Claude Jarman, Jr. was born in Nashville, Tennessee, to a railroad accountant father, with no initial aspirations to become a screen actor. At the tender age of 12, he was unexpectedly discovered during an MGM nationwide talent search for their upcoming film, The Yearling (1946),and was awarded the coveted role of Jody Baxter in Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings' classic story. The critics were overwhelmed by Claude's profoundly moving debut, and he was honored with a miniature Oscar at the Academy Awards ceremony.
Following his family's permanent relocation to California, Claude attended the MGM studio school while being carefully crafted as a child star. Unfortunately, his film success was short-lived, as he struggled to maintain his allure, lacking the requisite good looks and natural boyish charm necessary to sustain his career. His subsequent films, including High Barbaree (1947) with Van Johnson, The Sun Comes Up (1949) with Jeanette MacDonald, and Roughshod (1949) starring Robert Sterling, were mediocre at best.
Claude's next notable role was in Intruder in the Dust (1949) alongside David Brian and Juano Hernandez, but it was not enough to revitalize his career. By the early 1950s, MGM began loaning him out to Republic Studios for minor programmers, and the now-awkward teenager rapidly lost ground.
Disheartened, Claude returned to Nashville to complete high school and later attended Vanderbilt University, where he pursued a pre-law course. After his studies, he served three years in the Navy. Upon his return to Hollywood in 1959, he found no film work available, but did manage to secure guest appearances on a few TV shows. He eventually transitioned to behind-the-scenes work, making minor progress as a producer and film-festival executive director. Claude also served as the director of Cultural Affairs for the City of San Francisco.
