Favorite Claudette movie: It Happened One Night (1934)

Most of us don't know about happiness until it's over.~Claudette

Claudette Colbert was born Lily Claudette Chauchoin on September 13th 1903 in Paris, France. She was one of the most popular actresses in the 1930s and 1940s.

Claudette's family moved to the United States when she was three years old. When she grew up she wanted more then anything to be on Broadway. She got her wish in 1923 in the Broadway play The Wild Wescotts. Her first film was in 1927 in the film For The Love Of Mike which was a big flop. The rest of her films weren't, such as her next few The Hole In The Wall, The Lady Lies and Young Man Of Manhattan, among many others. Her greatest film came in 1934 in the film It Happened One Night. It earned her her first Oscar nomination and her only win. She didn't expect to win so she didn't attend the ceremony. She was boarding a train when her name was announced and was dragged to a nearby hotel to accept her award. She then went back to the train, which was held for her, and went on to New York.

Carole Lombard may have been the queen of screwball comedy, but Claudette probably gave her a run for her money. She also appeared in a number of romantic comedies after It Happened One Night. She appeared in her last film in 1987, The Two Mrs. Grenvilles which was a TV movie. She returned to Broadway in the mid-1950s, which was her first love.

Claudette passed away on July 30th 1996 in Speightstown, Barbados after several strokes.


Oscar nominations and wins. * indicates a win

1934 (7th) ACTRESS * Claudette Colbert -- It Happened One Night {"Ellie Andrews"}

1935 (8th) ACTRESS Claudette Colbert -- Private Worlds {"Jane Everest"}

1944 (17th) ACTRESS Claudette Colbert -- Since You Went Away {"Anne Hilton"}

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