Claire Windsor (born Clara Viola Cronk; April 14, 1892 – October 24, 1972) was an American film actress of the silent screen era.

Early life

Windsor was born Clara Viola Cronk (nicknamed "Ola") in 1892 in Marvin (later known as Glade), Kansas, to parents of Scandinavian descent, George Edwin Cronk and Ella Rose Fearing (later called "Rosella"), who married on October 21, 1885, in

Davenport, Iowa Davenport ( ) is a city in Scott County, Iowa, United States, and its county seat. It is situated along the Mississippi River on the eastern border of the state. Davenport had a population of 101,724 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 cen ...

. Their first child, a son, died shortly after birth. Her parents later moved to Cawker City, Kansas when she was two years old. At some point, Claire's sister, Nellie, was born. Claire attended Washburn Preparatory Academy in

Topeka Topeka ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat of Shawnee County, Kansas, Shawnee County. It is along the Kansas River in the central part of Shawnee County, in northeaste ...

from 1906 to 1907. After a year at Broadway High School, Seattle, Washington, she returned as a student in the

Fine Arts In European academic traditions, fine art (or, fine arts) is made primarily for aesthetics or creativity, creative expression, distinguishing it from popular art, decorative art or applied art, which also either serve some practical function ...

Department at Washburn College. Intent on further refining her daughters' education and position in society, Rosella and her daughters returned to Seattle in the fall of 1910. On July 14, 1913, Claire ("Ola") was chosen for the role of

Empress The word ''emperor'' (from , via ) can mean the male ruler of an empire. ''Empress'', the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), mother/grandmother (empress dowager/grand empress dowager), or a woman who rules ...

during the lavish musical production of ''Jappyland''. While living in Seattle, Ola met David Willis Bowes and the intense relationship continued by correspondence after Mr. Bowes' return to Denver. Soon a June wedding was planned, but en route back to Kansas, Ola and Bowes wed secretly on May 13, 1914, in

Denver, Colorado Denver ( ) is a List of municipalities in Colorado#Consolidated city and county, consolidated city and county, the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Colorado, most populous city of the U.S. state of ...

. The union resulted in the birth of a son, David Willis Bowes Jr., on September 9, 1916, but the couple soon went their separate ways. Bowes officially filed for divorce on September 14, 1920. Ola moved to

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

to be reunited with her parents who had recently retired. Seeking a way to support herself and baby son, Ola took the advice of a friend and quickly found employment at the movie studios. Initially receiving only

bit part In acting, a bit part is a role in which there is direct interaction with the principal actors and no more than five lines of dialogue, often referred to as a five-or-less or under-five in the United States, or under sixes in British televisio ...

s, she was soon spotted by

Lois Weber Florence Lois Weber (June 13, 1879 – November 13, 1939) was an American silent film director, screenwriter, producer and actress. She is identified in some historical references as among "the most important and prolific film directors in the e ...

, a highly regarded and influential director and producer of silent films for

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 ...

. Weber immediately signed Windsor to a contract."Silent Era People"
accessed September 2, 2021.

Career climb

Claire Windsor's film debut was in the 1920 release of

's '' To Please One Woman'' which was only a modest success. To promote the nascent starlet, Paramount Pictures often paired Windsor with the newly divorced actor

Charlie Chaplin Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin (16 April 188925 December 1977) was an English comic actor, filmmaker, and composer who rose to fame in the era of silent film. He became a worldwide icon through his screen persona, the Tramp, and is considered o ...

in publicity photographs, leading the tabloid press to give mention to the young actress in print. In 1921, Windsor costarred with

Louis Calhern Carl Henry Vogt (February 19, 1895 – May 12, 1956), known by his stage name Louis Calhern, was an American actor. Described as a “star leading man of the theater and a star character actor of the screen,” he appeared in over 100 roles ...

in Weber's ''

The Blot ''The Blot'' is a 1921 American silent film, silent drama film directed by Lois Weber, who also co-wrote (with Marion Orth) and produced the film (with her then-husband, Phillips Smalley). The film tackles the social problem of genteel poverty, ...

'' (1921). The publicity paid off; in 1922 the newly formed Western Association of Motion Picture Advertisers (WAMPAS) began their annual

WAMPAS Baby Stars The WAMPAS Baby Stars was a promotional campaign sponsored by the United States Western Association of Motion Picture Advertisers, which honored 13 (15 in 1932) young actresses each year whom they believed to be on the threshold of movie stardom. ...

awards and she was named, along with Bessie Love,

Lila Lee Lila Lee (born Augusta Wilhelmena Fredericka Appel; July 25, 1905 – November 13, 1973) was a prominent screen actress, primarily a leading lady, of the silent film and early sound film eras. Early life The daughter of Augusta Fredericka App ...

, Mary Philbin and

Colleen Moore Colleen Moore (born Kathleen Morrison; August 19, 1899 – January 25, 1988) was an American film actress who began her career during the silent film era. Moore became one of the most fashionable (and highly-paid) stars of the era and helped po ...

, as the year's most promising starlets. That same year Claire signed a contract with

Goldwyn Pictures Corporation Goldwyn Pictures Corporation was an American motion picture production company that operated from 1916 to 1924 when it was merged with two other production companies to form the major studio, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It was founded on November 19, ...

. She would appear in '' Broken Chains'' with fellow WAMPAS Baby Star Colleen Moore. In 1923, the former Ola Cronk officially began using the more matinee-friendly ''Claire Windsor'' as a moniker. Throughout the 1920s, Windsor established herself as highly regarded

leading lady A leading actor, leading actress, or leading man or lady or simply lead (), plays a main role in a film, television show or play. The word ''lead'' may also refer to the largest role in the piece, and ''leading actor'' may refer to a person w ...

in film. As her career progressed, she was often typecast as the "upscale society girl", often playing the part of a princess, or monied

socialite A socialite is a person, typically a woman from a wealthy or aristocratic background, who is prominent in high society. A socialite generally spends a significant amount of time attending various fashionable social gatherings, instead of having ...

. Critics lauded her elegant fashion sense, and Windsor became a noted trend-setter of 1920s fashion. Claire Windsor by Clarence Sinclair Bull

In 1924, Windsor was one of the top stars at the newly formed

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer 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 ...

studio. Later, at

Tiffany Pictures Tiffany Pictures, which also became Tiffany-Stahl Productions for a time, was a Hollywood motion picture studio in operation from 1921 until 1932. It is considered a Poverty Row studio, whose films had lower budgets, lesser-known stars, and overa ...

, ''Souls for Sables'' (1925), co-starring Eugene O'Brien, was a box-office hit for Windsor.

Personal life and sound films

Windsor was frequently romantically linked to her leading male co-stars. She reportedly had a well-publicized affair with actor Charles "Buddy" Rogers. In 1925 she married

matinée idol Matinée idol is a term used mainly to describe film or theatre stars who are adored to the point of adulation by their fans. The term almost exclusively refers to adult male actors. Matinée idols often tend to play romantic and dramatic ...

Bert Lytell. The couple divorced in 1927. Windsor never remarried, but a few notable love affairs with men caused minor scandals in the press, including once being sued by the young wife of a Boston broker in an " Alienation of Affection" lawsuit, in which the broker's wife contended that Windsor had "stolen her husband".''Claire Windsor: One Fan's Fond Remembrance'' by Al Bohrer. ''Classic Images''.
By the late 1920s, Windsor (like so many of her acting peers) found it difficult to move into

talkies A sound film is a Film, motion picture with synchronization, synchronized sound, or sound technologically coupled to image, as opposed to a silent film. The first known public exhibition of projected sound films took place in Paris in 1900, bu ...

. She made several talkies throughout the 1930s but could never recapture the success of her earlier years as a silent screen actress. She had a brief stint on a road tour with

Al Jolson Al Jolson (born Asa Yoelson, ; May 26, 1886 – October 23, 1950) was a Lithuanian-born American singer, comedian, actor, and vaudevillian. Self-billed as "The World's Greatest Entertainer," Jolson was one of the United States' most famous and ...

in the production of ''The Wonder Bar'' and occasionally took stage parts. In 1937 she performed at Harold Lloyd's Beverly Hills Little Theatre for Professionals. In her later years, Windsor devoted herself to painting. On April 12, 1943, she legally changed her name to Claire Windsor, and her son took the name of William Willis Windsor.

Death

Claire Windsor died of a heart attack on October 24, 1972, at the age of 80 at Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angeles. She was buried at Glendale's Forest Lawn Memorial Park cemetery. For her contribution to the motion picture industry, Claire Windsor was given a star on the

Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a landmark which consists of 2,813 five-pointed terrazzo-and-brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in the Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood dist ...

at 7021

Hollywood Blvd. Hollywood Boulevard is a major east–west street in Los Angeles, California. It runs through the Hollywood, East Hollywood, Little Armenia, Thai Town, and Los Feliz districts. Its western terminus is at Sunset Plaza Drive in the Hollywood ...

in Hollywood, California on February 8, 1960.

Filmography

*'' Eyes of Youth'' (1919) *'' In the Heart of a Fool'' (1920) *'' To Please One Woman'' (1920) *'' What's Worth While?'' (1921) *'' Too Wise Wives'' (1921) *''

'' (1921) *'' What Do Men Want?'' (1921) * '' Dr. Jim'' (1921) *''The Raiders'' (1921) *''

Grand Larceny Larceny is a crime involving the unlawful taking or theft of the personal property of another person or business. It was an offence under the common law of England and became an offence in jurisdictions which incorporated the common law of Eng ...

'' (1922) * '' One Clear Call'' (1922) *'' Fools First'' (1922) * '' Rich Men's Wives'' (1922) *'' Brothers Under the Skin'' (1922) * '' The Strangers' Banquet'' (1922) *'' Broken Chains'' (1922) *'' The Eternal Three'' (1923) *''

Little Church Around the Corner The Church of the Transfiguration, also known as the Little Church Around the Corner, is an Episcopal parish church located at 1 East 29th Street, between Madison and Fifth Avenues in the NoMad neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City. The ...

'' (1923) *'' Rupert of Hentzau'' (1923) *''The Acquittal'' (1923) *'' Nellie, The Beautiful Cloak Model'' (1924) *'' A Son of the Sahara'' (1924) *'' For Sale'' (1924) *'' Souls For Sale'' (1924) *'' The Dixie Handicap'' (1924) *'' Born Rich'' (1924) *'' The Denial'' (1925) *'' The White Desert'' (1925) *'' Just A Woman'' (1925) *'' The Lady Who Lied'' (1925) *'' Souls for Sables'' (1925) *'' Dance Madness'' (1926) *'' Money Talks'' (1926) *'' Tin Hats'' (1926) *''

A Little Journey ''A Little Journey'' is a 1927 American silent comedy film directed by Robert Z. Leonard and featuring Claire Windsor, William Haines and Harry Carey. It is based on a play by Rachel Crothers. No prints are thought to survive of this film. ...

'' (1927) *'' The Claw'' (1927) *''

The Bugle Call ''The Bugle Call'' is a 1927 American silent drama film directed by Edward Sedgwick and starring Jackie Coogan and Claire Windsor, which was released on August 6, 1927. The Lost Film Files database lists this film as being lost film, lost. Pl ...

'' (1927) *'' Foreign Devils'' (1927) *'' The Frontiersman'' (1927) * '' The Opening Night'' (1927) *'' Nameless Men'' (1928) * '' Fashion Madness'' (1928) * '' Satan and the Woman'' (1928) *'' Blondes by Choice'' (1928) *'' The Grain of Dust'' (1928) *''Opening Night'' (1928) * '' Domestic Meddlers'' (1928) *'' Captain Lash'' (1929) * ''

Midstream The oil and gas industry is usually divided into three major components: upstream, midstream and downstream. The midstream sector involves the transportation (by pipeline, rail, barge, oil tanker or truck), storage, and wholesale marketing of cr ...

'' (1929) *'' Self Defense'' (1932) * '' Sister to Judas'' (1932) *''

The Constant Woman ''The Constant Woman'' (1933), also known as ''Auction in Souls'' and ''Hell in a Circus'', is an American Pre-Code film directed by Victor Schertzinger. It is based on the 1913 Eugene O'Neill play ''Recklessness''. Plot Marlene Underwood is a ...

'' (1933) *'' Kiss of Araby'' (1933) *'' Cross Streets'' (1934) *''Kiss of Araby'' (1938) *'' Barefoot Boy'' (1938) *''How Doooo You Do!!!'' (1945)

References

Sources

* 1900 United States Census for Cawker, Mitchell County, Kansas, and 1910 United States Census for Kansas for Cawker, Mitchell County, Kansas * '' Massillon Evening Independent'', "Actress Asks To Keep Stage Name", April 12, 1943, p. 12. * ''

Philadelphia Inquirer ''The Philadelphia Inquirer'', often referred to simply as ''The Inquirer'', is a daily newspaper headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Founded on June 1, 1829, ''The Philadelphia Inquirer'' is the third-longest continuously operating da ...

'', "Claire Windsor and Husband Former Denver Residents", February 2, 1922.

External links

*
Silent Era People - Claire Windsor
*
Photographs and literature
{{DEFAULTSORT:Windsor, Claire 1892 births 1972 deaths Broadway High School (Seattle) alumni Actresses from Kansas American film actresses American silent film actresses People from Mitchell County, Kansas People from Phillips County, Kansas American people of Scandinavian descent Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer contract players 20th-century American actresses Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale)