Gale Sondergaard
Known for
An American actress with theatrical roots, Gale Sondergaard moved to the big screen in 1936 and was inscribed in history as the first winner of the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, precisely for her debut in 'Anthony Adverse'. Her face of sinister beauty made her an unforgettable villain in titles such as 'The Cat and the Canary', 'The Mark of Zorro' and 'The Letter', and she was nominated for the Academy Award again for 'Anna and the King of Siam'. Married to director Herbert Biberman, her career collapsed when he was counted among the Hollywood Ten during the anti-communist witch hunt, which kept her away from the cinema for years. She worked in New York theater and only reappeared sporadically on screen from the late sixties, leaving the memory of a performer of icy elegance and magnetic presence.
Gale Sondergaard
41 Movies · 1 Series
An American actress with theatrical roots, Gale Sondergaard moved to the big screen in 1936 and was inscribed in history as the first winner of the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, precisely for her debut in 'Anthony Adverse'. Her face of sinister beauty made her an unforgettable villain in titles such as 'The Cat and the Canary', 'The Mark of Zorro' and 'The Letter', and she was nominated for the Academy Award again for 'Anna and the King of Siam'. Married to director Herbert Biberman, her career collapsed when he was counted among the Hollywood Ten during the anti-communist witch hunt, which kept her away from the cinema for years. She worked in New York theater and only reappeared sporadically on screen from the late sixties, leaving the memory of a performer of icy elegance and magnetic presence.
Movies
Plays Empress Eugenie
Juarez
1939
Plays Inez Quintero
The Mark of Zorro
1940
Plays Elk Woman
The Return of a Man Called Horse
1976
Plays Lucie Dreyfus
The Life of Emile Zola
1937
Plays Lady Irene Herrick
The Invisible Man's Revenge
1944
Plays Mrs. Hammond
The Letter
1940
Plays Attosa
Night in Paradise
1946
Plays Miss Lu
The Cat and the Canary
1939
Plays Abigail Doone
The Black Cat
1941
Plays Lady Thiang
Anna and the King of Siam
1946
Plays Adrea Spedding
The Spider Woman
1943
Plays Emily
The Time of Their Lives
1946
Plays Tylette
The Blue Bird
1940
Plays New Orleans lady
Slaves
1969
Plays Leslie
Savage Intruder
1970
Plays Mrs. Devoe
A Night to Remember
1942
Plays Marge Willison
Isle of Forgotten Sins
1943
Plays Nora Kernan
East Side, West Side
1949
Plays Luise
The Climax
1944
Plays Zenobia Dollard
The Spider Woman Strikes Back
1946
Plays Mrs. Manette
Christmas Holiday
1944
Plays Faith Paleologus
Anthony Adverse
1936
Plays Nana, Diane's Sister
Seventh Heaven
1937
Plays Catherine Vail
Road to Rio
1947
Plays Colette
Paris Calling
1941
Plays Doris Clandon
Lord Jeff
1938
Plays Mrs. Edmunds
Echoes
1982
Plays Bessie Seagrave
Enter Arsène Lupin
1944
Plays Gretta Van Leyden
Appointment in Berlin
1943
Plays Madame Stephanie Runick
My Favorite Blonde
1942
Plays Martha Harding
Maid of Salem
1937
Plays Cameo Appearance
Crazy House
1943
Plays Juno Marko
Never Say Die
1939
Plays Rhoda
Gypsy Wildcat
1944
Plays Mrs. Van Dorn
Enemy Agents Meet Ellery Queen
1942
Plays Lora Travers
The Llano Kid
1939
Plays Señorita de Sola
Pirates of Monterey
1947
Plays Madame Therese Charlot
Dramatic School
1938
Plays Rachel Salomon
Sons of Liberty
1939
Plays Anna Huber
The Strange Death of Adolf Hitler
1943
Latest Trailers
Watch Trailer
The Return of a Man Called Horse
Full Filmography 42
Echoes
Mrs. Edmunds
1982
Film
The Return of a Man Called Horse
Elk Woman
1976
Film
Savage Intruder
Leslie
1970
Film
Slaves
New Orleans lady
1969
Film
East Side, West Side
Nora Kernan
1949
Film
Road to Rio
Catherine Vail
1947
Film
Pirates of Monterey
Señorita de Sola
1947
Film
The Time of Their Lives
Emily
1946
Film
Photos
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Gale Sondergaard still alive?
Gale Sondergaard passed away on August 14, 1985 at age 86.
What are the most famous roles of Gale Sondergaard?
Gale Sondergaard is best known for roles in The Letter, The Mark of Zorro, The Life of Emile Zola.
How many movies has Gale Sondergaard been in?
Over a 49-year career (since 1936), Gale Sondergaard has appeared in 41 movies and 1 TV shows.
What was Gale Sondergaard's first movie?
The career of Gale Sondergaard began with The Making of a Great Motion Picture (1936).
What is Gale Sondergaard's most recent movie or series?
Gale Sondergaard's most recent release is Echoes, which premiered on January 1, 1982.
What TV shows has Gale Sondergaard appeared in?
On television, Gale Sondergaard has appeared in Get Smart, The Fall Guy, Night Gallery, Police Story.
Gale Sondergaard
1899-02-12 · Litchfield, Minnesota, USA
Gale Sondergaard (February 15, 1899 – August 14, 1985) was an American actress.
Sondergaard began her acting career in theatre, and progressed to films in 1936. She was the first recipient of the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her film debut in Anthony Adverse (1936). She played supporting roles in various films during the late 1930s and early 1940s, including The Cat and the Canary (1939), The Mark of Zorro (1940) and The Letter (1940). She was nominated for a second Best Supporting Actress Academy Award for Anna and the King of Siam (1946) but by the end of the decade her film appearances were fewer.
Married to the director Herbert Biberman, Sondergaard supported him when he was accused of communism and named as one of the Hollywood Ten in the early 1950s, and her film career was destroyed as a result. She moved with Biberman to New York City and worked in theatre, and acted in film and television occasionally from late 1960s. She moved back to Los Angeles where she died from cerebrovascular thrombosis.Gale Sondergaard, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia