Claudette Colbert on stage, screen, radio and television

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Claudette Colbert on stage, screen, radio and television

Claudette Colbert (1903–1996) was an American actress who won the Academy Award for Best Actress in It Happened One Night (1934). Born Émilie (aka Lily) Claudette Chauchoin, she had early passions for a career in fashion design.[1] Although she is more generally remembered for her film work, Colbert's show business career began on stage, and theatrical work remained part of her professional life for six decades. It was her friend, Anne Morrison, an aspiring playwright, who nudged her towards the acting profession.[1] She chose the professional name of Claudette Colbert, using a family name three generations removed on her father's side.[1]

Thumb
in I Cover the Waterfront (1933).

From 1923, Colbert began acting in small plays, she continued as a stage performer for six decades, appearing both on Broadway and in other venues around the United States. In 1985, she appeared with Rex Harrison in the Frederick Lonsdale play Aren't We All? at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre on Broadway.[2]

She made 65 films during her career. Colbert began picking up main parts in early movies, beginning silent film For the Love of Mike in 1927.[3] Colbert was nominated twice more for an Academy Award − in 1935's Private Worlds and 1944's Since You Went Away − but won neither.[4] Her final theatrical film was in 1961, as Troy Donahue's mother in Parrish.

Colbert made numerous appearances on radio, most notably in the Lux Radio Theater, and sporadically on other radio programs. Over the decades, she appeared on several television shows, with her final appearance being The Two Mrs. Grenvilles miniseries in 1985, in which she played the wealthy mother-in-law of Ann-Margret.[5]

Colbert received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on February 8, 1960.[6]

Stage

in La Gringa (1928)
More information Title, Date ...
Broadway stage credits
Title Date Role Notes Ref(s)
The Wild Westcotts Dec 24, 1923 – Jan 1924 Sybil Blake 24 performances [7]
A Kiss in a Taxi Aug 25 – Oct 1925 Ginette 103 performances [8]
The Ghost Train Aug 25 – Oct 1926 Peggy Murdock 61 performances [9]
The Pearl of Great Price Nov 01 – 30, 1926 Pilgrim 32 performances [10]
The Barker Jan 18 – Jul 1927 Lou 221 performances [11]
The Mulberry Bush Oct 26 – Nov 1927 Sylvia Bainbridge 29 performances [12]
La Gringa Feb 1928 Carlota D'Astradente 13 performances [13]
Within the Law Mar 1928 Agnes Lynch 16 performances [14]
Fast Life Sep 26 – Oct 1928 Patricia Mason 21 performances [15]
Tin Pan Alley Nov 1 – Dec 1928 Jill O'Dare 69 performances [16]
Dynamo Feb 11 – Mar 1929 Ada Fife 50 performances [17]
See Naples and Die Sep 24 – Nov 1929 Nanette Dodge Kosoff 62 performances [18]
Janus Nov 24, 1955 – Jun 30, 1956 Jessica (replacement) Unknown [19]
The Marriage-Go-Round Oct 29, 1958 – Feb 13, 1960 Content Lowell, Ph.D.,D.Litt.,M.F.A., Soc.Sc., Dean of Women, Mrs. Paul Delville 431 performances [20]
Julia, Jake and Uncle Joe Jan 28, 1961 Julia Ryan [21]
The Irregular Verb to Love Sep 17 – Dec 28, 1963 Hedda Rankin 115 performances [22]
The Kingfisher Dec 6, 1978 – May 13, 1979 Evelyn 118 performances [23]
A Talent for Murder Oct 1 – Dec 6, 1981 Anne Royce McClain 77 performances [24]
Aren't We All? Apr 29 – Jul 21, 1985 Lady Frinton 93 performances [2]
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Other theater

Screen

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Colbert as Cleopatra (1934)
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Gary Cooper and Colbert in Bluebeard's Eighth Wife (1936)

Feature length credits

More information Title, Year ...
Feature films
Title Year Role Production

company

Ref(s)
For the Love of Mike 1927 Mary Robert Kane Productions [3]
[28]
The Hole in the Wall 1929 Jean Oliver Paramount Pictures
Famous Players–Lasky
[29]
The Lady Lies 1929 Joyce Roamer Paramount Pictures
Famous Players–Lasky
[30]
The Big Pond
(aka La Grande Mare)
1930 Barbara Billings Paramount Publix Corp. [31]
Young Man of Manhattan 1930 Ann Vaughn Paramount Publix Corp. [32]
Manslaughter 1930 Lydia Thorne Paramount Publix Corp. [33]
Mysterious Mr. Parkes
(aka L'Énigmatique Monsieur Parkes)
1930 Lucy Stavrin Paramount Pictures [34]
Honor Among Lovers 1931 Julia Traynor Paramount Publix Corp.
Preserved at UCLA Film and Television Archive
[35]
The Smiling Lieutenant 1931 Franzi Paramount Publix Corp.
Preserved at UCLA Film and Television Archive
[36]
Secrets of a Secretary 1931 Helen Blake Paramount Publix Corp. [37]
His Woman 1931 Sally Clark Paramount Publix Corp. [38]
The Wiser Sex 1932 Margaret Hughes (aka Ruby Kennedy) Paramount Publix Corp. [39]
The Misleading Lady 1932 Helen Steele Paramount Publix Corp. [40]
The Man from Yesterday 1932 Sylvia Suffolk Paramount Publix Corp. [41]
The Phantom President 1932 Felicia Hammond Paramount Publix Corp. [42]
The Sign of the Cross 1932 Empress Poppaea Paramount Publix Corp.
Preserved at UCLA Film and Television Archive
[43]
Tonight Is Ours 1933 Princess/Queen Nadya Paramount Productions Inc. [44]
I Cover the Waterfront 1933 Julie Kirk Reliance Pictures, Inc. [45]
Three-Cornered Moon 1933 Elizabeth Rimplegar Paramount Productions Inc. [46]
Torch Singer 1933 Sally Trent, aka Mimi Benton Paramount Productions Inc. [47]
Four Frightened People 1934 Judy Jones Paramount Pictures
Preserved at UCLA Film and Television Archive
[48]
It Happened One Night 1934 Ellie Andrews Columbia Pictures [49]
Cleopatra 1934 Cleopatra Paramount Pictures
Preserved at UCLA Film and Television Archive
[50]
Imitation of Life 1934 Beatrice 'Bea' Pullman Universal Pictures [51]
The Gilded Lily 1935 Marilyn David Paramount Pictures [52]
Private Worlds 1935 Dr. Jane Everest Walter Wanger Productions [53]
She Married Her Boss 1935 Julia Scott Columbia Pictures [54]
The Bride Comes Home 1935 Jeannette Desmereau Paramount Pictures [55]
Under Two Flags 1936 Cigarette 20th Century Fox
Preserved at UCLA Film and Television Archive
[56]
Tovarich 1937 Grand Duchess Tatiana Petrovna Romanov Warner Bros. [57]
I Met Him in Paris 1937 Kay Denham Paramount Pictures [58]
Maid of Salem 1937 Barbara Clarke Paramount Pictures [59]
Bluebeard's Eighth Wife 1938 Nicole de Loiselle Paramount Pictures [60]
Zaza 1939 Zaza Paramount Pictures [61]
Midnight 1939 Eve Peabody Paramount Pictures [62]
It's a Wonderful World 1939 Edwina Corday Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) [63]
Drums Along the Mohawk 1939 Lana Martin 20th Century Fox [64]
Boom Town 1940 Betsy Bartlett [McMasters] MGM [65]
Arise, My Love 1940 Augusta Paramount Pictures
[66]
Skylark 1941 Lydia Kenyon Paramount Pictures [67]
Remember the Day 1941 Nora Trinell 20th Century Fox [68]
The Palm Beach Story 1942 Geraldine 'Gerry' Jeffers Paramount Pictures [69]
So Proudly We Hail! 1943 Lt. Janet Davy Davidson Paramount Pictures [70]
No Time for Love 1943 Katherine Grant Paramount Pictures [71]
Since You Went Away 1944 Mrs. Anne Hilton Selznick International Pictures [72]
Practically Yours 1944 Peggy Martin Paramount Pictures [73]
Guest Wife 1945 Mary Price Greentree Productions [74]
Tomorrow Is Forever 1946 Elizabeth Hamilton International Pictures [75]
Without Reservations 1946 Christopher Kit Madden RKO Pictures [76]
The Secret Heart 1946 Leola 'Lee' Addams MGM [77]
The Egg and I 1947 Betty MacDonald Universal Pictures [78]
Sleep, My Love 1948 Alison Courtland Triangle Productions, Inc.
Preserved at UCLA Film and Television Archive
[79]
Family Honeymoon 1949 Katie Armstrong Jordan Universal-International [80]
Bride for Sale 1949 Nora Shelley RKO Radio Pictures [81]
Three Came Home 1950 Agnes Newton Keith 20th Century Fox [82]
The Secret Fury 1950 Ellen R. Ewing RKO Radio Pictures [83]
Thunder on the Hill 1951 Sister Mary Bonaventure 20th Century Fox [84]
Let's Make It Legal 1951 Miriam Halsworth 20th Century Fox [85]
The Planter's Wife 1952 Liz Frazer Pinnacle Productions [86]
Daughters of Destiny
(aka Destinées)
1954 Elizabeth Whitefield Arlan and Cinédis [87]
Royal Affairs in Versailles
(aka Si Versailles m'était conté)
1954 Madame de Montespan Cocinor [87]
Texas Lady 1955 Prudence Webb RKO Radio Pictures [88]
Parrish 1961 Ellen McLean Warner Bros. [89]
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Short subjects

More information Title, Year ...
Short films
Title Year Notes Ref(s)
Make Me a Star 1932 Unbilled cameo appearance. Paramount Publix Corp. [90][91]
Hollywood on Parade No. 9 1933 Preserved at UCLA Film and Television Archive [92]
Academy Awards 1935–1937 Hearst newsreel footage – film experts pick winners for 1934. Preserved at UCLA Film and Television Archive [93]
The Hollywood You Never See 1934 A behind-the-scenes look at the making of Cleopatra [94]
The Fashion Side of Hollywood 1935 A behind-the-scenes short [95]
Breakdowns of 1938 1938 Outtakes from several films, including Tovarich (1937). [94]
Hedda Hopper's Hollywood No. 6 1942 Gossip columnist Hedda Hopper covering two World War II benefit affairs [94]
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Radio appearances

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Lux Radio Theater

Between the years 1935 and 1954, Colbert made numerous appearances on the Lux Radio Theatre.[96][97]

 The Screen Guild Theater 

She also participated in 13 episodes of radio's The Screen Guild Theater, between 1939 and 1952.[100]

NBC radio show

More information Year, Program ...
YearProgramEpisode/source
1947"This Is Hollywood""The Egg and I"[103]
1950"Hallmark Playhouse""The Egg and I"[104]
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Television

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Perspective
More information Title, Year/Date ...
Television credits
Title Year/Date Role Notes Ref(s)
The Jack Benny Program April 5, 1951 Herself Co-starred with Basil Rathbone and Robert Montgomery [105]
The Best of Broadway 1954–1955 Julie Cavendish / Actress September 15, 1954 "The Royal Family"
May 2, 1955 "The Guardsman"
[106]
The Ford Television Theatre 1955 Lorna Gilbert / Elizabeth Hopkins January 5, 1955 "Magic Formula
April 28, 1955 "While We're Young"
[106]
Climax! 1955 Sister Cecilia
Dr. Jane Everest
April 7, 1955 "Private Worlds" as Dr. Jane Everest, based on the 1935 film
May 5, 1955 "The Deliverance of Sister Cecilia"
[107]
The Colgate Comedy Hour November 27, 1955 Herself "Special Awards Presentation" at the Cocoanut Grove in Hollywood [108]
Letter to Loretta December 4, 1955 Herself – Guest Hostess "A Pattern of Deceit" [citation needed]
Ford Star Jubilee January 14, 1956 Ruth Condomine "Blithe Spirit"

[106]

Robert Montgomery Presents September 24, 1956 Unknown "After All These Years" [citation needed]
General Motors 50th Anniversary Show 1957 Herself [109]
Playhouse 90 February 14, 1957 Betsy Gregg The Emcee [110]
Zane Grey Theatre 1957, 1960 Lucy Horncuff
Beth Brayden
October 11, 1957 "Blood in the Dust"
November 10, 1960 "So Young the Savage Land"
[citation needed]
Telephone Time December 3, 1957 Mary Roberts Rinehart "Novel appeal" [111]
The Steve Allen Show 1958 (April 27 and November 23) Herself [112]
Colgate Theatre September 30, 1958 Elizabeth Harper "Welcome to Washington" [citation needed]
What's My Line? September 30, 1958 Herself the Mystery Guest [113]
Suspicion 1958 Mrs. Edith Miller "The Last Town Car" [citation needed]
General Electric Theater 1958 Edith Miller 2 episodes [114]
Frontier Justice 1959 Lucy Horncuff "Blood in the Dust" (originally aired on Zane Grey Theater) [citation needed]
The Bells of St. Mary's 1959 Sister Benedict TV movie [115]
The Outer limits 16 September 1963 ABC, "The Galaxy Being" [106]
The American Film Institute Salute to Frank Capra 1982 Herself [116]
The Two Mrs. Grenvilles 1987 Alice Grenville [117]
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Audio cassette

Bibliography

  • Crump, William D. (2013). The Christmas Encyclopedia, 3d ed. McFarland. ISBN 978-1-4766-0573-9.
  • Dick, Bernard F. (2008). Claudette Colbert : She Walked in Beauty. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi. ISBN 978-1-60473-329-7.
  • Sonneborn, Liz (2002). A to Z of American Women in the Performing Arts. New York : Facts on File. p. 41-43. ISBN 978-0-8160-4398-9.

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Notes

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