Claudette Colbert
Biography
Claudette Colbert was an American actress born Emilie Claudette Chauchoin in Saint-Mandé, Val-de-Marne, France, on September 13, 1903. She was brought to the United States as a child and attended high school in New York. Colbert began her acting career on Broadway, taking the name Claudette Colbert for her first role in "The Wild Westcotts" in 1923. Her stage vehicle "The Barker" in 1927 was notable. Her first film was the silent "For the Love of Mike" in 1927, directed by Frank Capra. The movie was a flop, and Colbert vowed it would be her last film role. She left Broadway due to the economic downturn.
Career overview
Claudette Colbert began her acting career on the Broadway stage, taking the name Claudette Colbert for her first role in "The Wild Westcotts" in 1923. She went on to perform in several stage productions, with one of her most notable roles being in the 1927 play "The Barker".
Her transition to film occurred in 1927 with the silent movie "For the Love of Mike", directed by Frank Capra. Although the movie was a commercial failure, Colbert stated that she only left Broadway due to the economic downturn of the time.
Colbert's early film career was marked by a single silent movie, indicating a relatively brief period of involvement in the film industry before her transition to other pursuits.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full Filmography
102 titles- Azzedine Alaïa, un couturier français (2022) as Self (archive footage)
- Complicated Women (2003) as Self (archive footage)
- Beyond Tara: The Extraordinary Life of Hattie McDaniel (2001) as Self (archive footage)
- Frank Capra Jr. Remembers: 'It Happened One Night' (1999) as Self (archive footage)
- The Silver Screen: Color Me Lavender (1997) as Self (archive footage)
- The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies (1995) as Self (archive footage)
- That's Entertainment! III (1994) as (archive footage)
- The Two Mrs. Grenvilles (1987) as Alice Grenville
- Marilyn Monroe (1986) as archive footage
- The Kennedy Center Honors (1978) as Self
- Parrish (1961) as Ellen McLean
- Suspicion (1957) as Edith Miller
- The Comedian (1957) as Self (intro)
- One Coat of White (1957) as Betsy Gregg
- Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre (1956) as Lucy Bradford
- Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre (1956) as Beth Brayden
- The Steve Allen Show (1956) as Self
- The Steve Allen Show (1956) as Self - Party Host
- Telephone Time (1956)
- Playhouse 90 (1956)
- Blithe Spirit (1956) as Ruth Condomine
- Texas Lady (1955) as Prudence Webb
- Climax! (1954)
- Climax! (1954) as Dr. Jane Everest
- Climax! (1954) as Sister Cecilia
- Daughters of Destiny (1954) as Elizabeth Whitefield (segment "Elisabeth")
- The Oscars (1953) as Self
- Letter to Loretta (1953) as Self - Guest Host
- General Electric Theater (1953) as Edith Miller
- Royal Affairs in Versailles (1953) as Mrs. de Montespan
- The Planter's Wife (1952) as Liz Frazer
- Thunder on the Hill (1951) as Sister Mary Bonaventure
- Let's Make It Legal (1951) as Miriam Halsworth
- Robert Montgomery Presents (1950)
- What's My Line? (1950) as Self
- The Colgate Comedy Hour (1950) as Self
- The Jack Benny Program (1950) as Claudette Colbert
- The Secret Fury (1950) as Ellen Ewing
- Three Came Home (1950) as Agnes Newton Keith
- Bride for Sale (1949) as Nora Shelley
- Family Honeymoon (1948) as Katie Armstrong Jordan
- Sleep, My Love (1948) as Alison Courtland
- The Egg and I (1947) as Betty MacDonald
- Without Reservations (1946) as Kit Madden
- Tomorrow Is Forever (1946) as Elizabeth Hamilton
- The Secret Heart (1946) as Lee Addams
- Guest Wife (1945) as Mary Price
- Since You Went Away (1944) as Anne Hilton
- Practically Yours (1944) as Peggy Martin
- So Proudly We Hail (1943) as Lt. Janet 'Davy' Davidson
- No Time for Love (1943) as Katherine Grant
- The Palm Beach Story (1942) as Geraldine 'Gerry' Jeffers
- Hedda Hopper’s Hollywood No. 6 (1942) as Herself
- Remember the Day (1941) as Nora Trinell
- Skylark (1941) as Lydia Kenyon
- Arise, My Love (1940) as Augusta Nash
- Boom Town (1940) as Betsy Bartlett
- Cavalcade of the Academy Awards (1940) as Self (archive footage)
- Hollywood: Style Center of the World (1940) as Self
- Drums Along the Mohawk (1939) as Lana (Magdelana)
- It's a Wonderful World (1939) as Edwina Corday
- Midnight (1939) as Eve Peabody
- Zaza (1939) as Zaza
- Bluebeard's 8th Wife (1938) as Nicole De Loiselle
- Hollywood Goes to Town (1938) as Self
- Breakdowns of 1938 (1938) as Tatiana (archive footage) (uncredited)
- Maid of Salem (1937) as Barbara Clarke
- I Met Him in Paris (1937) as Kay Denham
- Tovarich (1937) as Grand Duchess Tatiana Petrovna Romanov
- Under Two Flags (1936) as Cigarette
- She Married Her Boss (1935) as Julia Scott
- The Gilded Lily (1935) as Marilyn David
- Private Worlds (1935) as Dr. Jane Everest
- The Fashion Side of Hollywood (1935) as Self
- The Bride Comes Home (1935) as Jeannette Desmereau
- It Happened One Night (1934) as Ellie Andrews
- Hollywood on Parade No. B-10 (1934) as Self
- Cleopatra (1934) as Cleopatra
- Imitation of Life (1934) as Beatrice 'Bea' Pullman
- Four Frightened People (1934) as Judy Jones
- Torch Singer (1933) as Sally Trent, aka Mimi Benton
- Three Cornered Moon (1933) as Elizabeth Rimplegar
- I Cover the Waterfront (1933) as Julie Kirk
- Tonight Is Ours (1933) as Princess Nadya
- The Sign of the Cross (1932) as Empress Poppaea
- The Wiser Sex (1932) as Margaret Hughes
- The Misleading Lady (1932) as Helen Steele
- The Phantom President (1932) as Felicia Hammond
- Make Me a Star (1932) as Claudette Colbert (uncredited)
- The Man from Yesterday (1932) as Sylvia Suffolk
- His Woman (1931) as Sally Clark
- The Smiling Lieutenant (1931) as Franzi
- Honor Among Lovers (1931) as Julia Traynor
- Secrets of a Secretary (1931) as Helen Blake
- The House That Shadows Built (1931) as (archive footage)
- Manslaughter (1930) as Lydia Thorne
- The Big Pond (1930) as Barbara Billings
- Mysterious Mr. Parkes (1930) as Lucy Stavrin
- Young Man of Manhattan (1930) as Ann Vaughn
- The Hole in the Wall (1929) as Jean Oliver
- The Lady Lies (1929) as Joyce Roamer
- For the Love of Mike (1927) as Mary
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is Claudette Colbert best known for?
Claudette Colbert is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including That's Entertainment! III (1994), The Two Mrs. Grenvilles (1987), The Kennedy Center Honors (1978), Parrish (1961).
When and where was Claudette Colbert born?
Claudette Colbert was born on September 13, 1903 in Saint-Mandé, Val-de-Marne, France. They passed away on July 30, 1996.
How many credits does Claudette Colbert have?
Claudette Colbert has accumulated over 102 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1927 to 2022.
What is Claudette Colbert's background in cinema and television?
Claudette Colbert was an American actress born Emilie Claudette Chauchoin in Saint-Mandé, Val-de-Marne, France, on September 13, 1903. She was brought to the United States as a child and attended high school in New York. Colbert began her acting career on Broadway, taking the name Claudette Colbert for her first role i...
Claudette Colbert by the numbers
Age in their best-rated roles
- The Jack Benny Program (1950) as Claudette Colbert — aged about 46
- It Happened One Night (1934) as Ellie Andrews — aged about 30
- Playhouse 90 (1956) — aged about 52
- The Kennedy Center Honors (1978) as Self — aged about 74
- That's Entertainment! III (1994) as (archive footage) — aged about 90
- The Oscars (1953) as Self — aged about 49
Full filmography (102) Born on September 13 In memoriam 1996
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