Claudette Colbert

Biography

Claudette Colbert, born Emilie Claudette Chauchoin on September 13, 1903, in Saint-Mandé, Val-de-Marne, France, became a prominent American actress after relocating to the United States at the age of three. Raised in New York, she honed her craft at the Art Students League and made her theatrical debut on Broadway in 1923 with "The Wild Westcotts." Her stage career flourished, particularly with her role in the 1927 production of "The Barker."

Colbert transitioned to film with the silent movie "For the Love of Mike" in 1927, directed by Frank Capra. Although this film was a failure, she soon found success with her 1929 feature "The Lady Lies." Her filmography blossomed in the early 1930s, with standout performances in hits like "Cleopatra" (1934) and the iconic romantic comedy "It Happened One Night," for which she won the Academy Award for Best Actress. By 1938, her business acumen had made her the highest-paid actress in Hollywood.

After a decline in film roles in the 1950s, Colbert returned to the stage, including a notable stint in "Janus." She also appeared in television specials and won a Golden Globe for her role in the 1987 TV movie "The Two Mrs. Grenvilles." Colbert was married twice, first to actor Norman Foster and later to Dr. Joel Pressman, with whom she remained until his death in 1968. In her later years, she split her time between New York and a historic plantation in Barbados, where she hosted numerous celebrities. Claudette Colbert passed away on July 30, 1996, at the age of 92 in Speightstown, Barbados.