The Great Ziegfeld

The Great Ziegfeld, motion-picture dramatization of the life of Florenz Ziegfeld, Broadway impresario. Released in 1936, this Academy Award-winning film stars William Powell as the producer of the Ziegfeld Follies (1907) and many other elaborate stage shows. Beginning his career as a sideshow barker, Ziegfeld marries actor Anna Held (played by Luise Rainer), but their tumultuous relationship soon leads to divorce. By the time he marries again, this time to actor Billie Burke (Myrna Loy), Ziegfeld has four simultaneous hits running on Broadway and is managing the careers of singer Fanny Brice and actor W. C. Fields.

Director

• Robert Z. Leonard

Cast

• William Powell (Florenz Ziegfeld)
• Luise Rainer (Anna Held)
• Myrna Loy (Billie Burke)
• Frank Morgan (Billings)
• Reginald Owen (Sampston)
• Nat Pendleton (Sandow)
• Virginia Bruce (Audrey Lane)
• Ernest Cossart (Sidney)
• Robert Greig (Joe)
• Raymond Walburn (Sage)
• Fanny Brice (Herself)
• Jean Chatburn (Mary Lou)
• Ann Pennington (Herself)
• Ray Bolger (Himself)
• Harriet Hoctor (Herself)
• Charles Trowbridge (Julian Mitchell)
• Gilda Gray (Herself)
• Andrew A. Trimble ( Will Rogers)
• Joan Holland (Patricia Ziegfeld)
• Buddy Doyle (Eddie Cantor)
• Charles Judels (Pierre)
• Leon Errol (Himself)
• Marcelle Corday (Marie)
• Esther Muir (Prima Donna)
• Herman Bing (Customer)
• Paul Irving (Erlanger)
• William Demarest (Gene Buck)
• Alfred P. James (Stage doorman)
• Miss Morocco (Little Egypt)
• Suzanne Kaaren (Miss Blair)
• Sarah Edwards (Wardrobe woman)
• James Burtis (Bill)
• Mickey Daniels (Telegraph boy)
• William Griffith (Husband)
• Grace Hayle (Wife)
• Richard Tucker (Customer)
• Clay Clement (Customer)
• Larry Wheat (Customer)
• Selmer Jackson (Customer)
• Alice Keating (Alice)
• Rosina Lawrence (Marilyn Miller)
• Jack Baxley (Detective)
• Charles Coleman (Carriage starter)
• Eric Wilton (Desk clerk)
• Mary Howard (Miss Carlisle)
• Bert Hanlon (Jim)
• Evelyn Dockson (Fat woman)
• Franklyn Ardell (Allen)
• John Larkin (Sam)
• David Burns (Clarence)
• Phil Tead (Press agent)
• Susan Fleming (Girl with sage)
• Adrienne d'Ambricourt (Wife of French ambassador)
• Charles Fallon (French ambassador)
• Boothe Howard (Willie Zimmerman)
• Edwin Maxwell (Charles Froman)
• Ruth Gillette (Lillian Russell)
• John Hyams (Dave Stamper)
• Wallis Clark (Broker)
• Raymond Brown (Inspector Doyle)
• Pat Nixon (Extra)

Awards

• Academy Award for Best Picture (1936): Hunt Stromberg—Producer
• Academy Award for Best Actress (1936): Luise Rainer
• Academy Award for Best Dance Direction (1936): Seymour Felix

Trivia

• Future first lady Pat Nixon was featured in an extra role in this film.