Gertrude Short(1902-1968)

Actress

Married to director/writer Scott Pembroke, daughter of actor Lew Short and sister of actress Florence Short. Gertrude Short was in vaudeville for five years then moved to the legit stage and onto Hollywood in 1922. From 1924 to 1925, Short played in a series of "Telephone Girl" comedies, directed by her husband. She continued playing telephone operators in several of her sound films. In fact, her last screen appearance was as an operator in the film Week-End at the Waldorf (1945). During WWII Short left the screen to work at Lockheed and stayed there until she retired in 1967.

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Photos13

William Bakewell, Neely Edwards, Helen Foster, Albert Gran, Armand Kaliz, Winnie Lightner, Nick Lucas, Lee Moran, Ann Pennington, George Raft, Gertrude Short, Lilyan Tashman, Conway Tearle, Nancy Welford, Judith Wood, and Dorothy O'Connell in Gold Diggers of Broadway (1929)

Lila Lee, Lucien Littlefield, and Gertrude Short in Rent Free (1922)

Antrim Short, Gertrude Short, Edna Mae Wilson, and Eileen Goodin in Jess of the Mountain Country (1914)

Antrim Short and Gertrude Short in The Hopes of Blind Alley (1914)

Helen Foster, Winnie Lightner, Nick Lucas, Ann Pennington, Gertrude Short, Lilyan Tashman, Conway Tearle, Nancy Welford, and Judith Wood in Gold Diggers of Broadway (1929)

Evelyn Brent, Larry Kent, and Gertrude Short in Women's Wares (1927)

Marie Astaire, Florence Dudley, William Harrigan, Russell Hopton, Barton MacLane, Noel Madison, Frances Morris, and Gertrude Short in 'G' Men (1935)

James Cagney, Robert Armstrong, Marie Astaire, Florence Dudley, Ann Dvorak, William Harrigan, Russell Hopton, Harold Huber, Marc Lawrence, Barton MacLane, Noel Madison, Frances Morris, Edward Pawley, Gertrude Short, and Regis Toomey in 'G' Men (1935)

Bebe Daniels and Gertrude Short in You Never Can Tell (1920)

Gertrude Short in Polly of the Movies (1927)

Helen Foster, Winnie Lightner, Nick Lucas, Ann Pennington, George Raft, Gertrude Short, Lilyan Tashman, Conway Tearle, Nancy Welford, and Judith Wood in Gold Diggers of Broadway (1929)

Viola Dana and Gertrude Short in The Only Road (1918)

Known for

Love Birds

5.8

Burlesque Girl

1934

Crinoline and Romance

Sibil Vane

1923

The Prisoner

Lady Jane

1923

A Bit o' Heaven

4.7

A Raggedy Ruggles

1917

Credits

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IMDbPro

Actress

Gettin' Glamour
- Gussie (uncredited)
- Short
- 1946
Smart Boy
- Waitress (uncredited)
- Short
- 1945
Man Alive
- Mrs. Fogarty (uncredited)
- 1945
Guest Pests
- Short
- 1945
Week-End at the Waldorf
- Telephone Operator (uncredited)
- 1945
Sheriff of Cimarron
- Portly Woman (uncredited)
- 1945
Two for the Money
- Short
- 1942
Her Cardboard Lover
- Hotel Telephone Operator (uncredited)
- 1942
Tom, Dick and Harry
- Bridge Matron (scenes deleted)
- 1941
A Girl, a Guy, and a Gob
- Mother (scenes deleted)
- 1941
Spots Before Your Eyes
- Short
- 1940
Dog-Gone
- Hilda, the Maid
- Short
- 1939
Broadway Serenade
- Second 5&10 Salesgirl (uncredited)
- 1939
You Can't Get Away with Murder
- Peg (uncredited)
- 1939
Tip-Off Girls
- 'Boots' Milburn
- 1938

Personal details

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Height
- 5′ 3″ (1.60 m)
Born
- April 6, 1902
- Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
Died
- July 31, 1968
- Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA(undisclosed)
Spouse
- Scott Pembroke
Parents
Relatives
- Blanche Sweet(Cousin)
Other works
Stage Play: Arrest That Woman. Melodrama. Written by Maxine Alton. Directed by Ira Hards [final Broadway credit]. National Theatre: 18 Sep 1936- Sep 1936 (closing date unknown/7 performances). Cast: Frank Andrews (as "Brown"), Merle Clayton (as "Buddy"), Lillian Emerson (as "Madlyn Harcourt"), Walter Greaza (as "Robert Dorgan, District Attorney"), Harry Hanlon (as "Kelly"), Roger Hundley (as "Police Radio Announcer"), Gerald Kent (as "Davis"), Walter Kinsella (as "Marine"), George Lessey (as "Judge Marvin Drake"), Dave Mallen (as "Sailor'), Hugh Marlowe (I)' (as "Donald Drake") [Broadway debut], Doris Nolan (as "Marie Smith"), Francis Roberts (as "Police Telephone Operator"), Gertrude Short (as "Go-Go") [only Broadway role], Charles Wiley Jr. (as "Officer McCarthy"), Mervin Williams (as "Tom Thornton"). Produced by A.H. Woods.
Publicity listings
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