Born Louise Josephine Kerlin in Evansville, Illinois. A veteran of vaudeville and Broadway musicals, Dresser played strong character leads and supporting parts, typically stern and dramatic, in both silent and sound Hollywood films, memorably as Catherine the Great (opposite Rudolph Valentino) in THE EAGLE (1925), as Al Jolson's loving mother in MAMMY (1930), and as Will Rogers' co-star in a number of films: LIGHTNIN' (1930), STATE FAIR and DOCTOR BULL (both 1933), DAVID HARUM (1934) and THE COUNTY CHAIRMAN (1935). Other notable credits include RUGGLES OF RED GAP (1923), THE CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS (1924), THE GOOSE WOMAN (1925), FIFTH AVENUE (1926), MR. WU (1927), A SHIP COMES IN, MOTHER KNOWS BEST and THE AIR CIRCUS (all 1928), NOT QUITE DECENT and MADONNA OF AVENUE A (both 1929), THE THREE SISTERS and THIS MAD WORLD (both 1930), CAUGHT (1931), SLEEPING SISTERS (1932), CRADLE SONG (1933), THE WORLD MOVES ON, THE SCARLET EMPRESS and SERVANTS' ENTRANCE (all 1934) and MAID OF SALEM (1937). After her retirement in 1937, she devoted her time to Hollywood's Motion Picture Country House and Hospital, where she died at the age of 86.    Nominated for Actress 1927-8: A SHIP COMES IN 1 nomination