Clairette, (April 3, 1919 – October 28, 2008) was a

Quebec Quebec is Canada's List of Canadian provinces and territories by area, largest province by area. Located in Central Canada, the province shares borders with the provinces of Ontario to the west, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, ...

-based

French French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), ...

actress and singer. After her own career slowed down she became the proprietor of

Montreal Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...

's "Chez Clairette" nightclub. In later life she received official honors for her cultural influence in giving a career break to many up-and-coming entertainers who later became famous. She was born Claire Françoise Oddera in 1919 to Charles Oddera and Rose Fanucci in

Marseille Marseille (; ; see #Name, below) is a city in southern France, the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Departments of France, department of Bouches-du-Rhône and of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Regions of France, region. Situated in the ...

(however her birthname is given as Claire Oderra in many sources). At the age of 20 she became a waitress in the canteen of a local French film studio, owned by writer and filmmaker

Marcel Pagnol Marcel Paul Pagnol (, also ; ; 28 February 1895 – 18 April 1974) was a French novelist, playwright, and filmmaker. Regarded as an auteur, in 1946, he became the first filmmaker elected to the . Pagnol is generally regarded as one of France's ...

, who provided her with her first film role in '' La fille du puisatier'' (1939). She adopted the stage name Clairette at the suggestion of

Fernandel Fernand Joseph Désiré Contandin (8 May 1903 – 26 February 1971), better known as Fernandel, was a French comic actor. Born in Marseille, France, to Désirée Bedouin and Denis Contandin, originating in Perosa Argentina, a town located in th ...

. She was later working in radio, where she was also known as a singer. During the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, she made three other movies but mostly toured France on stage and in variety shows. In 1949, she made her first visit to

. She married at the age of 21 with the marriage lasting four years. In 1956, she emigrated to Quebec. She opened the eponymous "Chez Clairette" where, every Monday afternoon, she held auditions to scout out artists.

Robert Charlebois Robert Charlebois (born June 25, 1944) is a Canadian author, composer, musician, performer and actor. Charlebois was born in Montreal, Quebec. Among his best known songs are ''Lindberg'' (the duo with Louise Forestier in particular), ''Ordi ...

Claude Dubois Claude André Dubois (born 24 April 1947) is a Canadian singer-songwriter. Career Dubois was an early star of the Francophone musical '' Starmania''. He was a vocalist in the Canadian famine relief song " Tears Are Not Enough" and was nomina ...

Diane Dufresne Diane Dufresne, (; born 30 September 1944) is a French Canadian singer and painter, and is known for singing a large repertoire of popular Quebec songs. Dufresne was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. She lived in Paris from 1965 to 1967 where ...

and France Castel,

Christine Charbonneau Christine Charbonneau (18 October 1943 – 29 May 2014) was a French Canadian singer and songwriter. La Presse Canadienne (CP/PC), Most popular songs ''Du fil des aiguilles et du coton'' recorded by France Castel in 1972 and sung by Céline Di ...

were some of those artists whose careers she helped launch. It was also at "Chez Clairette" that lyricist

Luc Plamondon Luc Plamondon (born March 2, 1942) is a French Canadians, French-Canadian lyricist and music executive. His work includes the musicals Starmania (musical), ''Starmania'' and Notre-Dame de Paris (musical), ''Notre-Dame de Paris''. He is the brot ...

met his future collaborator, pianist-composer

André Gagnon André Gagnon (2 August 1936 – 3 December 2020) was a Canadian pianist, composer, conductor, arranger, and actor, known for his fusion of classical and pop styles,Jean-Pierre Thiollet, ''88 notes pour piano solo'', Neva Editions, 2015, p.16 ...

. After the first "Chez Clairette" closed a second opened later in a different area of Montreal. It stayed in business for a decade. She continued to perform while operating "Chez Clairette", appearing occasionally on the television series, '' Au pied de la pente douce''. She opened an academy for singers at the home of her younger sister, singer Danielle Oddera. As the years progressed, Clairette continued to perform regularly. Her final public performance in June 2008 was at the Théâtre Denise-Pelletier on

Sainte-Catherine Street Sainte-Catherine Street ( ) () is the primary commercial artery of Downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It crosses the central business district from west to east, beginning at the corner of Claremont Avenue and de Maisonneuve Boulevard in Wes ...

. She was made a Member of the

Order of Canada The Order of Canada () is a Canadian state order, national order and the second-highest Award, honour for merit in the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, after the Order of Merit. To coincide with the Canadian Centennial, ce ...

in 2003 and a Knight of the

National Order of Quebec The National Order of Quebec ( French: ), also known as the Order of Quebec, is a civilian honour for merit in the Canadian province of Quebec. Instituted in 1984 when Lieutenant Governor Jean-Pierre Côté granted royal assent to the (Natio ...

in 2002. She died in Montreal on October 28, 2008, aged 89. She had suffered from osteoarthritis and osteoporosis. She had no children and was survived by her sister. She was entombed at the

Notre Dame des Neiges Cemetery Notre Dame des Neiges Cemetery (, ) is a rural cemetery located in the borough of Côte-des-Neiges-Notre-Dame-de-Grâce, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, which was founded in 1854. The entrance and the grounds run along a part of Côte-des-Neiges Ro ...

in Montreal.

References

External links

* * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Odderra, Clairette 1919 births 2008 deaths Actresses from Marseille Actresses from Montreal French film actresses French expatriates in Canada Canadian film actresses Canadian radio actresses Knights of the National Order of Quebec Members of the Order of Canada Singers from Montreal 20th-century French women singers 20th-century Canadian women singers Burials at Notre Dame des Neiges Cemetery