Zasu Pitts, born Eliza Susan Pitts on January 3, 1894, in Parsons, Kansas, was an American actress whose career spanned nearly five decades. Her father, Rulandus Pitts, had lost a leg while serving in the Civil War, and the family moved to Santa Cruz, California, when Zasu was nine years old.

She attended Santa Cruz High School, where she participated in school theatricals.

Zasu Pitts made her stage debut in 1914-1915, doing school and local community theater in Santa Cruz. She moved to Los Angeles in 1916, seeking work as a film extra. Screenwriter Frances Marion discovered her and cast her as an orphaned slavey in the silent film "A Little Princess" (1917), starring Mary Pickford.

Her popularity grew following a series of Universal one-reeler comedies, and she earned her first feature-length lead in King Vidor's "Better Times" (1919).

In 1920, Zasu Pitts married matinée idol Tom Gallery, and they had a daughter, Ann, in 1922. The couple starred in several films together, including "Bright Eyes" (1921) and "Heart of Twenty" (1920). They divorced in 1933, and Zasu later married John E. Woodall in 1933.

She appeared in numerous radio shows and made her mark on television as well. Some of her notable films include "Greed" (1924), directed by Erich von Stroheim, and "The Wedding March" (1928). She also appeared in the all-star comedy epic "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" (1963), one of her final roles.

Zasu Pitts was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960 at 6554 Hollywood Blvd. She passed away on June 7, 1963, in Los Angeles, California, and was laid to rest in Holy Cross Cemetery.