Despite her shy demeanor and bird-like qualities, Pitts was a natural performing on stage and moved to LA by age twenty-one. Here, with Mary Pickford, THE LITTLE PRINCESS (1917).īorn Eliza Susan Pitts on January 3rd, 1894 (her 124th birthday is next month), the family moved to Santa Cruz, California seeking sunnier opportunities. She was also featured in Looney Tunes, in Hollywood-ribbing toons like “Mother Goose Goes Hollywood.” Pitts often faced the challenge of looking too similar to Lillian Gish. If you’ve seen Olive Oyl from Max Fleischer’s Popeye the Sailor cartoons, you are already familiar with the signature ZaSu Pitts tone and voice. ZaSu’s signature characterizations were such a fan favorite she was parodied in cartoons, a reflection that she was immersed in pop culture. She gained the reputation of stealing every scene. Her voice had a distinctive mumbling of melancholic concern, often with an “oh dear…” muttering to herself. Her large, soft eyes were doe-like and she usually looked upward. Her tiny mouth was shaped like a kewpie doll with the corners often turned down. Physically, her appearance was defined by delicate, thin lines and a frequent focus on her ever- waving, fidgeting fingers. Her most notable characters were the woeful worrywarts. Now that we all know how say “Say-zoo,” a name which is a combo of her aunts Eliza and Susan, let’s explore the memorable ways this distinctive lady who began life not too far from me in Parsons, Kansas, became one of the most recognized faces in Hollywood. To honor her properly, let’s begin with this lesson, provided via Thelma Todd and ZaSu herself: Oh sure, many of my ‘old movie weirdo’ friends may know, but it’s a common mistake. Before I can gush on about this distinctively funny lady with the fluttering hands that stole every scene, one must learn how to say her name correctly.
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