Childhood: Her parents were Louis Erich Otto Dietrich and Wilhelmina Elisabeth Josephine Felsing. In her youth, Dietrich played the violin, but moved into acting in 1921, when she attempted to get into Max Reinhardt's drama school. She failed the audition, and instead joined the chorus of a musical group which toured and gave revues.
After auditioning once more for Reinhardt in 1922, she was accepted to the school, and thus began Dietrich's legendary career.

Work: It is thought that Dietrich appeared as an extra in a 1919 German film 'In Fortune's Shadow', however her film debut is largely accepted as being made in 1923, as a supporting character in the film 'Love Tragedy'.
She was to go on to play many supporting roles throughout the 20s, and also continued her work as a dancer and chorus member in cabarets and theatres.
It was not until the late 20s that Dietrich began to acquire leading roles, and in 1930, she starred in her first 'talkie'. 'The Blue Angel' was directed by Josef von Sternberg, with whom she would enjoy a long and successful director-actor relationship, as he moulded her into the sensual 'femme-fatale' that has become synonymous with Dietrich.
She left Germany (and her husband and daughter) behind to make six films with Sternberg in Hollywood throughout the 30s, becoming an American citizen in 1937. However this, and her refusal to return to Germany to become a propaganda tool for the Nazis, caused her films to be banned there.
She instead chose to become a German anti-Nazi voice during the Second World War, and was involved in various propaganda campaigns on the US side.
She found she could put her talents to good use entertaining US troops, often within kilometres of the front lines. She was awarded a Medal of Freedom for her part in the war, and when asked why she would perform shows despite a substantial risk to her safety, she famously replied "aus Anstand", meaning "it was the decent thing to do".
Dietrich's post-war activities moved her away from film and saw her becoming a successful cabaret performer for the next twenty years or so.
Despite having a limited vocal range, she stunned audiences with her dramatic renditions of popular songs from her films and other famous songs of the times. This was mainly thanks to the arrangements and musical direction of Burt Bacharach, whom she worked with until the mid 60s.
Her glamourous appearance was upheld well into old age with the help of stage lighting, facelift techniques and the costumes designed for her by Jean Louis.
In 1974, she fell and broke her leg on stage which effectively ended her career as a live performer. She spent her last years in quiet seclusion in a Par is apartment (being mostly bed-ridden) though still active as a writer, producing three autobiographies; Marlene Dietrich's ABC (1961), My Life Story (1979) and Marlene (1987).
She also provided voice-overs for documentaries, one being Maximillian Schell's biography of Dietrich herself, 'Marlene' (1984). Schell wanted to film her, but she only allowed him to use her voice.

Friends & Relationships: Dietrich was married for many years to Rudolph Seiber, a director's assistant who went on to become a director with Paramount in France. He died of cancer in 1976.
She had one daughter, Maria Riva, with whom she became largely estranged, though got on well with her grandson Peter Riva. When Peter was born in 1948, Dietrich was famously dubbed 'the world's most glamorous grandmother'.
Dietrich's place in this collection of biographies of course owes itself to the strong bisexual undertones of her films, as well as her affairs with women. It is widely thought that she was involved with Mercedes de Acosta and Claudette Colbert, among others, and it is even rumoured that Greta Garbo was once her lover. Despite this apparent promiscuous aspect of her life, Dietrich is said to have not liked sex.

Greatest Achievements: She received her only Oscar nomination for 'Morocco' in 1930, and in 1968, she received a Tony Award for her stage show.
Perhaps greater than any award is her status as a glamorous, bisexual film star who worked largely outside Hollywood.
In 1994, after her death, her memorabilia went to Berlin to become a key part of the Film Museum in the new Sony Centre, Potsdamer Platz.

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