August 7, 1918 - Billie Burke

Mary reports the weather being very hot today, so hot that she stayed home relaxing and staying cool in her "Billie Burkes".

Billie Burke (1884-1970) was an actress whose career spanned nearly 60 years on the stage, radio, silent films and talkies.  She married Broadway producer Florenz Ziegfeld in 1914.  She was already a highly paid stage actress when she appeared in Peggy, her first motion picture.  In the first scene she is wearing pajamas, a style which soon became popularly known as "Billie Burkes".   Reflecting her popularity, a 1919 song, Take Your Girlie to the Movies, mentions her name:
Tho’ she’s just a simple little ribbon clerk
Close your eyes and think you’re kissing Billie Burke!

While nominated for an Oscar for her role as Emily Kilbourne in the 1938 movie, Merrily We Live, she is probably best known for her role as Glinda the Good Witch of the North in The Wizard of Oz.