The daughter of an architect, she studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Art and first appeared on Broadway in the 1923 production of "Go West, Young Man". Her usual stage personae from then on were intelligent sophisticates. In 1929 she was "discovered" by
Cecil B. DeMille during a performance of "The Silver Chord" in Los Angeles and who, subsequently, cast her in roles unworthy of her talents, such as
Dynamite (1929),
Madam Satan (1930) and Passion Flower (1930). When not the lead, she was given a better chance in supporting roles, particularly in
Of Human Bondage (1934) and
Jalna (1935). She exited Hollywood in 1943 and returned to the stage, appearing with
Ralph Bellamy in "State of the Union" in 1945.