Dorothy Tree | |
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Dorothy Tree, 1939
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Born |
Dorothy Estelle Triebitz May 21, 1906 Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
Died | February 13, 1992 Englewood, New Jersey, U.S. |
(aged 85)
Other names | Dorothy Uris |
Occupation | Actress, voice teacher |
Years active | 1927-1951 |
Spouse(s) | Michael Uris (19??-1967; his death); 1 child |
Dorothy Tree (May 21, 1906 – February 13, 1992) was an American actress, voice teacher and writer. She appeared in a wide range of character roles in at least 49 films between 1927 and 1951.
Her roles included Martha, mother of Knute Rockne in Knute Rockne, All American, and May Emmerich, the invalid wife of Louis Calhern in The Asphalt Jungle. After being blacklisted as a communist because of the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) hearings, she began a second career as a voice teacher in New York. Emphasizing good diction and clarity, and the subtleties of intonation, she published four books on the subject.
She was born in Brooklyn, New York, the eldest of three daughters of Herman Triebitz (1877–1943) and Bertha Hert (1885–1967). Her sisters were Sylvia Triebitz (1911–1949) and Mildred "Mimi" Triebitz (1918–?) Her parents were born in Austria, and immigrated to the United States. Their native language was Yiddish. He was the proprietor of a shoe store in Brooklyn, and later sold shoes wholesale.
Dorothy attended Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. Taking the stage name Dorothy Tree, she began her acting career on the stage in 1926. She appeared in six plays on Broadway, including her role as Jessica (Shylock's daughter) in The Merchant of Venice (1930).