Gertrude Astor
Acting
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
Acting224
movieThe Sound of Music
1965
Party Guest (uncredited)
movieThe Unsinkable Molly Brown
1964
Denver Party Guest (uncredited)
movieThe Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
1962
Townswoman (uncredited)
movieThe Devil's Hand
1961
The Elderly Cultist
movieTwo Rode Together
1961
Mrs. Wringle (uncredited)
movieAll in a Night's Work
1961
Customer (uncredited)
movieSergeant Rutledge
1960
Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
movieThe Best of Everything
1959
Leading Woman in Play (uncredited)
movieThe Tingler
1959
Member of Silent Movie Audience (uncredited)
movieThe Horse Soldiers
1959
Townswoman (uncredited)
movieThe Female Animal
1958
Actress on Movie Set (uncredited)
movieMy Man Godfrey
1957
Party Guest (uncredited)
movieAround the World in 80 Days
1956
Extra (uncredited)
movieThe Virgin Queen
1955
Lady-in-Waiting - 2nd Group
movieWichita
1955
Saloon Madam (uncredited)
movieDaddy Long Legs
1955
Art Gallery Patron (uncredited)
movieDeep in My Heart
1954
Dorothy's Nurse (uncredited)
movieA Star Is Born
1954
Racetrack Spectator (uncredited)
movieScared Stiff
1953
Man with Spaghetti's Wife (uncredited)
movieAngel Face
1953
Matron (uncredited)
movieThe Old West
1952
Townswoman (uncredited)
movieThe Merry Widow
1952
Reception Guest (uncredited)
moviePaula
1952
Mrs. Brown (uncredited)
movieFort Osage
1952
Townswoman (uncredited)
movieScandal Sheet
1952
Neighbor (uncredited)
movieThunder on the Hill
1951
Village Woman (uncredited)
tvI Love Lucy
1951
Showgirl #4
movieWhen Worlds Collide
1951
Traveler (uncredited)
movieA Place in the Sun
1951
Bit Part (uncredited)
movieApache Drums
1951
Townswoman (uncredited)
movieAll About Eve
1950
Sarah Siddons Awards Guest (uncredited)
movieAgain Pioneers
1950
Mrs. Jans
movieBunco Squad
1950
Club Patron (uncredited)
movieSunset Boulevard
1950
Courtier (uncredited)
movieCaged
1950
Inmate (uncredited)
movieWoman in Hiding
1950
Woman in Drugstore (uncredited)
movieThe File on Thelma Jordon
1949
Juror (uncredited)
movieThe Doolins of Oklahoma
1949
Saloon Girl (uncredited)
movie3 Godfathers
1948
Saloon Girl (uncredited)
movieMy Dear Secretary
1948
Miss Gee (uncredited)
movieJoe Palooka in Winner Take All
1948
Mrs. Howard
movieMusic Man
1948
Mrs. Larkin
movieHere Comes Trouble
1948
Woman with Dog (uncredited)
movieSitting Pretty
1948
Townswoman (uncredited)
movieMonsieur Verdoux
1947
Garden Party Guest (uncredited)
movieFun on a Weekend
1947
Party Guest (uncredited)
movieThe Best Years of Our Lives
1946
Wedding Guest (uncredited)
movieCalcutta
1946
Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
movieSister Kenny
1946
Doctor (uncredited)
movieCrack-Up
1946
Nagging Wife on Train (Uncredited)
movieDragonwyck
1946
Nurse (uncredited)
movieLeave Her to Heaven
1945
Prison Matron (uncredited)
movieDick Tracy
1945
Woman (uncredited)
movieAn Angel Comes To Brooklyn
1945
Eva Tanguay (uncredited)
movieGirls of the Big House
1945
Railroad Matron
movieSwingin' on a Rainbow
1945
Bit Part (uncredited)
movieThe Climax
1944
Woman in Audience Behind Franz (Uncredited)
movieWeird Woman
1944
Party Guest (uncredited)
movieThe Kansan
1943
Blonde Townswoman
movieIdaho
1943
Party Guest
movieLost Canyon
1942
Mrs. Anson
movieMoontide
1942
Woman (uncredited)
movieReap the Wild Wind
1942
Ball Guest (uncredited)
movieThe Wolf Man
1941
Townswoman (uncredited)
movieHold Back the Dawn
1941
Young Woman in Bar (uncredited)
movieMisbehaving Husbands
1940
Gossiping Friend
movieThe Doctor Takes a Wife
1940
Extra (uncredited)
movieThe Llano Kid
1939
Saloon Hostess
movie$1,000 a Touchdown
1939
McGlen Wife (uncredited)
movieDust Be My Destiny
1939
Dame (uncredited)
movieThe Women
1939
Mud Bath Nurse (uncredited)
movieTassels in the Air
1938
Louella Pindell (uncredited)
movieThe Big Broadcast of 1938
1938
Woman (uncredited)
movieWells Fargo
1937
Pioneer Woman
movieEasy Living
1937
Saleswoman (uncredited)
movieEmpty Saddles
1936
Eloise Hayes
movieGreat Guy
1936
Party Guest (Uncredited)
movieWives Never Know
1936
Mrs. Merchant (uncredited)
moviePostal Inspector
1936
Woman with Drumsticks (uncredited)
movieSan Francisco
1936
Drunk's Girl (uncredited)
I Don't Remember
1935
Sophie Glick
movieManhattan Monkey Business
1935
Gwendolyn
movieIt's in the Air
1935
(uncredited)
Cappy Ricks Returns
1935
Speaker (uncredited)
movieHere Comes the Band
1935
Undetermined Secondary Role (uncredited)
movieHoneymoon Limited
1935
Lady Devonshire
movieNo More Ladies
1935
Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
movieBorder Brigands
1935
Big Six -Saloon Girl
movieThe Chases of Pimple Street
1934
Gertrude Astor - Lucas' Fiancee (uncredited)
movieWashee Ironee
1934
Woman at Party
movieCarnival Lady
1933
Zandra, Fortune Teller
movieCrook's Tour
1933
Mrs Dorigan
movieI Have Lived
1933
Harriet Naisson
The Plumber and the Lady
1933
Mrs. Otto Mauser
movieWine, Women and Song
1933
Jennie Tilson
movieFlaming Gold
1932
Escort Service Madam
Western Limited
1932
Mrs. Winters
movieHigh Hats and Low Brows
1932
Mrs. Billingsgate
movieIn Walked Charley
1932
Gertrude Henderson
Running Hollywood
1932
Gertrude Astor
Poker Widows
1931
Mrs. Thomas Regan
movieCome Clean
1931
Mrs. Hardy
movieHell Bound
1931
Rosie
Live and Learn
1930
Mrs. Brown
movieDames Ahoy
1930
The Blonde
movieBe Yourself!
1930
Lillian
movieUntamed
1929
Mrs. Mason
movieFrozen Justice
1929
Moosehide Kate
movieTwin Beds
1929
Mrs. Solari
movieThe Fall of Eve
1929
Mrs. Ford
movieSynthetic Sin
1929
Sheila Kelly
movieA Woman of Affairs
1928
Party Guest (uncredited)
movieThe Butter and Egg Man
1928
Fanny Lehman
movieRose-Marie
1928
Wanda
movieOh, What a Man!
1927
The Bandit
movieUncle Tom's Cabin
1927
Mrs. St. Clare (uncredited)
movieThe Irresistible Lover
1927
Dolly Carleton
movieThe Taxi Dancer
1927
Kitty Lane
movieThe Strong Man
1926
Lily de Broadway
movieSin Cargo
1926
Mary Wickham
movieThe Country Beyond
1926
Mrs. Andrews
movieTell 'Em Nothing
1926
Mrs. Gladstone
movieThe Old Soak
1926
Sylvia De Costa
movieDon Juan's 3 Nights
1926
Baroness von Minden
movieThe Boy Friend
1926
Mrs. White
movieKiki
1926
Paulette Mascar
movieWife Tamers
1926
Mrs. Barry
movieDizzy Daddies
1926
A Former Flame
movieBehind the Front
1926
French barmaid
Ship of Souls
1925
Doris Barnes
movieStage Struck
1925
Lillian Lyons
movieSatan in Sables
1925
Dolores Sierra
movieKentucky Pride
1925
Mrs. Beaumont
moviePursued
1925
Madame La Grande
movieThe Charmer
1925
Bertha Sedgwick
movieThe Verdict
1925
Mrs. Ronsard
movieFolly of Youth
1925
Evelyn Cartwright
The Reckless Sex
1925
Lucile Dupré
movieLaughing Ladies
1925
The Married Man's Wife
movieThe Ridin' Kid from Powder River
1924
'Kansas' Lou
movieThe Silent Watcher
1924
Mrs. Steele
The Torrent
1924
The Cast-Off
movieBroadway or Bust
1924
Mrs. Dean Smythe
movieSecrets
1924
Mrs. Manwaring
movieThe Wanters
1923
Mrs. Van Pelt
movieThe Six-Fifty
1923
Christine Palmer
movieHollywood
1923
Gertrude Astor
movieThe Ne'er-Do-Well
1923
Edith Cortlandt
movieAlice Adams
1923
Mildred Palmer
movieThe Ninety and Nine
1922
Kate Van Dyke
movieYou Never Know
1922
Miriam Folansbee
movieThe Kentucky Derby
1922
Helen Gordon
movieThe Impossible Mrs. Bellew
1922
Alice Granville
movieLorna Doone
1922
Countess of Brandir (uncredited)
movieSkin Deep
1922
Mrs. Carlson
movieHurricane's Gal
1922
Phyllis Fairfield
movieBeyond the Rocks
1922
Morella Winmarleigh
movieSeeing's Believing
1922
Aunt Sue
movieThe Wall Flower
1922
Pamela Shiel
movieHer Mad Bargain
1921
Ruth Beresford
movieThrough the Back Door
1921
Louise Reeves
movieThe Branding Iron
1920
Betty Morena
movieBurning Daylight
1920
Lucille
movieThe Lion Man
1919
Celeste La Rue
movieThe Wicked Darling
1919
Adele Hoyt
movieLoot
1919
Lady Gwendolyn
moviePretty Smooth
1919
Mrs. Hanson
movieThe Delicious Little Devil
1919
Auditioning Dancer (uncredited)
movieWhat Am I Bid?
1919
Diana Newlands
movieThe Brazen Beauty
1918
Mrs. Augusta Van Ruysdael
movieThe Girl Who Wouldn't Quit
1918
Stella Carter
Vamping the Vamp
1918
Thedeska - The Vamp
movieBucking Broadway
1917
Gladys (uncredited)
movieThe Lash of Power
1917
Phyllis Ward
movieThe Price of a Good Time
1917
Mis Schyler
movieBondage
1917
Eugenia Darth
movieThe Girl Who Won Out
1917
Mrs. Walsh
movieCheyenne's Pal
1917
Dancehall girl
movieThe Rescue
1917
Mrs. Hendricks
movieThe Gray Ghost
1917
Lady Gwendolyn
movieThe Little Orphan
1917
Emmeline Warren
moviePolly Redhead
1917
Lady Caroline
movieThe Scarlet Crystal
1917
Helen Forbes
movieThe Devil's Pay Day
1917
Hazel Davidson
Bombs and Banknotes
1917
His Daughter
movieUnder Two Flags
1915
Venetia