Marden gained early acting experience in
stock theater companies in Cleveland. She also directed musicals in some small towns in Ohio before moving to California and joining the
Pasadena Playhouse. One of Marden's first film roles was playing a czar's daughter in
Rasputin and the Empress (1932), in which she was billed as
Mabel Marden. Marden debuted on
Broadway in
Merrily We Roll Along (1934). Her other Broadway credits include
Hickory Stick (1943),
The American Way (1938), and
The Women (1936). In 1935, Marden would appear at
Elitch Theatre in the Summer Stock cast. On radio, Marden had the role of Patricia Jordan on
The Story of Bess Johnson and was on the
American Drama School of the Air. From the 1950s thru the 1970s, Marden made several guest appearances on television. ==Personal life==