Billie Burke

Mary William Ethelbert Appleton "Billie" Burke (August 7, 1884 – May 14, 1970) was an American actress who was famous on Broadway, in early silent film, and subsequently in sound film. She is best known to modern audiences as Glinda the Good Witch of the North in the movie musical The Wizard of Oz (1939), which starred Judy Garland. Burke was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1938 for her performance as Emily Kilbourne in Merrily We Live and is also remembered for her appearances in the Topper series. Her wavering, high-pitched, aristocratic voice was her trademark, which made her a frequent choice to play dim-witted, spoiled society types. Billie Burke was the wife of Broadway producer Florenz Ziegfeld, Jr., of Ziegfeld Follies fame, from 1914 until his death in 1932. 2Early life Billie Burke was born Mary Burke, the daughter of William "Billy" Burke and Blanche (née Beatty 1844–1921), in Washington, D.C. She toured the United States and Europe with her father, who was a singer and clown and worked for the Barnum & Bailey Circus. Her family ultimately settled in London where she attended plays in the West End. In 1903, she began acting on stage, making her debut in London in The School Girl. Other London shows included The Duchess of Dantzic (1903) and The Blue Moon (1904). She eventually returned to America to star in Broadway musical comedie