Who Is Marlene Dietrich? Age, Biography and Wiki
Marlene Dietrich was born on December 27, 1901, in Berlin, Germany. She gained prominence in the 1920s and 1930s, becoming one of the first actresses to successfully transition from silent films to "talkies." Known for her sultry voice, captivating performances, and androgynous style, Dietrich transcended traditional gender norms, becoming a symbol of empowerment for women. Throughout her life, she earned numerous accolades, including the Kennedy Center Honors and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
As of 2025, had she been alive, Marlene Dietrich would be 124 years old.
| Occupation | Autobiographer |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | December 27, 1901 |
| Age | 90 Years |
| Birth Place | Berlin, German Empire |
| Horoscope | Capricorn |
| Country | France |
| Date of death | 6 May, 1992 |
| Died Place | Paris, France |
Popularity
Marlene Dietrich's Popularity over time
Height, Weight & Measurements
Marlene Dietrich was known for her striking beauty and unique style. While her exact measurements aren't widely documented, it is reported that she stood approximately 5 feet 5 inches (165 cm) tall and had a well-proportioned figure that contributed to her iconic screen presence.
Dietrich starred in six films directed by von Sternberg at Paramount between 1930 and 1935. Von Sternberg worked effectively with Dietrich to create the image of a glamorous and mysterious femme fatale. He encouraged her to lose weight and coached her intensively as an actress. She willingly followed his, sometimes imperious, direction in a way that a number of other performers resisted.
Family, Dating & Relationship Status
Dietrich's personal life was just as intriguing as her professional one. She was married to Rudolf Sieber from 1923 until their divorce in 1950. Despite their separation, they maintained a close relationship, and Dietrich often considered him her greatest friend. Over the years, she was linked romantically to several notable figures, including actor Gary Cooper and director Ernst Lubitsch. As of 2025, she remains an enduring icon in LGBTQ+ history, with many speculating about her relationships with women, including the famous actress and singer Tallulah Bankhead.
Her mother, Wilhelmina Elisabeth Josefine (née Felsing), was from an affluent Berlin family who owned a jewelry and clock-making firm. Her father, Louis Erich Otto Dietrich, was a police lieutenant. Dietrich had one sibling, Elisabeth (5 February 1900 – 8 May 1973).
His best friend, Eduard von Losch, an aristocratic first lieutenant in the Grenadiers, courted Wilhelmina and married her in 1914, but he died in July 1916 from injuries sustained during the First World War. Von Losch never officially adopted the Dietrich sisters, so Dietrich's surname was never von Losch, as has sometimes been said.
Net Worth and Salary
Marlene Dietrich's career spanned several decades, making her one of the highest-paid actresses of her time. In today’s terms, her estimated net worth at the time of her passing was around $30 million, which would equate to significantly more in 2025 when adjusted for inflation. Her lucrative career included film, stage performances, and musical endeavors, ensuring she left a considerable financial legacy.
Extravagant offers lured Dietrich away from Paramount to make her first color film The Garden of Allah (1936) for independent producer David O. Selznick, for which she received $200,000, and to Britain for Alexander Korda's production, Knight Without Armour (1937), at a salary of $450,000, which made her one of the best paid film stars of the time.
While both films performed decently at the box office, her vehicles were costly to produce and her public popularity had declined.
By this time, Dietrich placed 126th in box office rankings, and American film exhibitors proclaimed her "box office poison" in May 1938, a distinction she shared with Greta Garbo, Joan Crawford, Mae West, Katharine Hepburn, Norma Shearer, Dolores del Río, and Fred Astaire among others.
Career, Business and Investments
Dietrich's career is marked by classic performances in films like "The Blue Angel," "Shanghai Express," and "Desire." In addition to acting, she was also a successful singer, with her performances in cabarets becoming legendary. Beyond film and music, she had investments in real estate and other ventures, contributing to her financial success.
In 2025, one could only imagine the modern businesses she would potentially focus on, using her iconic status to endorse progressive causes or invest in emerging entertainment technologies.
Marie Magdalene "Marlene" Dietrich (, ; 27 December 1901 – 6 May 1992) was a German and American actress and singer whose career spanned nearly seven decades.
Social Network
Despite Marlene Dietrich's era being long before the advent of social media and the internet, one can envision how she might have utilized platforms like Instagram and Twitter to connect with her fans, share her artistic endeavors, and advocate for social justice causes. While she promoted her projects and personal beliefs passionately, modern fans still celebrate her legacy through various fan pages and tribute accounts.
In 1920s Berlin, Dietrich 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.
She starred in many Hollywood films, including six iconic roles directed by Sternberg: Morocco (1930) (her only Academy Award nomination), Dishonored (1931), Shanghai Express and Blonde Venus (both 1932), The Scarlet Empress (1934), The Devil Is a Woman (1935).
She successfully traded on her glamorous persona and exotic looks, and became one of the era's highest-paid actresses. Throughout World War II, she was a high-profile entertainer in the United States.
Although she delivered notable performances in several post-war films, including Billy Wilder's A Foreign Affair (1948), Alfred Hitchcock's Stage Fright (1950), Billy Wilder's Witness for the Prosecution (1957), Orson Welles's Touch of Evil (1958), and Stanley Kramer's Judgment at Nuremberg (1961), she spent most of the 1950s to the 1970s touring t
he world as a marquee live-show performer.
Education
Dietrich’s education began in Berlin, where she attended the Royal Drama School. Her educational background laid the foundation for her future success, providing her with the skills to navigate the demanding world of performing arts.
Busch school-trained, she would have emphasized the importance of education and self-expression to her contemporaries, promoting artistic growth for future generations.
