Dorothy Christy

Dorothy Christy
Christy in Extravagance (1930)
Born
Dorothea J. Seltzer

(1900-05-26)May 26, 1900
Reading, Pennsylvania, U.S.
DiedMay 21, 1977(1977-05-21) (aged 76)
Santa Monica, California, U.S.
Other namesDorothy Rucker
OccupationActress
Years active1929–1953
Spouses
Harold Christy
​
(div. 1936)​
    Rollin Rucker
    ​
    (died 1970)​
    [1]
    Children1

    Dorothy Christy (born Dorothea J. Seltzer, later Dorothy Rucker; May 26, 1900[1] – May 21, 1977) was an American actress. She was sometimes billed as Dorothy Christie.[2][3]

    Early years

    Christy was born Dorothea J. Seltzer[4] on May 26, 1900, in Reading, Pennsylvania.[5] She was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John C. Seltzer. Although she sometimes participated in amateur plays, she had no plans for an acting career.[6] After attending public schools in Reading, she went to Beachwood (a finishing school near Philadelphia) and then to Dana Hall School near Boston. She went on to study opera.[3]

    Career

    Christy earned a theatrical arts degree from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City, New York. When she began her stage career, Christy sought out famous Broadway producer Florenz Ziegfeld, Jr. Ziegfeld signed her on as a showgirl with no lines and agreed to pay her $100 a week. An hour after signing her contract, Christy reconsidered this decision and decided instead to reach out to theatrical producing firm Schwab and Mandel. Schwab and Mandel signed her onto a three-year contract. She then got her first part as an understudy and was called to substitute for a lead actress within a week.[7]

    As Christy's success on Broadway grew, she was a member of the ensemble of The New Moon (1928) and portrayed Olive in Follow Thru (1929).[8] While attending a social function at the Russian Tea Room, Christy was introduced to director Lloyd French who helped her get started in the film industry under his supervision, beginning with an uncredited role in the Laurel and Hardy film That's My Wife! (1929).[9] Christy went on to become a successful character actress and appeared in over 100 feature films. Christy acted with Will Rogers, Buster Keaton and the Marx Brothers (appearing in the pre-filming stage version of A Night at the Opera) and with Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy in the film Sons of the Desert (1933), in the role of Mrs. Laurel. She was Queen Tika of Murania in The Phantom Empire, Gene Autry’s 1935 cliffhanger serial.[10]

    During her career, Christy was active in the film industry and in her community. She was a member of the Screen Actors Guild and the Hollywood Democratic Committee as well as a member of the Methodist church and a charwoman for her local divisions of the American Red Cross and the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. Christy retired from acting in 1953.

    Personal life

    On January 2, 1936, Christy was divorced from songwriter Hal Christy.[4] She went on to marry film executive Rollin Rucker and the two had one son.

    Selected filmography

    References

    1. ^ a b "Features". Laurel-and-hardy.com. Archived from the original on June 11, 2010. Retrieved March 12, 2014.
    2. ^ Erickson, Hal. "Dorothy Christy". AllMovie. Archived from the original on December 14, 2021. Retrieved December 14, 2021.
    3. ^ a b "The Show Window". Hartford Courant. November 20, 1930. p. 20. Retrieved December 14, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
    4. ^ a b "Movie Couples Get Divorces". El Paso Times. January 9, 1936. p. 2. Retrieved December 14, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
    5. ^ "Actress gets Juarez divorce". El Paso Herald-Post. January 8, 1936. p. 1. Retrieved December 14, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
    6. ^ "Dorothy Christy becomes star". Reading Times. August 4, 1930. p. 16. Retrieved December 14, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
    7. ^ Coons, Robbin (November 15, 1930). "Oakland Tribune". Retrieved June 27, 2025.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
    8. ^ "Dorothy Christie". Internet Broadway Database. The Broadway League. Archived from the original on December 11, 2021. Retrieved December 14, 2021.
    9. ^ French, Lloyd (March 23, 1929), That's My Wife (Comedy, Short), Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Jimmy Aubrey, Hal Roach Studios, retrieved June 27, 2025
    10. ^ Born: Reading, Penn. "Dorothy Christy | BFI | BFI". Explore.bfi.org.uk. Archived from the original on July 15, 2012. Retrieved March 12, 2014.
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