Emilie-Claudette Chauchoin was born on September 13, 1903, in Saint Mandé, France, where her father owned a bakery. The family moved to the United States when she was three years old. As she grew up, she dreamed of playing on Broadway audiences, a prestigious stage in those days. After her formal education ended, she enrolled in the Art Students League, supporting her dramatic training by working in a dress shop.
She made her Broadway debut in 1923 in the stage production of "The Wild Wescotts," adopting the name Claudette Colbert during this event. When the Great Depression shut down most theaters, Claudette decided to pursue a career in films. Her first film, "For the Love of Mike" (1927),was a box-office disaster. However, she starred in the successful films "The Lady Lies" (1929) and "The Hole in the Wall" (1929),and was paired with Fredric March in "Manslaughter" (1930) and "Honor Among Lovers" (1931).
In 1932, Claudette played the evil Poppeia in Cecil B. DeMille's "The Sign of the Cross" and was cast with March again. She also starred with Jimmy Durante in "The Phantom President" that year. Her name became synonymous with good movies, and she and March drew large crowds with their acclaimed film "Tonight Is Ours" (1933).
The next year, Claudette starred in "Four Frightened People" (1934),where she and her co-stars battled the bubonic plague on a ship. However, her performances in "Cleopatra" (1934) and "It Happened One Night" (1934) solidified her status as a Hollywood star. She won the Oscar for Best Actress for her role in "It Happened One Night" and was nominated again for her performances in "Private Worlds" (1935) and "Since You Went Away" (1944).
Claudette continued to appear in films throughout the 1940s and 1950s, including "The Gilded Lily" (1935),"Drums Along the Mohawk" (1939),and "No Time for Love" (1943). She also appeared on television, but her drawing power began to fade as new stars emerged. Her final film performance was in "Parrish" (1961),and she made her final television appearance in "The Two Mrs. Grenvilles" (1987).
After a series of strokes, Claudette divided her time between New York and Barbados, where she passed away on July 30, 1996, at the age of 92.
