Claudette Colbert
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Claudette Colbert (koʊlˈbɛər/ kohl-BAIR, born Émilie "Lily" Claudette Chauchoin (ʃoʃwɛ̃/ show-shwan); September 13, 1903 – July 30, 1996) was an American actress. Colbert began her career in Broadway productions during the late 1920s and progressed to films with the advent of talking pictures. Initially contracted to
Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation, commonly known as Paramount Pictures or simply Paramount, is an American film production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the flagship namesake subsidiary of Paramount ...
, Colbert became one of the few major actresses of the period who worked freelance; that is to say, independently of the studio system. In 1999, the
American Film Institute The American Film Institute (AFI) is an American nonprofit film organization that educates filmmakers and honors the heritage of the History of cinema in the United States, motion picture arts in the United States. AFI is supported by private fu ...
named Colbert the 12th-greatest female star of classic Hollywood cinema. With her Mid-Atlantic accent, versatility, witty dialogues, aristocratic demeanor, and flair for light comedy and emotional drama, Colbert became one of the most popular stars of the 1930s and 1940s. In all, Colbert acted in more than 60 movies. Among her frequent co-stars were
Fred MacMurray Frederick Martin MacMurray (August 30, 1908 – November 5, 1991) was an American actor. He appeared in more than one hundred films and a successful television series in a career that spanned nearly a half-century. His career as a major film le ...
in seven films (1935–1949), and
Fredric March Fredric March (born Ernest Frederick McIntyre Bickel; August 31, 1897 – April 14, 1975) was an American actor, regarded as one of Hollywood's most celebrated stars of the 1930s and 1940s.Obituary '' Variety'', April 16, 1975, page 95. As ...
in four (1930–1933). Colbert won the
Academy Award for Best Actress The Academy Award for Best Actress is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It has been awarded since the 1st Academy Awards to an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance in a lead ...
for ''
It Happened One Night ''It Happened One Night'' is a 1934 American pre-Code romantic comedy film with elements of screwball comedy directed and co-produced by Frank Capra, in collaboration with Harry Cohn, in which a pampered socialite ( Claudette Colbert) tr ...
'' (1934), and received two other Academy Award nominations during her career. Her other notable films include ''
Cleopatra Cleopatra VII Thea Philopator (; The name Cleopatra is pronounced , or sometimes in both British and American English, see and respectively. Her name was pronounced in the Greek dialect of Egypt (see Koine Greek phonology). She was ...
'' (1934), '' The Palm Beach Story'' (1942) and '' Since You Went Away'' (1944). By the mid-1950s Colbert had turned from motion pictures to television and stage work; she earned a
Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...
nomination for '' The Marriage-Go-Round'' in 1959. Her career began to wane in the early 1960s. In the late 1970s she experienced a comeback in the theater, and received a Sarah Siddons Award for her Chicago theater work in 1980. Her television appearance in '' The Two Mrs. Grenvilles'' (1987) earned her a
Golden Globe Award The Golden Globe Awards are awards presented for excellence in both international film and television. It is an annual award ceremony held since 1944 to honor artists and professionals and their work. The ceremony is normally held every Janua ...
and an
Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the year, each with their own set of rules and award categor ...
nomination.


Early life

Émilie "Lily" Claudette Chauchoin was born in 1903 in
Saint-Mandé Saint-Mandé (; named for Saint Maudez) is a Communes of France, commune in the Val-de-Marne Departments of France, department in Île-de-France, in the high-end eastern inner suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the Kilometre zero, cent ...
, France, to Jeanne (, with British
Channel Islands The Channel Islands are an archipelago in the English Channel, off the French coast of Normandy. They are divided into two Crown Dependencies: the Jersey, Bailiwick of Jersey, which is the largest of the islands; and the Bailiwick of Guernsey, ...
heritage) and Georges Chauchoin.Quirk, "Claudette Colbert", p. 5. Although christened "Émilie", she was called "Lily" after
Jersey Jersey ( ; ), officially the Bailiwick of Jersey, is an autonomous and self-governing island territory of the British Islands. Although as a British Crown Dependency it is not a sovereign state, it has its own distinguishing civil and gov ...
-born actress
Lillie Langtry Emilie Charlotte, Lady de Bathe (née Le Breton, formerly Langtry; 13 October 1853 – 12 February 1929), known as Lillie (or Lily) Langtry and nicknamed "The Jersey Lily", was a British socialite, stage actress and producer. Born on the isla ...
. Her mother had intended to name her daughter Lily, but the pastor mistakenly chose Émilie, so she was always called Lily in the family. Colbert's brother, Charles Chauchoin, was also born in the
Bailiwick of Jersey A bailiwick () is usually the area of jurisdiction of a bailiff, and once also applied to territories in which a privately appointed bailiff exercised the sheriff's functions under a royal or imperial writ. In English, the original French combi ...
. Jeanne held various occupations, while Georges owned and managed a
chain store A chain store or retail chain is a retail outlet in which several locations share a brand, central management and standardized business practices. They have come to dominate many retail markets, dining markets, and service categories in many p ...
of pastry and bonbon shops (more than eleven), and was also a major stockholder of an ink factory in which he suffered business setbacks.Film Actresses Vol.15 CLAUDETTE COLBERT: Part 1, by Iacob Adrian (November 6, 2014), Publisher: Publishing Platform, Colbert's grandmother Marie Loew had been to the U.S., and Georges' brother-in-law Charles Loew was living in New York City. Marie was willing to help Georges financially, but also encouraged him to try his luck in the U.S. To pursue more employment opportunities, Colbert and her family, including Marie and her aunt Emily Loew, immigrated to Manhattan in 1906. They lived in a fifth-floor walk-up at 53rd Street. Colbert stated that she was always climbing those stairs until the age of 18. Her parents formally changed her legal name to Lily Claudette Chauchoin. Georges worked as a minor official in the foreign department at First National City Bank, and the family was naturalized in 1912. Before Colbert entered public school, she quickly learnt
Channel Island English Channel Island English refers to Alderney English, Guernsey English, and Jersey English and similar dialects of English found in the other Channel Islands. Variations Alderney English Alderney English is the variety of English spoken by some ...
from Marie, and grew up bilingual, speaking both English and French.Shipman, ''The Great Movie Stars'', pp. 114–115. Already as a small child, she had read Shakespeare's plays and acquired an international sensibility. She had hoped to become a painter ever since she first gripped a pencil. Her brother was drafted 1917 as private first class. After the First World War, he studied at the School of Military Aeronautics at
Cornell University Cornell University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university based in Ithaca, New York, United States. The university was co-founded by American philanthropist Ezra Cornell and historian and educator Andrew Dickson W ...
. Colbert's mother was an opera music fan, and her aunt was a dressmaker. Colbert studied at Washington Irving High School, which was known for its strong arts program. Her speech teacher, Alice Rostetter, encouraged her to audition for a play Rostetter had written. In 1921, Colbert made her stage debut at the Provincetown Playhouse in revivals of Rostetter's ''The Widow's Veil'' and ''Aria da Capo'' by Edna St. Vincent Millay, at the age of 17. Her interests, though, still leaned towards painting, fashion design, and commercial art. Intending to become a fashion designer, she attended the
Art Students League of New York The Art Students League of New York is an art school in the American Fine Arts Society in Manhattan, New York City. The Arts Students League is known for its broad appeal to both amateurs and professional artists. Although artists may study f ...
, where she paid for her art education by working in a dress shop. After attending a party with writer Anne Morrison, Colbert was offered a bit part in Morrison's play, and appeared on the Broadway stage in a small role in ''The Wild Westcotts'' (1923). She had used the name Claudette, instead of Lily, since high school; for her stage name, she added her paternal grandmother's maiden name, Colbert. Her father died in 1925; her grandmother died in New York in the mid-1930s at the age of 88.


Career


The beginnings, 1924–1927

Colbert worked in a string of mostly short-lived shows in Chicago, Washington, D.C., Boston and Connecticut, which enabled her to gain experience in different genres. In 1924 the actor
Leslie Howard Leslie Howard Steiner (3 April 18931 June 1943) was an English actor, director, producer and writer.Obituary, '' Variety'', 9 June 1943. He wrote many stories and articles for ''The New York Times'', ''The New Yorker'', and '' Vanity Fair'' an ...
met her, was impressed by her ability to speak with both Mid-Atlantic and British accents, and contacted the producer Al Woods to cast her in Frederick Lonsdale's '' The Fake'', but she was replaced by Frieda Inescort before it opened.Dick, Bernard F. ''Claudette Colbert: She Walked in Beauty''. pp. 24–25 After signing a five-year contract with Woods, Colbert played ''ingenue'' roles on Broadway from 1925 to 1929. During this period she rejected being typecast as a French maid. By 1925 she was having success in the comedy ''A Kiss in a Taxi'', which ran for 103 performances over a two-month period. Columnists sang the praises of her unconventional beauty and her power to enrapture an audience. Colbert was again acclaimed as a carnival snake charmer in the Broadway production of ''The Barker'' (1927), and she reprised the role in London's West End. She was noticed by theatrical producer
Leland Hayward Leland Hayward (September 13, 1902 – March 18, 1971) was an American talent agent and theatrical producer. He was an agent to about 150 artists in Cinema of the United States, Hollywood, and produced the original Broadway theatre, Broadway st ...
, who suggested her for the heroine role in the silent film '' For the Love of Mike'' (1927). Now believed to be lost, the film did not fare well at the box office.


The early films, 1928–1934

In 1928, Colbert signed a contract with
Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation, commonly known as Paramount Pictures or simply Paramount, is an American film production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the flagship namesake subsidiary of Paramount ...
. A demand existed for stage actors who could handle dialogue in the new "talkies", and Colbert's elegance and musical voice were among her best assets. Her distinctive high-cheekboned beauty drew attention in '' The Hole in the Wall'' (1929), but at first she did not like film acting. Her earliest films were produced in New York. During the filming of '' The Lady Lies'' (also 1929), she was also appearing nightly in the play ''See Naples and Die''. ''The Lady Lies'' was a box-office success. At this period, many film critics wrote her having potential to be the screen's next big star.Claudette Colbert The French Lady of Hollywood
, Netflix, James David Patrick, access-date=May 9, 2023
In 1930, she starred opposite
Maurice Chevalier Maurice Auguste Chevalier (; 12 September 1888 – 1 January 1972) was a French singer, actor, and entertainer. He is best known for his signature songs, including " Livin' In The Sunlight", " Valentine", " Louise", " Mimi", and " Thank Heaven f ...
in '' The Big Pond'', which was filmed in both English and French for release in their respective markets as was common during the early sound era. With her first husband
Norman Foster Norman Robert Foster, Baron Foster of Thames Bank (born 1 June 1935) is an English architect. Closely associated with the development of high-tech architecture, Lord Foster is recognised as a key figure in British modernist architecture. Hi ...
she co-starred in the film ''
Young Man of Manhattan ''Young Man of Manhattan'' is a 1930 American Pre-Code Hollywood, pre-Code musical comedy film directed by Monta Bell and starring Claudette Colbert, Norman Foster (director), Norman Foster, Ginger Rogers, and Charlie Ruggles, Charles Ruggles. ...
'' (1930), for which he received negative reviews as one of her weakest leading men. Colbert co-starred with Fredric March in ''
Manslaughter Manslaughter is a common law legal term for homicide considered by law as less culpable than murder. The distinction between murder and manslaughter is sometimes said to have first been made by the ancient Athenian lawmaker Draco in the 7th ce ...
'' (1930), acclaimed again by critics for her performance as a woman charged with vehicular manslaughter. She was paired with March again in ''
Honor Among Lovers ''Honor Among Lovers'' is a 1931 American pre-Code drama film made by Paramount Pictures, directed by Dorothy Arzner. The film stars Claudette Colbert, Fredric March, Monroe Owsley, Charles Ruggles and Ginger Rogers. The film was originall ...
'' (1931), which was popular at that time; he was also originally cast as her co-star in '' His Woman'' (1931), but was replaced by
Gary Cooper Gary Cooper (born Frank James Cooper; May 7, 1901May 13, 1961) was an American actor known for his strong, silent screen persona and understated acting style. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor twice and had a further three nominations, ...
. Colbert also starred in ''Mysterious Mr. Parkes'' (1931), a French-language version of '' Slightly Scarlet'' for the European market, although her French was tinged with an English accent after American life. It was also screened in the United States. She sang and played piano/violin in the
Ernst Lubitsch Ernst Lubitsch (; ; January 29, 1892November 30, 1947) was a German-born American film director, producer, writer, and actor. His urbane comedies of manners gave him the reputation of being Hollywood's most elegant and sophisticated director; a ...
musical '' The Smiling Lieutenant'' (1931), which was nominated for the
Academy Award for Best Picture The Academy Award for Best Picture is one of the Academy Awards (also known as Oscars) presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) since the awards debuted in 1929. This award goes to the producers of the film a ...
as well as being a box-office hit and critical success. Colbert's career got a further boost when she played the supporting role as ''
femme fatale A ( , ; ), sometimes called a maneater, Mata Hari, or vamp, is a stock character of a mysterious, beautiful, and Seduction, seductive woman whose charms ensnare her lovers, often leading them into compromising, deadly traps. She is an archetype ...
'' Poppaea in
Cecil B. DeMille Cecil Blount DeMille (; August 12, 1881January 21, 1959) was an American filmmaker and actor. Between 1914 and 1958, he made 70 features, both silent and sound films. He is acknowledged as a founding father of American cinema and the most co ...
's historical epic '' The Sign of the Cross'' (1932), opposite Fredric March and
Charles Laughton Charles Laughton (; 1 July 1899 – 15 December 1962) was a British and American actor. He was trained in London at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and first appeared professionally on the stage in 1926. In 1927, he was cast in a play wi ...
. In one of the best-remembered scenes of her film career, she bathes nude in a marble pool filled with
asses' milk Donkey milk (or ass milk, or jenny milk) is the milk from the domesticated donkey (''Equus asinus''). It has been used since antiquity for cosmetic purposes as well as infant nutrition. History Donkey milk has been used by humans for aliment ...
. The film was the highest-grossing picture of the year in the United States. In 1933, Colbert renegotiated her contract with Paramount to allow her to appear in films for other studios. The pioneering screwball comedy film '' Three-Cornered Moon'' reached No. 9 in the National Board of Review Awards in 1933. Her musical voice, a
contralto A contralto () is a classical music, classical female singing human voice, voice whose vocal range is the lowest of their voice type, voice types. The contralto's vocal range is fairly rare, similar to the mezzo-soprano, and almost identical to ...
that footnotes list as being coached by
Bing Crosby Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby Jr. (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer, comedian, entertainer and actor. The first multimedia star, he was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century worldwi ...
, was also featured in ''
Torch Singer ''Torch Singer'' is a 1933 American pre-Code Paramount Pictures film directed by Alexander Hall and George Somnes and starring Claudette Colbert, Ricardo Cortez, David Manners and Lyda Roberti. The screenplay was written by Lenore J. Coffee ...
'' (1933), co-starring
Ricardo Cortez Ricardo Cortez (born Jacob Kranze or Jacob Krantz; September 19, 1900 – April 28, 1977) was an American actor and film director. He was also credited as Jack Crane early in his acting career. Early years Ricardo Cortez was born Jacob K ...
and David Manners. Partly as results, she was ranked as the year's 13th box-office star. By 1933, she had appeared in 21 films, averaging four per year. Many of her early films were dramatics, and her performances were admired. Colbert's leading roles were down-to-earth and diverse, highlighting her versatility. Colbert was initially reluctant to appear in the
screwball comedy Screwball comedy is a film subgenre of the romantic comedy genre that became popular during the Great Depression, beginning in the early 1930s and thriving until the early 1950s, that satirizes the traditional love story. It has secondary charact ...
''
It Happened One Night ''It Happened One Night'' is a 1934 American pre-Code romantic comedy film with elements of screwball comedy directed and co-produced by Frank Capra, in collaboration with Harry Cohn, in which a pampered socialite ( Claudette Colbert) tr ...
'' (1934). The studio agreed to pay her $50,000 for the role and guaranteed filming would be done within four weeks so she could take a planned vacation. She won the
Academy Award for Best Actress The Academy Award for Best Actress is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It has been awarded since the 1st Academy Awards to an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance in a lead ...
for the film. In ''
Cleopatra Cleopatra VII Thea Philopator (; The name Cleopatra is pronounced , or sometimes in both British and American English, see and respectively. Her name was pronounced in the Greek dialect of Egypt (see Koine Greek phonology). She was ...
'' (1934), Colbert played the title role opposite Warren William and
Henry Wilcoxon Henry Wilcoxon (born Harry Frederick Wilcoxon; 8 September 1905 – 6 March 1984) was a British-American actor and film producer, born in the British West Indies. He was known as an actor in many of director Cecil B. DeMille's films, also ser ...
. It was the second highest-grossing picture of that year in the United States. Thereafter, Colbert did not wish to be portrayed as overtly sexual and later refused such roles. She was loaned to
Universal Pictures Universal City Studios LLC, doing business as Universal Pictures (also known as Universal Studios or simply Universal), is an American filmmaking, film production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered at the 10 Universal Ci ...
for '' Imitation of Life'' (1934), which was another box-office success. Those three films were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture in the next year; Colbert is the only actress to date to star in three films nominated for Best Motion Picture in the same year.


Mid-career, 1935–1944

Colbert's rising profile internationally allowed her to renegotiate her contract, which raised her salary. For 1935 and 1936, she was listed sixth and eighth in Quigley's annual " Top-Ten Money-Making Stars Poll". '' The Gilded Lily'' (1935) was popular at that time, but she received an Academy Award nomination for her role in the hospital drama '' Private Worlds'' (1935). In 1936, Colbert signed a new contract with Paramount, making her Hollywood's highest-paid actress.Shipman, ''The Great Movie Stars'', p. 117. When the studio renewed her contract in 1938, she was again reported to be Hollywood's top-paid actress, with a salary of $426,924. At the peak of her popularity in the late 1930s, she earned $150,000 per film. In 1937 and 1938, she was listed as the fourteenth and sixth (respectively) top money-making woman in the U.S. Colbert spent the rest of the 1930s deftly alternating between romantic comedies and dramas: ''
She Married Her Boss ''She Married Her Boss'' is a 1935 American comedy film directed by Gregory La Cava and starring Claudette Colbert, Melvyn Douglas and Raymond Walburn. It was produced and distributed by Columbia Pictures, who had enjoyed a major success the pr ...
'' (1935) with
Melvyn Douglas Melvyn Douglas (born Melvyn Edouard Hesselberg, April 5, 1901 – August 4, 1981) was an American actor. Douglas came to prominence in 1929 as a suave leading man, perhaps best typified by his performance in the romantic comedy '' Ninotchka'' ( ...
; '' The Bride Comes Home'' (1935), with
Fred MacMurray Frederick Martin MacMurray (August 30, 1908 – November 5, 1991) was an American actor. He appeared in more than one hundred films and a successful television series in a career that spanned nearly a half-century. His career as a major film le ...
; '' Under Two Flags'' (1936) with
Ronald Colman Ronald Charles Colman (9 February 1891 – 19 May 1958) was an English-born actor who started his career in theatre and silent film in his native country, then emigrated to the United States where he had a highly successful Cinema of the United ...
; '' Zaza'' (1939) with Herbert Marshall; and '' It's a Wonderful World'' (1939) with
James Stewart James Maitland Stewart (May 20, 1908 – July 2, 1997) was an American actor and military aviator. Known for his distinctive drawl and everyman screen persona, Stewart's film career spanned 80 films from 1935 to 1991. With the strong morali ...
. Colbert was tall. One columnist wrote that Colbert placed her career "ahead of everything, save possibly her marriage", and that she had a strong sense of what was best for her, and a "deep-rooted desire to be in shape, efficient, and under control". A biographer wrote that Colbert "helped define femininity for her generation with her chic manner". Colbert once said, "I know what's best for me—after all." Colbert was very particular about how she appeared on-screen, and believed her face was difficult to light and photograph. She insisted on having the right side of her face away from the camera when shooting close-up, because of a small bump from a broken nose as a child. This sometimes required movie sets to be redesigned. During the filming of '' Tovarich'' (1937), director
Anatole Litvak Anatoly Mikhailovich Litvak (10 May 1902 – 15 December 1974), commonly known as Anatole Litvak, was a Russian-American filmmaker. Born to Jewish parents in Kiev, he began his theatrical training at age 13 in Saint Petersburg, St. Petersburg, ...
favored co-starring Charles Boyer over her in the camera angles, so she got very frustrated.
Gary Cooper Gary Cooper (born Frank James Cooper; May 7, 1901May 13, 1961) was an American actor known for his strong, silent screen persona and understated acting style. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor twice and had a further three nominations, ...
was terrified at the prospect of working with Colbert in his first comedy, '' Bluebeard's Eighth Wife'' (1938), considering Colbert an expert in the genre. ''
Midnight Midnight is the transition time from one day to the next – the moment when the date changes, on the local official clock time for any particular jurisdiction. By clock time, midnight is the opposite of noon, differing from it by 12 hours. ...
'' (1939) with
Don Ameche Don Ameche (; born Dominic Felix Amici; May 31, 1908 – December 6, 1993) was an American actor, comedian and vaudevillian. After playing in college shows, repertory theatre, and vaudeville, he became a major radio star in the early 19 ...
, directed by
Mitchell Leisen James Mitchell Leisen (October 6, 1898 – October 28, 1972) was an American film director, director, art director, and costume designer. Film career He entered the film industry in the 1920s, beginning in the art and costume departments. He d ...
and written by
Billy Wilder Billy Wilder (; ; born Samuel Wilder; June 22, 1906 – March 27, 2002) was an American filmmaker and screenwriter. His career in Hollywood (film industry), Hollywood spanned five decades, and he is regarded as one of the most brilliant and ver ...
and
Charles Brackett Charles William Brackett (November 26, 1892 – March 9, 1969) was an American screenwriter and film producer. He collaborated with Billy Wilder on sixteen films. Life and career Brackett was born in Saratoga Springs, New York, the son of ...
, was one of her best comedy films. Ernst Lubitsch and Mitchell Leisen were her particularly favorite film directors working with. Colbert learnt about lighting and cinematography, and refused to begin filming until she was satisfied that she would be shown to her best advantage. ''
Drums Along the Mohawk ''Drums Along the Mohawk'' is a 1939 American historical drama film based upon a 1936 novel of the same name by American author Walter D. Edmonds. The film stars Henry Fonda and Claudette Colbert, was produced by Darryl F. Zanuck, and direct ...
'' (1939) with
Henry Fonda Henry Jaynes Fonda (May 16, 1905 – August 12, 1982) was an American actor whose career spanned five decades on Broadway theatre, Broadway and in Hollywood. On screen and stage, he often portrayed characters who embodied an everyman image. Bo ...
was her first color film, and was the 10th-grossing picture of the year in the United States. However, she mistrusted the relatively new
Technicolor Technicolor is a family of Color motion picture film, color motion picture processes. The first version, Process 1, was introduced in 1916, and improved versions followed over several decades. Definitive Technicolor movies using three black-and ...
process, and fearing she would not photograph well, preferred thereafter to be filmed in black-and-white. During this time, she began performing on CBS's popular radio program ''
Lux Radio Theater ''Lux Radio Theatre'', sometimes spelled ''Lux Radio Theater'', a old-time radio, classic radio anthology series, was broadcast on the Blue Network, NBC Blue Network (1934–35) (owned by the National Broadcasting Company, later predecessor of A ...
'', and was heard in 22 episodes between 1935 and 1954. She also participated in 13 episodes of radio's '' The Screen Guild Theater'', between 1939 and 1952. In 1940, Colbert was offered a seven-year contract with Paramount Pictures that would have paid her $200,000 a year; she declined the offer after learning she could command $150,000 per film as a freelance artist. She secured roles in several prestigious films and this period marked the height of her earning power. As a supporting role, Colbert co-starred with
Clark Gable William Clark Gable (February 1, 1901November 16, 1960) was an American actor often referred to as the "King of Cinema of the United States, Hollywood". He appeared in more than 60 Film, motion pictures across a variety of Film genre, genres dur ...
and
Spencer Tracy Spencer Bonaventure Tracy (April 5, 1900 – June 10, 1967) was an American actor. He was known for his natural performing style and versatility. One of the major stars of Classical Hollywood cinema, Hollywood's Golden Age, Tracy was the ...
in '' Boom Town'', released by
MGM Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, commonly shortened to MGM or MGM Studios) is an American Film production, film and television production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered ...
in 1940 and was the highest-grossing picture of the year in the United States. However, Colbert once often said that '' Arise, My Love'' (1940) was her favorite of all her movies. It won the
Academy Award for Best Story The Academy Award for Best Story was an Academy Award given from the beginning of the Academy Awards until 1956. This award can be a source of confusion for modern audiences, given its co-existence with the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenpl ...
.
Preston Sturges Preston Sturges (; born Edmund Preston Biden; August 29, 1898 – August 6, 1959) was an American playwright, screenwriter, and film director. He is credited as being the first screenwriter to find success as a director. Prior to Sturges, other ...
' mature '' The Palm Beach Story'' (1942) had been accepted some re-evaluation over the years as a comedic classic, where she did one of the best performances of her film career, which featured such a thing as beauty that speaks of intelligence. She again became the industry's highest-paid star in 1942. In the next year, '' No Time for Love'' (1943) was popular. During filming of '' So Proudly We Hail!'' (1943), her co-star
Paulette Goddard Paulette Goddard (born Marion Levy; June 3, 1910 – April 23, 1990) was an American actress and socialite. Her career spanned six decades, from the 1920s to the early 1970s. She was a prominent leading actress during the Golden Age of Hollywood ...
preferred working with the other co-star Veronica Lake, over Colbert; Colbert felt that the younger actress had treated her like an "old lady". Goddard said that Colbert "was at yeyes at every moment". Goddard insisted that portions of the script be rewritten so that her role was as large as Colbert's. This was unusual for Colbert, who was otherwise known for maintaining high standards of professionalism. For example, from her early film career, she offered acting advice to her less experienced co-stars. Impressed by Colbert's role in ''So Proudly We Hail!'',
David O. Selznick David O. Selznick (born David Selznick; May 10, 1902June 22, 1965) was an American film producer, screenwriter and film studio executive who produced ''Gone with the Wind (film), Gone with the Wind'' (1939) and ''Rebecca (1940 film), Rebecca'' (1 ...
approached her to play the lead in '' Since You Went Away'' (1944). Colbert was initially reluctant to appear as a mother of teenaged children, but Selznick eventually convinced her to take the role. Released in June 1944, the film made almost $5 million at the US box office and was the year's third highest-grossing picture. One critic praised aspects of the film, but particularly Colbert's work. Partly as a result, she received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. During the World War II, she also volunteered with the Red Cross.


Middle years, 1945–1961

In 1945, Colbert ended her association with Paramount and continued to freelance in such films as '' Guest Wife'' (1945) with Don Ameche. She starred opposite
John Wayne Marion Robert Morrison (May 26, 1907 – June 11, 1979), known professionally as John Wayne, was an American actor. Nicknamed "Duke", he became a Pop icon, popular icon through his starring roles in films which were produced during Hollywood' ...
in RKO's ''
Without Reservations ''Without Reservations'' is a 1946 RKO Radio Pictures American comedy film directed by Mervyn LeRoy and starring Claudette Colbert, John Wayne and Don DeFore. The film was adapted by Andrew P. Solt, Andrew Solt from the novel ''Thanks, God! I'l ...
'' (1946), which grossed $3 million in the U.S. While working on it, director
Mervyn LeRoy Mervyn LeRoy (; October 15, 1900 – September 13, 1987) was an American film director and producer. During the 1930s, he was one of the two great practitioners of economical and effective film directing at Warner Bros., Warner Brothers studios, ...
described Colbert as an "interesting" lady to work with, recalling her habit of not watching where she was going and constantly bumping into things. Praised for her sense of style and fashion, Colbert ensured throughout her career that she was impeccably groomed and costumed. For the melodrama '' Tomorrow Is Forever'' (1946), Jean Louis was hired to create 18 changes of wardrobe for her. ''Tomorrow is Forever'' and '' The Secret Heart'' (also 1946) were also substantial commercial successes, and Colbert's popularity during 1947 led her to place 9th in Quigley's "''Top Ten Money-Making Stars Poll''". She achieved great success opposite Fred MacMurray in the comedy '' The Egg and I'' (1947), which was the year's second-highest grossing picture, and later acknowledged as the 12th-most profitable American film of the 1940s. The suspense film ''
Sleep, My Love ''Sleep, My Love'' is a 1948 American Film noir, noir film directed by Douglas Sirk. It features Claudette Colbert, Robert Cummings and Don Ameche. It has been called "a gaslighting thriller." Plot Alison Courtland, a wealthy New Yorker, hasn't ...
'' (1948) with
Robert Cummings Charles Clarence Robert Orville Cummings (June 9, 1910 – December 2, 1990) was an American film and television actor who appeared in roles in comedy films such as ''The Devil and Miss Jones'' (1941) and ''Princess O'Rourke'' (1943), and in d ...
was a modest commercial success. By 1949, she still ranked as the 22nd-highest box-office star. The romantic comedy '' Bride for Sale'' (1949), wherein Colbert played part of a love triangle that included George Brent and Robert Young, was well-reviewed.Jewell and Harbin, p. 248. Her performance in the Pacific war film '' Three Came Home'' (1950) was also praised by critics. However, the mystery melodrama '' The Secret Fury'' (1950), distributed by RKO Studios, received mixed reviews. During this period, Colbert was unable to work beyond 5 p.m. each day due to orders from her doctor. While Colbert still looked like a young woman, she found it difficult making the transition to playing more mature characters as she entered middle age. She said, "I'm a very good comedienne, but I was always fighting that image, too." In 1949, Colbert was asked to play the lead role in ''
All About Eve ''All About Eve'' is a 1950 American Drama (film and television), drama film written and directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, and produced by Darryl F. Zanuck. It is based on the 1946 short story (and subsequent 1949 radio drama) "The Wisdom of E ...
'', because the producer felt that she best represented the style he envisioned for the part. However, Colbert severely injured her back, forcing her to abandon the picture shortly before filming began.
Bette Davis Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis (; April 5, 1908 – October 6, 1989) was an American actress of film, television, and theater. Regarded as one of the greatest actresses in Hollywood history, she was noted for her willingness to play unsympatheti ...
was cast, instead. In later life, Colbert said, "I just never had the luck to play bitches." In the early 1950s, Colbert traveled to Europe for tax purposes and joined fewer films. '' The Planter's Wife'' (1952) was a success in British market. She played a small role in '' Royal Affairs in Versailles'' (1954), her only film with a French director (
Sacha Guitry Alexandre-Pierre Georges "Sacha" Guitry (; 21 February 188524 July 1957) was a French stage actor, film actor, director, screenwriter, and playwright of the boulevard theatre (aesthetic), boulevard theatre. He was the son of a leading French ac ...
). Colbert had found the directorial method disappointing, which was on the heavy-handed and ponderous. It was screened in the United States in 1957. In 1954, Colbert turned down a million-dollar broadcast deal with NBC-TV, but made a pact with
CBS-TV CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS (an abbreviation of its original name, Columbia Broadcasting System), is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainmen ...
to star in several
teleplay A teleplay is a screenplay or script used in the production of a scripted television program or series. In general usage, the term is most commonly seen in reference to a standalone production, such as a television film, a television play, or a ...
s. After a successful appearance in a television version of '' The Royal Family'' (a parody of the
Barrymore family The Barrymore family, and the related Drew family, form a British–American acting dynasty that traces its acting roots to the mid-19th-century London stage. After migrating across the Atlantic Ocean to the United States, members of the family ...
in '' The Best of Broadway'' series), she took on more than 20 television works. She starred in television adaptations of '' Blithe Spirit'' in 1956 and ''
The Bells of St. Mary's ''The Bells of St. Mary's'' is a 1945 American musical comedy-drama film, produced and directed by Leo McCarey and starring Bing Crosby and Ingrid Bergman. Written by Dudley Nichols and based on a story by McCarey, the film is about a priest a ...
'' in 1959, and guest-starred on ''
Robert Montgomery Presents ''Robert Montgomery Presents'' is an American drama (film and television), drama television series which was produced by NBC from January 30, 1950, until June 24, 1957. The Live television, live show had several sponsors during its eight-year run ...
'' and ''
Playhouse 90 ''Playhouse 90'' is an American television anthology drama series that aired on CBS from 1956 to 1960 for a total of 134 episodes. The show was produced at CBS Television City in Los Angeles, California. Since live anthology drama series of t ...
''. In 1956, Colbert hosted the 28th Academy Awards ceremony. In 1957, she was cast as Lucy Bradford, wife of schoolteacher Jim Bradford ( Jeff Morrow), in the "Blood in the Dust" episode of CBS's '' Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre''. In the story, Jim refuses to back down when a gunman orders him to leave town, and Lucy is distressed because Jim hasn't fired a weapon since he was in the
Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...
. In the show's 1960 episode "So Young the Savage Land", she played Beth Brayden, who becomes disillusioned with her rancher-husband Jim (
John Dehner John Dehner (DAY-ner; born John Dehner Forkum; November 23, 1915February 4, 1992), also credited Dehner Forkum, was an American stage, radio, film, and television character actor. From the late 1930s to the late 1980s, he amassed a long list o ...
) when he turns to violence to protect their property. In 1958, she returned to Broadway in '' The Marriage-Go-Round'', for which she was nominated for a Best Actress
Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...
. She made a brief return to the screen, played the supporting role as the mother of
Troy Donahue Troy Donahue (born Merle Johnson Jr., January 27, 1936 – September 2, 2001) was an American film and television actor, best known for his role as Johnny Hunter in the film '' A Summer Place''. He was a popular sex symbol in the 1950s and ...
in '' Parrish'' (1961). It was her last appearance on the big screen. The film was a commercial success, but Colbert received little attention, and she directed her agent to end any further attempts to generate interest in her as a TV actress.Shipman, ''The Great Movie Stars'', p. 119. Even at this period, she still looked younger than her actual age.Quirk, "Claudette Colbert", p. 181.


Later career, 1963–1987

Colbert made successful Broadway appearances in ''The Irregular Verb to Love'' (1963); in ''The Kingfisher'' (1978), with co-star
Rex Harrison Sir Reginald Carey Harrison (5 March 1908 – 2 June 1990) was an English actor. Harrison began his career on the stage at the Liverpool Playhouse in 1924. He made his West End debut in 1936 appearing in the Terence Rattigan play '' French W ...
; and in Frederick Lonsdale's '' Aren't We All?'' (1985), also with Harrison. She told an interviewer, "Audiences always sound like they're glad to see me, and I'm damned glad to see them."  She appeared in a supporting role in the television
miniseries In the United States, a miniseries or mini-series is a television show or series that tells a story in a predetermined, limited number of episodes. Many miniseries can also be referred to, and shown, as a television film. " Limited series" is ...
'' The Two Mrs. Grenvilles'' (1987), which was a ratings success, and for which she won a
Golden Globe The Golden Globe Awards are awards presented for excellence in both international film and television. It is an annual award ceremony held since 1944 to honor artists and professionals and their work. The ceremony is normally held every Januar ...
and was nominated for an
Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the year, each with their own set of rules and award categor ...
. Towards the end of her life, she explained why she had never written her autobiography, "I've been happy, and that's no story." Modern critics have pointed out that Colbert had a unique set of assets—her heart-shaped face, distinct facial features, curly hair, aristocratic manner, relaxed acting, little mysterious, and intelligent style,—that distinguishes her from other classic cinema stars through the 1930s and 1940s. In her comedies, she invariably played shrewd, self-reliant women; unlike many of her contemporaries, though, she rarely engaged in physical comedy. Her characters were more likely to be observers and commentators.


Personal life

In 1928, Colbert married actor and director Norman Foster, with whom she co-starred in the Broadway show ''The Barker''. Their marriage remained a secret for many years while they lived in separate homes. In Los Angeles, Colbert shared a home with her mother, Jeanne Chauchoin, who disliked Foster and reputedly did not allow him into the home. Colbert and Foster divorced in 1935 in Mexico. On Christmas Eve, 1935, in
Yuma, Arizona Yuma is a city in and the county seat of Yuma County, Arizona, United States. The city's population was 95,548 at the 2020 census, up from the 2010 census population of 93,064. Yuma is the principal city of the Yuma, Arizona, Metropolitan ...
, Colbert married Dr. Joel Pressman, who eventually became a professor and chief of the head and neck surgery department of
UCLA Medical School The UCLA School of Medicine (also known as the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA) is the accredited medical school of the University of California, Los Angeles. Founded in 1951, it is the second medical school in the University of Califor ...
. She gave Pressman a
Beechcraft Beechcraft is an American brand of civil aviation and Military aircraft, military aircraft owned by Textron Aviation since 2014, headquartered in Wichita, Kansas. Originally, it was a brand of Beech Aircraft Corporation, an American manufacture ...
airplane as a present. They purchased a ranch in northern California, where Colbert enjoyed horseback riding and her husband kept show cattle. During this time, Colbert drove a
Lincoln Continental The Lincoln Continental is a series of mid-sized and full-sized luxury cars produced between 1939 and 2020 by Lincoln, a division of the American automaker Ford Motor Company. The model line was introduced following the construction of a per ...
and a
Ford Thunderbird The Ford Thunderbird is a personal luxury car manufactured and marketed by Ford Motor Company for model years 1955 to 2005, with a hiatus from 1998 to 2001. Ultimately gaining a broadly used colloquial nickname, the ''T-Bird'', Ford Introduce ...
. The marriage lasted 33 years, until Pressman's death from
liver cancer Liver cancer, also known as hepatic cancer, primary hepatic cancer, or primary hepatic malignancy, is cancer that starts in the liver. Liver cancer can be primary in which the cancer starts in the liver, or it can be liver metastasis, or secondar ...
in 1968. Jeanne reportedly envied her daughter, preferred her son's company, and made Colbert's brother Charles serve as his sister's agent. Charles used the surname Wendling, borrowed from Jeanne's paternal grandmother Rose Wendling. He served as Colbert's business manager for a time, and was credited with negotiating some of her more lucrative contracts in the late 1930s and early 1940s. In 1942, Charles enlisted to take part in World War Two. Colbert's uncle Charles Loew died in 1953, and her aunt Emily Loew in 1954. Although virtually retired from motion pictures since the mid-1950s, Colbert continued to maintain an upscale lifestyle. She had a country house in
Palm Springs Palm Springs (Cahuilla language, Cahuilla: ''Séc-he'') is a desert resort city in Riverside County, California, United States, within the Colorado Desert's Coachella Valley. The city covers approximately , making it the largest city in Rivers ...
for weekends. An advertising executive said, "Claudette was extravagant; I never, ever saw her question the price of anything." In 1963, Colbert sold her a Lloyd Wright-designed residence in Holmby Hills, and she and Dr. Pressman rented a small house in Beverly Hills. In 1958, she met Verna Hull, a wealthy painter, photographer, and the stepdaughter of a Sears Roebuck heiress. They had a nine-year friendship that included travel, and an interest in art, and they rented twin New York penthouses. When Colbert bought a house in Barbados in the early 1960s, Hull bought a house next door, amid rumors that their friendship was a romantic one, which Colbert denied. The friendship ended after an argument that took place as Colbert's husband lay dying, during which Hull insisted that Pressman would not only take his own life, but Colbert's as well, rather than die alone. Pressman died on February 26, 1968. Colbert was a lifelong Republican.


Final years and death

For years, Colbert divided her time between her Manhattan apartment and her vacation home in
Speightstown Speightstown (), also known as ''Little Bristol'', is the second largest town in Barbados. It is situated north of the capital city of Bridgetown, in the northern parish of Saint Peter. The area is named after William Speight, a member of Barba ...
,
Barbados Barbados, officially the Republic of Barbados, is an island country in the Atlantic Ocean. It is part of the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies and the easternmost island of the Caribbean region. It lies on the boundary of the South American ...
. The latter, purchased from a British gentleman and nicknamed Bellerive, was the island's only plantation house fronting the beach. Her permanent address remained Manhattan. When her mother Jeanne died in 1970, and her brother Charles in 1971, Colbert's only surviving relative was her brother's daughter, Coco Lewis. Colbert suffered a series of small strokes during the last three years of her life. She died in 1996 in Barbados, where she had employed a housekeeper and two cooks. She was 92. Her remains were transported to New York City for cremation and funeral services. A
requiem mass A Requiem (Latin: ''rest'') or Requiem Mass, also known as Mass for the dead () or Mass of the dead (), is a Mass of the Catholic Church offered for the repose of the souls of the deceased, using a particular form of the Roman Missal. It is u ...
was later held at Church of St. Vincent Ferrer in Manhattan. Her ashes are laid to rest in the Godings Bay Church Cemetery, Speightstown,
Saint Peter, Barbados The Parish of Saint Peter ("St. Peter") is one of eleven parishes in the Caribbean island country of Barbados. It is named after the Christian Apostle and patron saint, Saint Peter. It is located in the north of Barbados, and is the only parish ...
, alongside her mother and second husband. Colbert never had children. She left most of her estate, estimated at $3.5 million and including her Manhattan apartment and Bellerive, to longtime friend Helen O'Hagan, a retired director of corporate relations at
Saks Fifth Avenue Saks Fifth Avenue (Colloquialism, colloquially Saks) is an American Luxury goods, luxury department store chain founded in 1867 by Andrew Saks. The first store opened in the F Street and 7th Street shopping districts, F Street shopping distric ...
. Colbert had met O'Hagan in 1961 on the set of '' Parrish'', her last film,"Colbert's Will Provides for Long-Time Friends", ''Austin American-Statesman'', August 10, 1996, p. B12 and they became best friends around 1970. After Pressman's death, Colbert instructed her friends to treat O'Hagan as they had Pressman, "as her spouse". Although O'Hagan was financially comfortable without the generous bequest, Bellerive was sold for over $2 million to
David Geffen David Lawrence Geffen (born February 21, 1943) is an American film producer, record executive, and media proprietor. In music, he co-founded Asylum Records with Elliot Roberts in 1971 before founding Geffen Records in 1980, DGC Records in 1 ...
. Colbert's will also left $150,000 to her niece Coco Lewis; a trust of over $100,000 to UCLA, in Pressman's memory; and $75,000 to Marie Corbin, her Bajan housekeeper.


Awards and honors


Selected filmography

The following is a list of feature films in which Colbert had top billing. * '' The Hole in the Wall'' (1929) * ''
Young Man of Manhattan ''Young Man of Manhattan'' is a 1930 American Pre-Code Hollywood, pre-Code musical comedy film directed by Monta Bell and starring Claudette Colbert, Norman Foster (director), Norman Foster, Ginger Rogers, and Charlie Ruggles, Charles Ruggles. ...
'' (1930) * ''
Manslaughter Manslaughter is a common law legal term for homicide considered by law as less culpable than murder. The distinction between murder and manslaughter is sometimes said to have first been made by the ancient Athenian lawmaker Draco in the 7th ce ...
'' (1930) * ''
Honor Among Lovers ''Honor Among Lovers'' is a 1931 American pre-Code drama film made by Paramount Pictures, directed by Dorothy Arzner. The film stars Claudette Colbert, Fredric March, Monroe Owsley, Charles Ruggles and Ginger Rogers. The film was originall ...
'' (1931) * '' Secrets of a Secretary'' (1931) * '' The Wiser Sex'' (1932) * ''
Misleading Lady ''The Misleading Lady'' is a 1932 American pre-Code comedy film directed by Stuart Walker, and starring Claudette Colbert and Edmund Lowe. The film is based on the 1913 Broadway play by Charles W. Goddard and Paul Dickey. It is also a re ...
'' (1932) * '' The Man from Yesterday'' (1932) * '' I Cover the Waterfront'' (1933) * ''
Tonight Is Ours ''Tonight Is Ours'' is a 1933 American Pre-Code drama film directed by Stuart Walker (director), Stuart Walker and starring Claudette Colbert, Fredric March and Alison Skipworth. Made by Paramount Pictures, it is based on the play ''The Queen Wa ...
'' (1933) * '' Three-Cornered Moon'' (1933) * ''
Torch Singer ''Torch Singer'' is a 1933 American pre-Code Paramount Pictures film directed by Alexander Hall and George Somnes and starring Claudette Colbert, Ricardo Cortez, David Manners and Lyda Roberti. The screenplay was written by Lenore J. Coffee ...
'' (1933) * '' Four Frightened People'' (1934) * ''
It Happened One Night ''It Happened One Night'' is a 1934 American pre-Code romantic comedy film with elements of screwball comedy directed and co-produced by Frank Capra, in collaboration with Harry Cohn, in which a pampered socialite ( Claudette Colbert) tr ...
'' (1934) * ''
Cleopatra Cleopatra VII Thea Philopator (; The name Cleopatra is pronounced , or sometimes in both British and American English, see and respectively. Her name was pronounced in the Greek dialect of Egypt (see Koine Greek phonology). She was ...
'' (1934) * '' Imitation of Life'' (1934) * '' The Gilded Lily'' (1935) * '' Private Worlds'' (1935) * ''
She Married Her Boss ''She Married Her Boss'' is a 1935 American comedy film directed by Gregory La Cava and starring Claudette Colbert, Melvyn Douglas and Raymond Walburn. It was produced and distributed by Columbia Pictures, who had enjoyed a major success the pr ...
'' (1935) * '' The Bride Comes Home'' (1935) * '' Maid of Salem'' (1937) * '' I Met Him in Paris'' (1937) * '' Tovarich'' (1937) * '' Bluebeard's Eighth Wife'' (1938) * '' Zaza'' (1939) * ''
Midnight Midnight is the transition time from one day to the next – the moment when the date changes, on the local official clock time for any particular jurisdiction. By clock time, midnight is the opposite of noon, differing from it by 12 hours. ...
'' (1939) * '' It's a Wonderful World'' (1939) * ''
Drums Along the Mohawk ''Drums Along the Mohawk'' is a 1939 American historical drama film based upon a 1936 novel of the same name by American author Walter D. Edmonds. The film stars Henry Fonda and Claudette Colbert, was produced by Darryl F. Zanuck, and direct ...
'' (1939) * '' Arise, My Love'' (1940) * '' Skylark'' (1941) * '' Remember the Day'' (1941) * '' The Palm Beach Story'' (1942) * '' No Time for Love'' (1943) * '' So Proudly We Hail!'' (1943) * '' Since You Went Away'' (1944) * '' Practically Yours'' (1944) * '' Guest Wife'' (1945) * '' Tomorrow Is Forever'' (1946) * ''
Without Reservations ''Without Reservations'' is a 1946 RKO Radio Pictures American comedy film directed by Mervyn LeRoy and starring Claudette Colbert, John Wayne and Don DeFore. The film was adapted by Andrew P. Solt, Andrew Solt from the novel ''Thanks, God! I'l ...
'' (1946) * '' The Secret Heart'' (1946) * '' The Egg and I'' (1947) * ''
Sleep, My Love ''Sleep, My Love'' is a 1948 American Film noir, noir film directed by Douglas Sirk. It features Claudette Colbert, Robert Cummings and Don Ameche. It has been called "a gaslighting thriller." Plot Alison Courtland, a wealthy New Yorker, hasn't ...
'' (1948) * '' Family Honeymoon'' (1949) * '' Bride for Sale'' (1949) * '' Three Came Home'' (1950) * '' The Secret Fury'' (1950) * '' Thunder on the Hill'' (1951) * '' Let's Make It Legal'' (1951) * '' The Planter's Wife'' (1952) * '' Texas Lady'' (1955)


See also

* List of actors with Academy Award nominations


References


Notes


Bibliography

* * * * *


External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Colbert, Claudette 1903 births 1996 deaths 20th-century American actresses Actresses from Manhattan American film actresses American stage actresses Art Students League of New York alumni Best Actress Academy Award winners Best Supporting Actress Golden Globe (television) winners Catholics from New York (state) French emigrants to the United States New York (state) Republicans Paramount Pictures contract players Naturalized citizens of the United States Washington Irving High School (New York City) alumni Kennedy Center honorees