Mae Clarke (born Violet Mary Klotz; August 16, 1910 – April 29, 1992) was an American actress. She is widely remembered for playing Henry Frankenstein's bride Elizabeth, who is chased by

Boris Karloff William Henry Pratt (23 November 1887 – 2 February 1969), better known by his stage name Boris Karloff (), was an English actor. His portrayal of Frankenstein's monster in the horror film ''Frankenstein'' (1931) (his 82nd film) established ...

in ''

Frankenstein ''Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus'' is an 1818 novel written by English author Mary Shelley. ''Frankenstein'' tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who creates a sapient creature in an unorthodox scientific exp ...

'', and for being on the receiving end of

James Cagney James Francis Cagney Jr. (; July 17, 1899March 30, 1986) was an American actor, dancer and film director. On stage and in film, Cagney was known for his consistently energetic performances, distinctive vocal style, and deadpan comic timing. He ...

's halved grapefruit in ''

The Public Enemy ''The Public Enemy'' (''Enemies of the Public'' in the UK) is a 1931 American talkie, all-talking Pre-Code Hollywood, pre-Code gangster film produced and distributed by Warner Bros. The film was directed by William A. Wellman and stars James Ca ...

''. Both films were released in 1931.

Early life

Mae Clarke was born in

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; (Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, Ma ...

. Her father was a theater organist. She studied dancing as a child and began on stage in

vaudeville Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment born in France at the end of the 19th century. A vaudeville was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a dramatic compositio ...

and also worked in night clubs.

Career

Clarke started her professional career as a dancer in New York City, sharing a room with

Barbara Stanwyck Barbara Stanwyck (; born Ruby Catherine Stevens; July 16, 1907 – January 20, 1990) was an American actress, model and dancer. A stage, film, and television star, during her 60-year professional career she was known for her strong, realistic sc ...

. She subsequently starred in many films for

Universal Studios Universal Pictures (legally Universal City Studios LLC, also known as Universal Studios, or simply Universal; common metonym: Uni, and formerly named Universal Film Manufacturing Company and Universal-International Pictures Inc.) is an Americ ...

, including the original screen version of ''

The Front Page ''The Front Page'' is a Broadway comedy about newspaper reporters on the police beat. Written by former Chicago reporters Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur, it was first produced in 1928 and has been adapted for the cinema several times. Plot Th ...

'' (1931) and the first sound version of ''

'' (1931), with

. Clarke played the role of Henry Frankenstein's fiancée, Elizabeth, who is attacked by the

Monster A monster is a type of fictional creature found in horror, fantasy, science fiction, folklore, mythology and religion. Monsters are very often depicted as dangerous and aggressive with a strange, grotesque appearance that causes terror and fe ...

(Karloff) on her wedding day. ''

'', released that same year, contained one of cinema's most famous (and frequently parodied) scenes, in which James Cagney pushes a half grapefruit into Clarke's face, then goes out to pick up

Jean Harlow Jean Harlow (born Harlean Harlow Carpenter; March 3, 1911 – June 7, 1937) was an American actress. Known for her portrayal of "bad girl" characters, she was the leading sex symbol of the early 1930s and one of the defining figures of the ...

. The film was so popular that it ran 24 hours a day at a theater in

Times Square Times Square is a major commercial intersection, tourist destination, entertainment hub, and neighborhood in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It is formed by the junction of Broadway, Seventh Avenue, and 42nd Street. Together with adjacent ...

upon its initial release; scarcely 4 months after the premiere, ''The Hollywood Reporter'' informed readers that Clarke's ex-husband Lew Brice claimed to have seen the film more than 20 times (and at least twice a week), and that Brice "says he goes to see the scene wherein Mae Clarke gets hit in the eye with a grapefruit—and that it's a plazure!" Clarke appeared as Myra Deauville in the 1931

pre-Code Pre-Code Hollywood was the brief era in the American film industry between the widespread adoption of sound in film in 1929LaSalle (2002), p. 1. and the enforcement of the Motion Picture Production Code censorship guidelines, popularly known ...

version of ''

Waterloo Bridge Waterloo Bridge () is a road and foot traffic bridge crossing the River Thames in London, between Blackfriars Bridge and Hungerford Bridge and Golden Jubilee Bridges. Its name commemorates the victory of the British, Dutch and Prussians at t ...

''. In the film she portrays a young American woman who is forced by circumstance into a life of prostitution in

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

London; both the film and Clarke's performance were well received by the critics. Mae Clarke in Lady Killer trailer

Clarke also appeared in the modest

Universal Universal is the adjective for universe. Universal may also refer to: Companies * NBCUniversal, a media and entertainment company ** Universal Animation Studios, an American Animation studio, and a subsidiary of NBCUniversal ** Universal TV, a ...

film '' Night World'' (1932), with

Lew Ayres Lewis Frederick Ayres III (December 28, 1908 – December 30, 1996) was an American actor whose film and television career spanned 65 years. He is best known for starring as German soldier Paul Bäumer in the film '' All Quiet on the Western Fr ...

, Boris Karloff,

Hedda Hopper Hedda Hopper (born Elda Furry; May 2, 1885February 1, 1966) was an American gossip columnist and actress. At the height of her influence in the 1940s, her readership was 35 million. A strong supporter of the House Un-American Activities Committe ...

, and

George Raft George Raft (born George Ranft; September 26, 1901 – November 24, 1980) was an American film actor and dancer identified with portrayals of gangsters in crime melodramas of the 1930s and 1940s. A stylish leading man in dozens of movies, Raft is ...

. In 1933 she was the female lead in '' Fast Workers'', John Gilbert's last film as a contracted MGM star, and '' Lady Killer'' with James Cagney and

Margaret Lindsay Margaret Lindsay (born Margaret Kies; September 19, 1910 – May 9, 1981) was an American film actress. Her time as a Warner Bros. contract player during the 1930s was particularly productive. She was noted for her supporting work in success ...

. That same year, she and actor Phillips Holmes were in a single-car accident that left Clarke with a broken jaw and facial scarring. Those injuries, however, did not end her film career, for she remained a leading lady for most of the 1930s. She was, though, increasingly cast in productions with lower budgets that lacked the status of her earlier films. Then, by 1940, Clarke slipped into supporting roles, although she did have a few last leading roles later in the decade, notably as the heroine in the Republic serial '' King of the Rocket Men'' (1949). In the 1950s and 1960s, Clarke played uncredited bit parts in several notable films, including ''

Singin' in the Rain ''Singin' in the Rain'' is a 1952 American musical romantic comedy film directed and choreographed by Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen, starring Kelly, Donald O'Connor, and Debbie Reynolds and featuring Jean Hagen, Millard Mitchell and Cyd C ...

'', ''

The Great Caruso ''The Great Caruso'' is a 1951 biographical film made by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and starring Mario Lanza as Enrico Caruso. It was directed by Richard Thorpe and produced by Joe Pasternak with Jesse L. Lasky as associate producer from a screenpla ...

'', and ''

Thoroughly Modern Millie ''Thoroughly Modern Millie'' is a 1967 American musical- romantic comedy film directed by George Roy Hill and starring Julie Andrews. The screenplay, by Richard Morris based on the 1956 British musical ''Chrysanthemum'', follows a naïve you ...

''. Her last screen appearance was in the 1970 film '' Watermelon Man''. Mae Clarke John Beradino General Hospital 1963

On television, Clarke appeared in many episodic series, including '' General Hospital'', ''

Perry Mason Perry Mason is a fictional character, an American criminal defense lawyer who is the main character in works of detective fiction written by Erle Stanley Gardner. Perry Mason features in 82 novels and 4 short stories, all of which involve a cli ...

'' and ''

Batman Batman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in the 27th issue of the comic book '' Detective Comics'' on March 30, 1939 ...

''. Clarke retired in 1970 and taught drama.

Personal life and death

Clarke was married and divorced three times: to

Fanny Brice Fania Borach (October 29, 1891 – May 29, 1951), known professionally as Fanny Brice or Fannie Brice, was an American comedienne, illustrated song model, singer, and theater and film actress who made many stage, radio, and film appearances. ...

's brother Lew Brice,Goldma
1992, pp. 136-7, 144.
/ref> Stevens Bancroft, and Herbert Langdon. All of the unions were childless. In later years Clarke resided at the

Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital In physics, motion is the phenomenon in which an object changes its position with respect to time. Motion is mathematically described in terms of displacement, distance, velocity, acceleration, speed and frame of reference to an observer and meas ...

Woodland Hills, California Woodland Hills is a neighborhood bordering the Santa Monica Mountains in the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles, California. Geography Woodland Hills is in the southwestern region of the San Fernando Valley, which is located east of C ...

. Clarke died from

cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal bl ...

on April 29, 1992, at age 81. She is buried in

Valhalla Memorial Park Cemetery Valhalla Memorial Park Cemetery is located at 10621 Victory Boulevard in North Hollywood and Burbank, California. The cemetery has an entrance called the Portal of the Folded Wings Shrine to Aviation that is the final resting place for aviatio ...

Selected filmography

Features

*'' Big Time'' (1929) - Lily Clark *'' Nix on Dames'' (1929) - Jackie Lee *''

The Fall Guy ''The Fall Guy'' is an American action/ adventure television series produced for ABC and originally broadcast from November 4, 1981, to May 2, 1986. It starred Lee Majors, Douglas Barr, and Heather Thomas as Hollywood stunt performers who ...

'' (1930) - Bertha Quinlan *'' The Dancers'' (1930) - Maxine *'' Men on Call'' (1930) - Helen Gordon / Helen Harding *''

'' (1931) - Molly Molloy *''

'' (1931) - Kitty (uncredited) *'' The Good Bad Girl'' (1931) - Marcia Cameron *''

'' (1931) - Myra *'' Reckless Living'' (1931) - Bee *''

'' (1931) - Elizabeth *'' Three Wise Girls'' (1932) - Gladys Kane *'' The Final Edition'' (1932) - Ann Woodman *'' Impatient Maiden'' (1932) - Ruth Robbins *'' Night World'' (1932) - Ruth Taylor *'' Flaming Gold'' (1932) - Claire Gordon *''

Breach of Promise Breach of promise is a common law tort, abolished in many jurisdictions. It was also called breach of contract to marry,N.Y. Civil Rights Act article 8, §§ 80-A to 84. and the remedy awarded was known as heart balm. From at least the Middl ...

'' (1932) - Hattie Pugmire *'' The Penguin Pool Murder'' (1932) - Gwen Parker *'' As the Devil Commands'' (1932) - Jane Chase *''

Parole Girl ''Parole Girl'' is a 1933 American pre-Code romantic drama film directed by Edward Cline. The film stars Mae Clarke and Ralph Bellamy. Plot When Sylvia Day ( Mae Clarke) is caught trying to pull a scam on the Taylor Department Store in New ...

'' (1933) - Sylvia Day *'' Fast Workers'' (1933) - Mary *'' Turn Back the Clock'' (1933) - Mary Gimlet / Mary Wright *'' Penthouse'' (1933) - Mimi Montagne *'' Lady Killer'' (1933) - Myra Gale *'' Nana'' (1934) - Satin *''

This Side of Heaven ''This Side of Heaven'' is a 1934 American pre-Code drama film directed by William K. Howard, written by Zelda Sears, Eve Greene, Edgar Allan Woolf and Florence Ryerson, and starring Lionel Barrymore, Fay Bainter, Mae Clarke, Tom Brown and ...

'' (1934) - Jane Turner *'' Let's Talk It Over'' (1934) - Pat Rockland *'' The Man with Two Faces'' (1934) - Daphne Flowers *'' Silk Hat Kid'' (1935) - Laura Grant *'' The Daring Young Man'' (1935) - Martha Allen *'' Hitch Hike Lady'' (1935) - Judith Martin *''

The House of a Thousand Candles ''The House of a Thousand Candles'' is a 1936 American thriller film directed by Arthur Lubin and starring Phillips Holmes, Mae Clarke and Irving Pichel. It is based on the 1906 novel by Meredith Nicholson. The novel had been filmed twice befor ...

'' (1936) - Carol Vincent *''

Hearts in Bondage ''Hearts in Bondage'' is a 1936 American black-and-white war drama film directed by Lew Ayres for Republic Pictures. Set during the American Civil War, the film depicts the Union Navy's deliberate sinking of , the Confederate States Navy's salva ...

'' (1936) - Constance Jordan *''

Wild Brian Kent ''Wild Brian Kent'' is a 1936 American drama film directed by Howard Bretherton and starring Ralph Bellamy, Mae Clarke and Helen Lowell.Goble p.510 Cast * Ralph Bellamy as Brian Kent * Mae Clarke as Betty Prentice * Helen Lowell as Aunt ...

'' (1936) - Betty Prentice *'' Hats Off'' (1936) - Jo Allen *'' Great Guy'' (1936) - Janet Henry *'' Trouble in Morocco'' (1937) - Linda Lawrence *'' Outlaws of the Orient'' (1937) - Joan Manning *'' Women in War'' (1940) - Gail Halliday *'' Sailors on Leave'' (1941) - Gwen *''

Flying Tigers The First American Volunteer Group (AVG) of the Republic of China Air Force, nicknamed the Flying Tigers, was formed to help oppose the Japanese invasion of China. Operating in 1941–1942, it was composed of pilots from the United States ...

'' (1942) - Verna Bales *'' Lady from Chungking'' (1942) - Lavara *'' And Now Tomorrow'' (1944) - Receptionist (uncredited) *'' Here Come the Waves'' (1944) - Ens. Kirk (uncredited) *'' Kitty'' (1945) - Molly *'' Reaching from Heaven'' (1948) - Dorothy Gram *'' Daredevils of the Clouds'' (1948) - Kay Cameron *'' Gun Runner'' (1949) - Kate Diamond *'' Streets of San Francisco'' (1949) - Hazel Logan *'' King of the Rocket Men'' (1949, Serial) - Glenda Thomas *'' The Yellow Cab Man'' (1950) - Casualty Company Secretary (uncredited) *'' The Reformer and the Redhead'' (1950) - Counter Lady with Change for a Quarter (uncredited) *'' Annie Get Your Gun'' (1950) - Mrs. Adams, Party Guest (uncredited) *'' The Skipper Surprised His Wife'' (1950) - Clubwoman (uncredited) *'' Duchess of Idaho'' (1950) - Betty - Flower Shop Saleslady (uncredited) *'' Mrs. O'Malley and Mr. Malone'' (1950) - Train Passenger (uncredited) *''

Three Guys Named Mike ''Three Guys Named Mike'' is a 1951 American romantic comedy film directed by Charles Walters and starring Jane Wyman, Van Johnson, Howard Keel, and Barry Sullivan.

'' (1951) - Convair Passenger (uncredited) *'' Inside Straight'' (1951) - Nurse (uncredited) *'' Mr. Imperium'' (1951) - Minor Role (uncredited) *''

Royal Wedding ''Royal Wedding'' is a 1951 American musical comedy film directed by Stanley Donen, and starring Fred Astaire and Jane Powell, with music by Burton Lane and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner. Set in 1947 London at the time of the wedding of Princess El ...

'' (1951) - Telephone Operator #1 (uncredited) *''

'' (1951) - Woman (uncredited) *''

The People Against O'Hara ''The People Against O'Hara'' is a 1951 American crime film noir directed by John Sturges and based on Eleazar Lipsky's novel. The film features Spencer Tracy, Pat O'Brien, John Hodiak, and James Arness. Plot James Curtayne ( Tracy) was ...

'' (1951) - Receptionist (uncredited) *'' The Unknown Man'' (1951) - Stella's Friend (uncredited) *'' Callaway Went Thataway'' (1951) - Mother on Train (uncredited) *'' Love Is Better Than Ever'' (1952) - Mrs. Island (uncredited) *''

'' (1952) - Hairdresser (uncredited) *''

Carbine Williams ''Carbine Williams'' is a 1952 American drama film directed by Richard Thorpe and starring James Stewart, Jean Hagen and Wendell Corey. The film follows the life of its namesake, David Marshall Williams, who invented the operating principle for ...

'' (1952) - Courtroom Spectator (uncredited) *'' Skirts Ahoy!'' (1952) - Miss LaValle (uncredited) *''

Pat and Mike ''Pat and Mike'' is a 1952 American romantic comedy film starring Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn. The movie was written by Ruth Gordon and Garson Kanin, and directed by George Cukor. Cukor directed '' The Philadelphia Story'' (1940) with H ...

'' (1952) - Golfer (uncredited) *'' Holiday for Sinners'' (1952) - Minor Role (uncredited) *'' Fearless Fagan'' (1952) - Hospital Telephone Operator (uncredited) *''

The Miracle of Our Lady of Fatima ''The Miracle of Our Lady of Fatima'' is a Technicolor, Warner Color feature film made in 1952. It was promoted as a fact-based treatment of the events surrounding the apparitions of Our Lady of Fátima, in Portugal, in 1917. It stars Susan Whi ...

'' (1952) - Townswoman (uncredited) *'' Horizons West'' (1952) - Mrs. Jane Tarleton *'' Thunderbirds'' (1952) - Mrs. Jones *''

Because of You Because of You may refer to: Music Albums * ''Because of You'' (James Darren album), 2001 * ''Because of You'' (Ne-Yo album), 2007, and the title song (see below) * ''Because of You'' (Tony Bennett album), 1952, and the title song, a cover ...

'' (1952) - Miss Peach / Nurse Peachie *'' Confidentially Connie'' (1953) - Happy Shopper (uncredited) *'' Magnificent Obsession'' (1954) - Mrs. Miller *''

Women's Prison This article discusses the incarceration of women in correctional facilities. As of 2013 across the world, 625,000 women and children were being held in penal institutions, and the female prison population was increasing in all continents.< ...

'' (1955) - Matron Saunders *'' Not as a Stranger'' (1955) - Nurse Odell *''

Wichita Wichita ( ) may refer to: People *Wichita people, a Native American tribe *Wichita language, the language of the tribe Places in the United States * Wichita, Kansas, a city * Wichita County, Kansas, a county in western Kansas (city of Wichita i ...

'' (1955) - Mrs McCoy. *'' I Died a Thousand Times'' (1955) - Mabel Baughman (uncredited) *'' Come Next Spring'' (1956) - Myrtle *''

Mohawk Mohawk may refer to: Related to Native Americans *Mohawk people, an indigenous people of North America (Canada and New York) *Mohawk language, the language spoken by the Mohawk people *Mohawk hairstyle, from a hairstyle once thought to have been t ...

'' (1956) - Minikah *''

The Catered Affair ''The Catered Affair'' (also known as ''Wedding Party'') is a 1956 American comedy-drama film directed by Richard Brooks and produced by Sam Zimbalist from a screenplay by Gore Vidal, based on a 1955 television play by Paddy Chayefsky. The film ...

'' (1956) - Saleswoman (uncredited) *'' The Desperados Are in Town'' (1956) - Jane Kesh * '' Ride the High Iron'' (1956) - Mrs. Vanders *''

Decision at Sundown ''Decision at Sundown'' is a 1957 American Western film directed by Budd Boetticher and starring Randolph Scott. It is one of seven Boetticher/Scott western collaborations, including '' Seven Men from Now'', ''The Tall T'', ''Buchanan Rides Alon ...

'' (1957) *'' Voice in the Mirror'' (1958) - Mrs. Robbins *'' Ask Any Girl'' (1959) - Woman on Train (uncredited) *'' A Big Hand for the Little Lady'' (1966) - Mrs. Craig *''

'' (1967) - Secretary (uncredited) *'' Watermelon Man'' (1970) - Old Woman (uncredited)

Short subjects

*''Screen Snapshots'' (1932, Documentary short) - Herself *''Screen Snapshots Series 16, No. 7'' (1937, Documentary short) - Herself

Notes

References

Bibliography *Cagney, James. ''Cagney by Cagney''. New York: Doubleday, 1976. . *Clarke, Mae. ''Featured Player: An Oral Autobiography of Mae Clarke''; Edited With An Introduction by James Curtis. Santa Barbara: Santa Teresa Press, 1996. . *Goldman, Herbert G. ''Fanny Brice''. New York: Oxford University Press, 1992. . *Halliwell, Leslie. ''Halliwell's Filmgoers Companion'' (Halliwell's Who's Who in the Movies). New York: Collins Reference, 1997. . *Madsen, Axel. ''Stanwyck: A Biography''. New York: HarperCollins, 1994. . Footnotes

External links

* * * *
Mae Clarke
at Virtual History {{DEFAULTSORT:Clarke, Mae American film actresses American television actresses Burials at Valhalla Memorial Park Cemetery Deaths from cancer in California Actresses from Philadelphia 1910 births 1992 deaths 20th-century American actresses