
• Here Comes the Band1935 · as Undetermined Secondary Role (uncredited)
• Honeymoon Limited1935 · as Lady Devonshire
• No More Ladies1935 · as Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
• Border Brigands1935 · as Big Six -Saloon Girl
• The Drunkard1935 · as Peggy
• Northern Frontier1935 · as Mae
• The Chases of Pimple Street1934 · as Gertrude Astor - Lucas' Fiancee (uncredited)
• Washee Ironee1934 · as Woman at Party
• Wedding Belles1934
• I'll Take Vanilla1934 · as Mom
• Guilty Parents1934 · as Marie
• Carnival Lady1933 · as Zandra, Fortune Teller
• Crook's Tour1933 · as Mrs Dorigan
• Ship of Wanted Men1933 · as Vera
• I Have Lived1933 · as Harriet Naisson
• The Plumber and the Lady1933 · as Mrs. Otto Mauser
• Wine, Women and Song1933 · as Jennie Tilson
• Flaming Gold1932 · as Escort Service Madam
• Western Limited1932 · as Mrs. Winters
• High Hats and Low Brows1932 · as Mrs. Billingsgate
• They Never Come Back1932 · as Kate
• While Paris Sleeps1932
• In Walked Charley1932 · as Gertrude Henderson
• Running Hollywood1932 · as Gertrude Astor
• Poker Widows1931 · as Mrs. Thomas Regan
• Come Clean1931 · as Mrs. Hardy
• Hell Bound1931 · as Rosie
• Live and Learn1930 · as Mrs. Brown
• Dames Ahoy1930 · as The Blonde
• Be Yourself!1930 · as Lillian
• Untamed1929 · as Mrs. Mason
• Frozen Justice1929 · as Moosehide Kate
• Twin Beds1929 · as Mrs. Solari
• The Fall of Eve1929 · as Mrs. Ford
• Two Weeks Off1929 · as Agnes
• The Fatal Warning1929
• Synthetic Sin1929 · as Sheila Kelly
• Chasing Husbands1928
• A Woman of Affairs1928 · as Party Guest (uncredited)
• The Butter and Egg Man1928 · as Fanny Lehman
• Stocks and Blondes1928 · as Goldie
• Hit of the Show1928 · as Trece
• Five and Ten Cent Annie1928 · as Blonde
• The Family Group1928
• Rose-Marie1928 · as Wanda
• The Cohens and the Kellys in Paris1928 · as Paulette
• Oh, What a Man!1927 · as The Bandit
• Ginsberg the Great1927 · as Sappho
• The Small Bachelor1927 · as Fanny
• Uncle Tom's Cabin1927 · as Mrs. St. Clare (uncredited)
• The Irresistible Lover1927 · as Dolly Carleton
• The Cat and the Canary1927 · as Cecily
• The Taxi Dancer1927 · as Kitty Lane
• Lightning Lariats1927 · as Girl
• The Cheerful Fraud1926 · as Rose
• The Strong Man1926 · as Lily de Broadway
• Sin Cargo1926 · as Mary Wickham
• The Country Beyond1926 · as Mrs. Andrews
• Tell 'Em Nothing1926 · as Mrs. Gladstone
• The Old Soak1926 · as Sylvia De Costa
• Don Juan's 3 Nights1926 · as Baroness von Minden
• The Boy Friend1926 · as Mrs. White
• Kiki1926 · as Paulette Mascar
• Wife Tamers1926 · as Mrs. Barry
• Dizzy Daddies1926 · as A Former Flame
• Behind the Front1926 · as French barmaid
• Ship of Souls1925 · as Doris Barnes
• Stage Struck1925 · as Lillian Lyons
• Satan in Sables1925 · as Dolores Sierra
• Borrowed Finery1925 · as Maisie
• The Wife Who Wasn't Wanted1925 · as Greta
• Kentucky Pride1925 · as Mrs. Beaumont
• Pursued1925 · as Madame La Grande
• The Charmer1925 · as Bertha Sedgwick
• The Verdict1925 · as Mrs. Ronsard
• Folly of Youth1925 · as Evelyn Cartwright
• The Reckless Sex1925 · as Lucile Dupré
• Laughing Ladies1925 · as The Married Man's Wife
• Robes of Sin1924
• The Ridin' Kid from Powder River1924 · as 'Kansas' Lou
• The Silent Watcher1924 · as Mrs. Steele
• All's Swell on the Ocean1924
• The Torrent1924 · as The Cast-Off
• Fight and Win1924
• Broadway or Bust1924 · as Mrs. Dean Smythe
• Secrets1924 · as Mrs. Manwaring
• The Wanters1923 · as Mrs. Van Pelt
• Flaming Youth1923 · as Annie
• The Six-Fifty1923 · as Christine Palmer
• Hollywood1923 · as Gertrude Astor
• Rupert of Hentzau1923 · as Paula
• The Ne'er-Do-Well1923 · as Edith Cortlandt
• Alice Adams1923 · as Mildred Palmer
• The Ninety and Nine1922 · as Kate Van Dyke
• You Never Know1922 · as Miriam Folansbee
• The Kentucky Derby1922 · as Helen Gordon
• The Impossible Mrs. Bellew1922 · as Alice Granville
• Lorna Doone1922 · as Countess of Brandir (uncredited)
• Skin Deep1922 · as Mrs. Carlson
• Hurricane's Gal1922 · as Phyllis Fairfield
• Beyond the Rocks1922 · as Morella Winmarleigh
• Seeing's Believing1922 · as Aunt Sue
• The Wall Flower1922 · as Pamela Shiel
• Her Mad Bargain1921 · as Ruth Beresford
• Through the Back Door1921 · as Louise Reeves
• The Concert1921 · as Eva
• The Branding Iron1920 · as Betty Morena
• Occasionally Yours1920 · as Mona
• Burning Daylight1920 · as Lucille
• The Lion Man1919 · as Celeste La Rue
• The Wicked Darling1919 · as Adele Hoyt
• Loot1919 · as Lady Gwendolyn
• Pretty Smooth1919 · as Mrs. Hanson
• The Delicious Little Devil1919 · as Auditioning Dancer (uncredited)
• What Am I Bid?1919 · as Diana Newlands
• The Brazen Beauty1918 · as Mrs. Augusta Van Ruysdael
• The Girl Who Wouldn't Quit1918 · as Stella Carter
• Vamping the Vamp1918 · as Thedeska - The Vamp
• Bucking Broadway1917 · as Gladys (uncredited)
• The Lash of Power1917 · as Phyllis Ward
• The Price of a Good Time1917 · as Mis Schyler
• Bondage1917 · as Eugenia Darth
• The Girl Who Won Out1917 · as Mrs. Walsh
• Cheyenne's Pal1917 · as Dancehall girl
• The Rescue1917 · as Mrs. Hendricks
• The Gray Ghost1917 · as Lady Gwendolyn
• The Little Orphan1917 · as Emmeline Warren
• Polly Redhead1917 · as Lady Caroline
• The Scarlet Crystal1917 · as Helen Forbes
• The Devil's Pay Day1917 · as Hazel Davidson
• Bombs and Banknotes1917 · as His Daughter
• Under Two Flags1915 · as Venetia

All TV Shows (2)

• My Mother the Car1965
• I Love Lucy1951 · as Showgirl #4