Claire McDowell
Claire McDowell | |
---|---|
Hollywood, California , U.S. | |
Occupation | Actress |
Years active | 1908–1945 |
Spouse | |
Children | 2 |
Relatives | Fanny Davenport (aunt) Melbourne MacDowell (uncle) |
Claire McDowell (née MacDowell;[1][2] November 2, 1877 – October 23, 1966) was an American actress of the silent era.[3][4] She appeared in 350 films between 1908 and 1945.[5]
Early years
Claire MacDowell was born in New York City on November 2, 1877, the daughter of Eugene A. MacDowell and Fanny Reeves.[6][7] Her aunt, actress Fanny Davenport, gave her early training in acting.[8] Fanny Davenport's second husband was Eugene's brother Melbourne MacDowell.[9]
Career
When she was 17, she was an understudy in a theatrical company headed by
When she was 38, McDowell retired, but later she returned to acting, particularly portraying mothers.[7]
Personal life and death
She was married to silent screen character actor Charles Hill Mailes from 1906 until his death in 1937.[11] The couple appeared in numerous silent films together, including The Mark of Zorro.[12] They had two sons,[7] Robert and Eugene. She died in Hollywood, California, on October 23, 1966, ten days before her 89th birthday.[13]
Selected filmography
- The Devil (1908, Short) – Mrs. Harold Thornton
- The Planter's Wife (1908, Short) – Mrs. John Holland
- A Flash of Light (1910, Short) – At First Party
- The Lucky Toothache (1910, Short) – A Cousin
- A Mohawk's Way (1910) as Indian mother
- His Trust (1911, Short) – Colonel Frazier's Wife
- His Trust Fulfilled (1911, Short) – Mrs. Frazier
- What Shall We Do with Our Old? (1911, Short) – The Old Carpenter's Wife
- Fisher Folks (1911)
- A Decree of Destiny (1911, Short) – A Nun
- The Spanish Gypsy (1911, Short) – Paula
- The Broken Cross (1911, Short) – Kate's Mother
- The Crooked Road (1911, Short) – A Neighbor
- The Primal Call (1911, Short) – The Woman
- A Country Cupid (1911, Short) – The Half-Wit's Mother
- The Making of a Man (1911, Short) – Actress
- The Long Road (1911, Short) – Ned's Wife
- A Woman Scorned (1911, Short) – The Doctor's Wife
- As in a Looking Glass (1911) – The Wife
- Under Burning Skies (1912, Short) – A Friend
- A Temporary Truce (1912, Short) – Mexican Jim's Wife
- The Sands of Dee (1912, Short) – The Artist's Fiancée
- Two Daughters of Eve (1912, Short) – The Mother
- So Near, yet So Far (1912, Short) – Rich Woman in Other Town
- In the Aisles of the Wild (1912, Short) – The Elder Daughter
- A Sailor's Heart (1912, Short) – The Sailor's Third Sweetheart
- The New York Hat (1912, Short) – First Gossip
- A Cry for Help (1912, Short) – The Thief's Wife – the Charity Patient
- The God Within (1912, Short) – The Woodsman's Wife
- The Telephone Girl and the Lady (1913, Short) – The Lady
- A Misappropriated Turkey (1913, Short) – Mrs. Fallon
- The Wrong Bottle (1913, Short) – The Blind Sister
- The Unwelcome Guest (1913, Short) – The Wife
- A Welcome Intruder (1913, Short) – A Widow
- The Stolen Bride (1913, Short) – The Wife
- The Wanderer (1913, Short) – The Female Lover
- The Tenderfoot's Money (1913, Short) – The Prospector's Wife
- The Stolen Loaf (1913, Short) – The Rich Woman
- The House of Darkness (1913, Short) – The Doctor's Wife
- Olaf—An Atom (1913, Short) – A Parent
- The Ranchero's Revenge (1913, Short) – The Schemer's Associate
- The Well (1913, Short) – The Farmer's Wife
- The Switch Tower (1913, Short) – The Switchman's Wife
- A Gamble with Death (1913, Short) – Kate
- The Enemy's Baby (1913, Short) – Miller's Wife
- A Gambler's Honor (1913, Short) – Beth
- The Mirror (1913, Short) – Daisy
- The Vengeance of Galora (1913, Short) – Galora
- Under the Shadow of the Law (1913, Short) – John Haywood's Sister
- I Was Meant for You (1913, Short) – Lavina
- The Crook and the Girl (1913, Short) – The Uncle's Adopted Daughter
- The Strong Man's Burden (1913, Short) – Ida Glynn, The Nurse
- The Stolen Treaty (1913, Short) – Olga
- The Law and His Son (1913, Short) – Marguerite, Manning's Sister
- A Tender-Hearted Crook (1913, Short) – Edith
- The Van Nostrand Tiara (1913, Short) – Kate
- The Stopped Clock (1913, Short) – The Antique Dealer's Daughter
- The Detective's Stratagem (1913, Short) – Kate, the Bank Clerk's Sweetheart
- All for Science (1913, Short) – Detective
- A Nest Unfeathered (1914, Short) – Kate
- Her Father's Silent Partner (1914, Short)
- The Cracksman's Gratitude (1914, Short)
- The Heart of a Bandit (1915, Short)
- The Sheriff's Dilemma (1915, Short) – Molly
- The Miser's Legacy (1915, Short) – The Crook's Wife
- The Gambler's I.O.U. (1915, Short) – Nell – Daddy Wilson's Daughter
- A Day's Adventure (1915, Short) – Hogan's Moll
- The Canceled Mortgage (1915, Short) – The Widowed Mother
- Truth Stranger Than Fiction (1915, Short) – Crook
- Her Dormant Love (1915, Short) – The Discontented Wife
- The Way Out (1915, Short) – The Young School Teacher
- Her Convert (1915, Short) – The Old Inventor's Daughter
- Old Offenders (1915, Short) – Joe's Wife
- As It Happened (1915, Short) – The Ranchman's Daughter
- A Stranger from Somewhere (1916) – Olga
- Mixed Blood (1916) – Nita Valyez
- The Right to Be Happy (1916) – Mrs. Cratchit
- The White Raven (1917) – Daisy
- The Gates of Doom (1917) – Indore / Agatha
- The Bronze Bride (1917) – A-Che-Chee
- The Clean-Up (1917) – Vera Vincent
- The Empty Gun (1917, Short) – Mary
- Fighting Back (1917) – The Fury
- The Ship of Doom (1917) – Clara Gove
- The Man Above the Law (1918) – Natchah
- Captain of His Soul (1918) – Annette De Searcy
- You Can't Believe Everything (1918) – Grace Dardley
- Closin' In (1918)
- The Return of Mary (1918) – Mrs. John Denby Sr.
- The Follies Girl (1919) – Nina
- Prudence on Broadway (1919) – Miss Grayson
- Chasing Rainbows (1919) – Mrs. Walters
- Heart o' the Hills (1919) – Martha Hawn
- The Feud (1919) – Mary Lynch
- The Woman in the Suitcase (1920) – Mrs. James B. Moreland
- The Gift Supreme (1920) – Lalia Graun
- The Devil's Riddle (1920) – Mrs. Potts
- Blind Youth (1920) – Elizabeth Monnier
- Through Eyes of Men (1920) – Mrs. Virginia All
- The Jack-Knife Man (1920) – Lize Merdin
- Something to Think About (1920) – Housekeeper
- The Mark of Zorro (1920) – Doña Catalina Pulido
- Midsummer Madness (1920) – Mrs. Osborne
- Prisoners of Love (1921) – Her Mother
- Chickens (1921) – Aunt Rebecca
- What Every Woman Knows (1921) – Comtesse de la Brière
- Mother o' Mine (1921) – Mrs. Sheldon
- Wealth (1921) – Mrs. Dominick
- Love Never Dies (1921) – Liz Trott
- Rent Free (1922) – Countess de Mourney
- The Gray Dawn (1922) – Mrs. Bennett
- Penrod (1922) – Mrs. Schofield
- The Ragged Heiress (1922) – Sylvia Moreton
- The Lying Truth (1922) – Mrs. Sam Clairborne
- Nice People (1922) – Margaret Rainsford
- In the Name of the Law (1922) – Mrs. O'Hara
- Heart's Haven (1922) – May Caroline
- Quincy Adams Sawyer (1922) – Mrs. Putnam
- The West~Bound Limited (1923) – Mrs. Bill Buckley
- Michael O'Halloran (1923) – Nancy Harding
- Human Wreckage (1923) – Mrs. Brown
- Circus Days (1923) – Martha
- Ashes of Vengeance (1923) – Margot's Aunt
- Ponjola (1923) – Mrs. Hope
- Enemies of Children (1923)
- Black Oxen (1923) – Agnes Trevor
- Judgment of the Storm (1924) – Mrs. Heath
- Leave It to Gerry (1924) – Mrs. Brent
- Thy Name Is Woman (1924) – Juan's Mother
- Secrets (1924) – Elizabeth Channing
- A Fight for Honor (1924) – Mrs. Hill
- Those Who Dare (1924) – Mrs. Rollins
- The Reckless Sex (1925) – Concha
- Waking Up the Town (1925) – Mrs. Joyce
- Dollar Down (1925) – Mrs. Meadows – Ruth's Sister
- The Tower of Lies (1925) – Katrina
- One of the Bravest (1925) – Mrs. Kelly
- The Big Parade (1925) – Mrs. Apperson
- The Midnight Flyer (1925) – Liza Slater
- Ben-Hur (1925) – Princess of Hur
- The Devil's Circus (1926) – Mrs. Peterson
- The Dixie Merchant (1926) – Josephine Fippany
- The Shamrock Handicap (1926) – Molly O'Shea
- The Unknown Soldier (1926) – John Phillips' sister
- The Show Off (1926) – Mom Fisher
- The Flaming Forest (1926) – Mrs. McTavish
- A Little Journey (1927) – Aunt Louise
- The Auctioneer (1927) – Mrs. Tim Eagan
- Cheaters (1927) – Mrs. Robin Carter
- The Taxi Dancer (1927) – Aunt Mary
- The Black Diamond Express (1927) – Martha Foster
- Tillie the Toiler (1927) – Ma Jones
- Winds of the Pampas (1927) – Doña Maria Casandos
- The Shield of Honor (1927) – Mrs. MacDowell
- Almost Human (1927) – Mrs. Livingston
- The Tragedy of Youth (1928) – Mother
- Don't Marry (1928) – Aunt Abigail Bowen
- 4 Devils (1928) – Woman
- The Viking (1928) – Lady Editha
- Marriage by Contract (1928) – Mother
- When Dreams Come True (1929) – Martha Shelby
- The Flying Fleet (1929) – Mrs. Hastings – Anita's Mother (uncredited)
- Silks and Saddles (1929) – Mrs. Calhoun
- The Quitter (1929) – Mrs. Abbott
- Whispering Winds (1929) – Mrs. Benton
- Redemption (1930) – Anna Pavlovna
- The Second Floor Mystery (1930) – Aunt Hattie
- Young Desire (1930) – Mrs. Spencer
- The Big House (1930) – Mrs. Marlowe
- Wild Company (1930) – Mrs. Laura Grayson
- Brothers (1930) – Mrs. Bess Naughton
- Mothers Cry (1930) – Mary's Mother (uncredited)
- An American Tragedy (1931) – Mrs. Samuel Griffiths
- Under Eighteen (1931) – Seamstress (uncredited)
- Manhattan Parade (1931) – Nancy – the Maid (uncredited)
- Union Depot (1932) – Little Boy's Mother (uncredited)
- The Famous Ferguson Case (1932) – The Brookses' Landlady (uncredited)
- Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm (1932) – Mrs. Randall (uncredited)
- Cornered (1932) – Jane's Aunt
- The Phantom Express (1932) – Ma Nolan
- A Successful Calamity (1932) – Struthers' Secretary (uncredited)
- Lawyer Man (1932) – Gilmurry's Secretary (uncredited)
- Central Airport (1933) – Mrs. Blaine
- The Working Man (1933) – Benjamin's Secretary
- By Appointment Only (1933) – Mrs. Mary Carroll
- Paddy the Next Best Thing (1933) – Miss Breen (uncredited)
- Wild Boys of the Road (1933) – Mrs. Smith
- Bedside (1934) – Nurse (uncredited)
- It Happened One Night (1934) – Mother on Bus (uncredited)
- Journal of a Crime (1934) – Sister at Hospital (uncredited)
- Dr. Monica (1934) – Miss Bryerly (uncredited)
- British Agent (1934) – Woman Saying 'Lenin will Live' (uncredited)
- Two Heads on a Pillow (1934) – Mrs. Helen Gorman
- Imitation of Life (1934) – Teacher Outside Classroom (uncredited)
- Black Fury (1935) – Nurse (uncredited)
- Murder by Television (1935) – Mrs. Houghland
- August Week End(1936) – Alma Washburne
- Small Town Girl (1936) – Woman in Bed (uncredited)
- Criminal Lawyer (1937) – Night Court Judge (uncredited)
- Two-Fisted Sheriff (1937) – Miss Herrick – Molly's Aunt
- High, Wide, and Handsome(1937) – Seamstress (uncredited)
- Test Pilot (1938) – Funeral Home Associate (uncredited)
- Three Comrades (1938) – Landlady Frau Zalewski (uncredited)
- Boys Town (1938) – Catholic Nun (uncredited)
- Stand Up and Fight (1939) – Woman (uncredited)
- Idiot's Delight (1939) – Crying Mother (uncredited)
- Miracles for Sale (1939) – Jack of Diamonds Woman (uncredited)
- Thunder Afloat (1939) – Nurse (uncredited)
- Those High Grey Walls (1939) – Mother (uncredited)
- Joe and Ethel Turp Call on the President (1939) – Gossiper (uncredited)
- Young Tom Edison (1940) – Woman at Station (uncredited)
- The Captain Is a Lady (1940) – Old Lady (uncredited)
- The Golden Fleecing (1940) – Pedestrian (uncredited)
- Dr. Kildare Goes Home (1940) – Nurse for Mr. Winslow (uncredited)
- Third Finger, Left Hand(1940) – Witness at wedding (uncredited)
- Lady Scarface (1941) – Mrs. Tuckerman (uncredited)
- Reap the Wild Wind (1942) – Ettie (uncredited)
- Keeper of the Flame (1942) – Mourner (uncredited)
- The Youngest Profession (1943) – Woman (uncredited)
- The Human Comedy (1943) – Woman on Street (uncredited)
- Hangmen Also Die! (1943) – Counterwoman (uncredited)
- Presenting Lily Mars (1943) – Dowager (uncredited)
- This Land Is Mine (1943) – Woman in Bathroom (uncredited)
- Du Barry Was a Lady (1943) – Subway Passenger (uncredited)
- Black Market Rustlers (1943) – Mrs. Prescott (uncredited)
- Teen Age (1943) – Mrs. Mary Abbott
- Men on Her Mind (1944) – Mother Goodwin
- Andy Hardy's Blonde Trouble (1944) – Dr. Standish's Servant (uncredited)
- Are These Our Parents (1944) – Miss Winfield
- The Thin Man Goes Home (1944) – Train Passenger in Passageway (uncredited)
- Having Wonderful Crime (1945) – Guest (uncredited)
- Adventure(1945) – Woman in Library (uncredited)
References
- ISBN 9781587298400– via Google Books.
- ISBN 9780835209144– via Google Books.
- ISBN 9781476609058. Retrieved October 18, 2018 – via Google Books.
- ^ "Claire McDowell". Obscure Hollywood. Archived from the original on October 19, 2018. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
- ^ "The monumental Claire McDowell". 11east14thstreet. Retrieved August 24, 2012.
- ^ Silent Film Necrology, p.334 c.2001 by Eugene M. Vazzana
- ^ Newspapers.com.
- Newspapers.com.
- ISBN 978-0-674-62734-5. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
Presenting Fedora in New York in 1883 with Robert Mantell as her leading man, Fanny Davenport achieved such fame.
- ^ "Claire McDowell". Internet Broadway Database. The Broadway League. Archived from the original on February 19, 2020. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
- ^ "Claire McDowell". Silent Era. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
- ^ "Fairbanks Picks Special Cast in Hope Of Presenting His Most Unusual Film." Exhibitors Herald. November 27, 1920, pg. 85.
- ^ "Rites Set for Veteran Stage, Film Actress". Los Angeles Times. October 27, 1966. p. 46.
External links
- Claire McDowell at IMDb