Background
Born Dorothea Heermance in New York City, Collyer chose to use her mother"s maiden name when she decided to pursue acting.
Born Dorothea Heermance in New York City, Collyer chose to use her mother"s maiden name when she decided to pursue acting.
A society girl chosen by Allan Dwan, she had her first starring role in 1927 when she starred in East Side, West Side. She did a total of eleven films during the silent film era, and unlike many of that period she made a successful transition to sound movies. In 1930 Collyer starred opposite Louise Dresser and Joyce Compton in The Three Sisters, and that same year she starred with Claudia Dell in Sweet Kitty Bellairs.
She starred in nineteen films from 1930 to 1936.
She took a break in the 1940s, either by choice or due to her not receiving starring roles. She played in one episode of the 1958 series Playhouse 90, then retired.