Career
She had stage and screen experience in Vienna. Birell doubled for Marlene Dietrich in German films. She came to England to appear in the German version of Cape Forlorn, and later went to America to play in the German version of Boudoir Diplomats.
Star of stage in Europe, she became popular in American films, including a small role in Bringing Up Baby (1938).
In 1940 she appeared onstage in My Dear Children at the Belasco Theatre in New York City. One of her final on-camera appearances was on the popular 1953 United States anthology drama television series Orient Express in the episode titled The Red Sash.
She is buried in the Bavarian village Marquartstein in a family tomb.