In 1988, she published "The Technique of Acting" with a foreword by Marlon Brando. From 1926 until 1952, she appeared regularly on Broadway. Her later stage roles include the 1946 revival of "He Who Gets Slapped" and an eccentric mother in the 1961 black comedy "Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Mama's Hung You in the Closet and I'm Feelin' So Sad". Among the plays she directed was a 1956 revival of the Paul Green/Kurt Weill antiwar musical "Johnny Johnson". She appeared in only three films: "Love on Toast" (1937), "Shadow of the Thin Man" (1941), and "My Girl Tisa" (1948). She concluded her acting career in 1961, after 55 years. During that time, and for years after, she became a renowned acting teacher.