[1][2] Menken was born in New York City to a German-French father, Frederick Meinken, and an Irish-born mother, Mary Madden.

Menken's final Broadway appearance was in an unsuccessful play named The Laughing Woman, which ran for less than a month in 1937.

Menken appeared as the leading lady for the summer stock cast at the Elitch Theatre, in Denver, Colorado, in 1922 and 1924.

"[9] Her performance as Irene De Montcel, in the first English-language production of The Captive, Edouard Bourdet's lesbian-themed drama, led to her arrest (along with the rest of the cast) on February 9, 1927.

[citation needed] Menken was a major presence behind the scenes in the theater world, especially at the American Theatre Wing.

[citation needed] Menken received a Special Tony Award posthumously in 1966 "for a lifetime of devotion and dedicated service to the Broadway theatre.