Billie Burke

Mary William Ethelbert Appleton Billie Burke was an American actress, famous on Broadway and in early silent film, best known to modern audiences as Glinda the Good Witch of the North in the movie musical The Wizard of Oz. She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1938 for her performance as Emily Kilbourne in Merrily We Live and is also remembered for her appearances in the Topper series. Billie Burke was the wife of Broadway producer Florenz Ziegfeld, Jr., of Ziegfeld Follies fame, from 1914 until his death in 1932. Her voice was unique in intonation, which she accentuated in her later character roles as dimwitted, spoiled society types.

She was born Mary William Ethelbert Appleton Burke, the daughter of Blanche and William Billy Burke. She toured the United States and Europe with her father, who was a singer and clown and worked for the Barnum amp Bailey Circus. Her family ultimately settled in London where she attended plays in the West End. In 1903 she began acting on stage, making her debut in London in The School Girl. Other London shows included The Duchess of Dantzic and The Blue Moon . She eventually returned to America to star in Broadway musical comedies.

Source: Wikipedia