Claudia Louise Morgan (June 12, 1911 – September 17, 1974) was an American film, television, and radio actress. She was best known for debuting the role of Vera Claythorne in the first

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street ** Broadway Theatre (53rd Stre ...

production of

Agatha Christie Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie, Lady Mallowan, (; 15 September 1890 – 12 January 1976) was an English people, English author known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, particularly those revolving ...

's ''

Ten Little Indians "Ten Little Indians" is an American children's Counting-out game, counting out rhyme. It has a Roud Folk Song Index number of 12976. In 1868, songwriter Septimus Winner adapted it as a song, then calledTen Little Injuns, for a minstrel show. Lyr ...

'' and for her portrayal of Nora Charles on the 1940s radio series, ''

The Adventures of the Thin Man ''The Adventures of the Thin Man'' radio series, initially starring Les Damon, was broadcast on all four major radio networks during the years 1941 to 1950. Claudia Morgan had the female lead role of Nora Charles throughout the program's entir ...

''.

Early years

Morgan was born in

Brooklyn, New York Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...

, in 1911 to actors

Ralph Morgan Raphael Kuhner Wuppermann (July 6, 1883 – June 11, 1956), known professionally as Ralph Morgan, was a Hollywood stage and film character actor, and union activist. He was a brother of actor Frank Morgan as well as the father of actress ...

( Raphael Kuhner Wuppermann) and Grace Arnold ( Georgiana Louise Iverson). Some sources indicate she was born Claudia (or Claudeigh) Louise Wuppermann, but other sources indicate her father had already changed his surname to Morgan by the time of her birth. Actor

Frank Morgan Francis Phillip Wuppermann (June 1, 1890 – September 18, 1949), known professionally as Frank Morgan, was an American character actor. He was best known for his appearances in films starting in the silent era in 1916, and then numerous sound ...

was her uncle. She attended Ely Court School in

Greenwich, Connecticut Greenwich ( ) is a New England town, town in southwestern Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it had a population of 63,518. It is the largest town on Gold Coast (Connecticut), Connectic ...

Stage

A member of the cast of more than 30 Broadway plays, Morgan starred in ''

The Man Who Came to Dinner ''The Man Who Came to Dinner'' is a comedy play by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart. It debuted on October 16, 1939, at the Music Box Theatre in New York City, where it ran until 1941, closing after 739 performances. It then enjoyed a number of ...

'' and ''

''. She eventually was dismissed from her role in ''Ten Little Indians'' because her work in ''The Adventures of the Thin Man'' on radio caused a delay in the stage production every Friday night. She also appeared in ''

The Apple Cart ''The Apple Cart: A Political Extravaganza'' is a 1928 play by Bernard Shaw. It is a satirical comedy about several political philosophies which are expounded by the characters, often in lengthy monologues. The plot follows the fictional Engli ...

'', and ''The Sun Field''.

Film/television

Morgan's first film role was in 1932, and her last was in 1964 (''

The World of Henry Orient ''The'' is a grammatical article in English, denoting nouns that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The ...

''). She appeared on ''

Kraft Television Theatre ''Kraft Television Theatre'' is an American anthology drama television series running from 1947 to 1958. It began May 7, 1947, on NBC, airing at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday evenings until December of that year. It first promoted MacLaren's Impe ...

'' and ''

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 ...

''.

Radio

Morgan was known for playing Nora Charles in ''The Adventures of the Thin Man''. She was married to radio announcer and actor

Ernest Chappell Ernest E. Chappell (June 10, 1903 - July 4, 1983)DeLong, Thomas A. (1996). ''Radio Stars: An Illustrated Biographical Dictionary of 953 Performers, 1920 through 1960''. McFarland & Company, Inc. . P. 53. was an American radio announcer and actor, ...

, and performed with him on the late 1940s radio program, '' Quiet Please''. In 1941, she joined the cast of '' The O'Neills'', in the role of Laura Penway. She was also a regular on ''

Ford Theatre ''Ford Theatre'', spelled ''Ford Theater'' for the original radio version and known, in full, as ''The Ford Television Theatre'' for the TV version, is a radio and television anthology series broadcast in the United States in the 1940s and 195 ...

'', '' David Harum'', '' Joyce Jordan, M.D.'', '' Lone Journey'', ''We Love and Learn'', and ''The Right to Happiness''.

Personal life

Morgan was married five times; all of the unions were childless. In 1931, she married Talbott Cummings. They had been married only about a year when she sought a divorce. She wed aviator Robert Shippee on July 22, 1934; that marriage also ended in divorce. She married Charles H. Horburg Jr. on May 14, 1937; the couple divorced in 1938. She married Phil Ormsby, an actor and architect, on August 2, 1938. She was survived by her fifth husband, Kenneth Loane.

Death

Morgan died in New York City on September 17, 1974, aged 63, from undisclosed causes. She was buried in

Green-Wood Cemetery Green-Wood Cemetery is a cemetery in the western portion of Brooklyn, New York City. The cemetery is located between South Slope, Brooklyn, South Slope/Greenwood Heights, Brooklyn, Greenwood Heights, Park Slope, Windsor Terrace, Brooklyn, Win ...

(Section 168, Lot 14447 Wupperman Family Plot).

Radio appearances

References

External links

* *
Claudia Morgan portrait gallery
digitalcollections.nypl.org; accessed May 4, 2017. {{DEFAULTSORT:Morgan, Claudia 1911 births 1974 deaths American film actresses American radio actresses American stage actresses American television actresses Actresses from Brooklyn 20th-century American actresses