In order to represent life on the stage, we must rub elbows with life, live ourselves.

She appeared in an early color film The Joy Girl. Dressler's sister Bonita five years older left home at about the same time. Garbo and the critics were impressed by Dressler's acting ability and so was MGM which quickly signed Dressler to a $500-per-week contract.

She won the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1930-31 for Min and Bill.