Vintage Film Festival
The Foundation produces the Vintage Film Festival every year on a weekend in September. Full details here. The Foundation also produces RearView Doc Fest on a weekend in April. More here.
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Contact Us
To contact the Marie Dressler Foundation by mail, see our About Us page. By email, click here.
Marie Dressler House
The Marie Dressler House no longer operates as Cobourg's Tourist Information office but still houses the Interactive Marie Dressler Museum. Dressler House is located at:
212 King street West (Hwy 2),
Cobourg, Ontario, Canada.
Hours
Summer 2019
From May 28 to August 31
Tuesday to Sunday
from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
Fall-Winter 2019
T.B.D.
Last 17 Bursaries
Tell Us More
If you have some information about Marie or simply want to comment on her or the content of this site, please use our "Tell Us More" form available here.
The Marie Dressler Story
Born in Cobourg, Canada - one of Hollywood's greatest stars
The Dressler Story: to Dream, to Dare, to Persist, to Win
Cobourg is the birthplace of Marie Dressler - one of the greatest comediennes of her generation and one of Hollywood's best loved stars.
This is the official site of the Marie Dressler Foundation whose mission is to make sure that Marie Dressler is remembered.
The Foundation, a registered charity, was created to raise money to restore her house when it was burnt down in 1989 (More here). Our largest activity has been the Vintage Film Festival which is held on the last weekend in October every year. But in 2018 we had additional major events to celebrate Marie's 150th birthday.
Bursaries
Another major activity of the Foundation is to award scholarships/bursaries to students planning to pursue an education in the arts field. There is a list of previous scholarship winners here. The 2019 winners were presented with their awards at Dressler House on July 6 - see the story with photos here. For more information on how to apply, go here.
Also available on this site
2015 Bursaries awarded
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Once again, the Marie Dressler Foundation awarded three talented local students $1000 each to help with their further education at University. 
The awards were made outside Dressler House on Saturday, June 27, 2015 by the Chair of the Marie Dressler Foundation, Rick Miller and the chair of the Vintage Film Festival, Cathie Houston. The 2015 winners were: Kieran Yates, St. Mary Secondary School; Sabina Litherland, Cobourg District Collegiate West; Connor Dobos, Cobourg District Collegiate West (photo at right).
Family members also came to watch as well as Foundation founding members Delphine and Bill Patchett, Barbara Garrick and Margaret Baily.
The winners were also presented with Bouquets of flowers - Bill Patchett told Connor that his mother would appreciate the flowers!
Success, Smiles and Surprises at the Dressler Bursary Awards
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SMILES ALL AROUND is the only way to describe this happy scene beneath our new MARIE DRESSLER WAY sign on Dressler House lawn on Saturday July 19th, 2014.
Proudly presenting four local winners of Marie Dressler Foundation Bursaries are on the left, Cathie Houston, Vintage Film Festival Chair, and on the far right Rick Miller recently welcomed Dressler Foundation Chair.
Each student received a one thousand dollar cheque from Miller or Houston while photographers "snapped" and family and Foundation members, including John and Alma Draper provided the applause.
To our surprised delight Bradley Ace Martinez, An Award of Excellence Winner, at St. Mary's Secondary School, serenaded the gathering by playing his guitar (photo below) and singing a song of his own composition. Martinez, a teen "whose life is music" spoke of his plans to attend Metal Works Institute in Toronto where he can broaden his already comprehensive experience in musical creativity and performance. Bradley supported his high school activities by running light and sound boards and provided musical entertainment for events at the Columbus Community Centre.
Read more: Success, Smiles and Surprises at the Dressler Bursary Awards
Marie Dressler Birthday Celebration
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The Marie Dressler Birthday Celebration was held on Sunday, November 3rd, 2013 at the C. Gordon King Centre (Library). Birthday cake and tea was served at 1:30 p.m. after which Antonio Sarmiento introduced the Dressler hit film TUGBOAT ANNIE (1933 ) with the question 'Did Dressler save Hollywood?' The celebration ended with draws for door prizes. Tickets were $8.00 at the door.