My Take
Marlene Dietrich is one of those figures who makes you realize that "star quality" is not just a phrase — it's a specific, almost eerie thing, and she had it in full. Born in Berlin in 1901, she broke through with The Blue Angel and then crossed the Atlantic to reinvent herself as one of Hollywood's most magnetic screen presences. What I love about her is the sheer refusal to be put in a box: she sang in that low, smoky voice that could hush a room, she played violin, she wrote, she wore a tuxedo better than most men ever could, and during World War II she actively performed for Allied troops and earned the U.S. Medal of Freedom for it. She didn't just coast on being beautiful — she was sharp, brave, and genuinely cool in a way that still reads across the decades. A real original.
Overview
Marie Magdalene "Marlene" Dietrich (, German: [maʁˈleːnə ˈdiːtʁɪç] ; 27 December 1901 – 6 May 1992) was a German and American actress and singer whose career spanned nearly seven decades. In 1920s Berlin, she performed on the stage and in silent films. Her performance as Lola Lola in Josef von Sternberg's The Blue Angel (1930) brought her international acclaim and a contract with Paramount Pictures.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Marlene Dietrich
- Name (Japanese)
- マレーネ・ディートリッヒ
- Reading
- まれーね・でぃーとりっひ
- Born
- December 27, 1901 – May 6, 1992
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Capricorn / Ox
- Origin
- Rote Insel, Germany
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- 168 cm
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- film actor / singer / autobiographer / entertainer / violinist
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Private
- University
- Private
Awards & achievements
- Commander of the Legion of Honour
- Officer of the Legion of Honour
- Knight of the Legion of Honour
- honorary citizen of Berlin
- AFI's 100 Years... 100 Stars
- Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres
- Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres
- 1947 Medal of Freedom
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
5. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | The Blue Angel | — |
6. Links
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.