Actor
Claudette Colbert
Born 13 September 1903 · Saint-Mandé, Val-de-Marne, France — died 30 July 1996
Claudette Colbert (1903–1996) was a French-born American actress who moved from Broadway to Hollywood as sound arrived. She excelled in sophisticated screwball comedies and also starred in dramas and historical epics. Her Oscar-winning turn in It Happened One Night made her one of the 1930s' biggest stars.
Key films
It Happened One Night (1934)
Frank Capra's landmark screwball comedy opposite Clark Gable; her signature role and Best Actress Oscar win.
Cleopatra (1934)
Cecil B. DeMille's lavish epic, in which she played the Egyptian queen and showed her range beyond comedy.
Midnight (1939)
Polished romantic comedy that shows her skill at sophisticated, witty farce.
The Palm Beach Story (1942)
Preston Sturges's celebrated screwball comedy, regarded as one of the best of her later-career films.
Since You Went Away (1944)
Wartime home-front drama in which she played the mother, a major hit of the period.
Key awards
- 1935 Academy Award for Best Actress, It Happened One Night
On Cinespective
Full filmography · 84
- 1927For the Love of Mike · as MaryActor
- 1929The Hole in the Wall · as Jean OliverActor
- 1929The Lady Lies · as Joyce RoamerActor
- 1930The Big Pond · as Barbara BillingsActor
- 1930The Lottery Bride · as JennyActor
- 1930Young Man of Manhattan · as Ann VaughnActor
- 1930Manslaughter · as Lydia ThorneActor
- 1930Mysterious Mr. Parkes · as Lucy StavrinActor
- 1931The Smiling Lieutenant · as FranziActor
- 1931Honor Among Lovers · as Julia TraynorActor
- 1931His Woman · as Sally ClarkActor
- 1931Secrets of a Secretary · as Helen BlakeActor
- 1931The House That Shadows Built · as (archive footage)Actor
- 1932The Sign of the Cross · as Empress PoppaeaActor
- 1932The Phantom President · as Felicia HammondActor
- 1932Make Me a Star · as Claudette Colbert (uncredited)Actor
- 1932The Man from Yesterday · as Sylvia SuffolkActor
- 1932The Wiser Sex · as Margaret HughesActor
- 1932The Misleading Lady · as Helen SteeleActor
- 1933I Cover the Waterfront · as Julie KirkActor
- 1933Torch Singer · as Sally Trent, aka Mimi BentonActor
- 1933Three Cornered Moon · as Elizabeth RimplegarActor
- 1933Tonight Is Ours · as Princess NadyaActor
- 1934It Happened One Night · as Ellie AndrewsActor
- 1934Cleopatra · as CleopatraActor
- 1934Imitation of Life · as Beatrice 'Bea' PullmanActor
- 1934Four Frightened People · as Judy JonesActor
- 1934Hollywood on Parade No. B-10 · as SelfActor
- 1935The Gilded Lily · as Marilyn DavidActor
- 1935Private Worlds · as Dr. Jane EverestActor
- 1935The Bride Comes Home · as Jeannette DesmereauActor
- 1935She Married Her Boss · as Julia ScottActor
- 1935The Fashion Side of Hollywood · as Self - Marilyn David (archive footage)Actor
- 1936Under Two Flags · as CigaretteActor
- 1937I Met Him in Paris · as Kay DenhamActor
- 1937Maid of Salem · as Barbara ClarkeActor
- 1937Tovarich · as Grand Duchess Tatiana Petrovna RomanovActor
- 1938Bluebeard's 8th Wife · as Nicole De LoiselleActor
- 1938Breakdowns of 1938 · as Tatiana (archive footage) (uncredited)Actor
- 1938Hollywood Goes to Town · as SelfActor
- 1939Drums Along the Mohawk · as Lana (Magdelana)Actor
- 1939Midnight · as Eve PeabodyActor
- 1939It's a Wonderful World · as Edwina CordayActor
- 1939Zaza · as ZazaActor
- 1940Boom Town · as Betsy BartlettActor
- 1940Arise, My Love · as Augusta NashActor
- 1940Hollywood: Style Center of the World · as SelfActor
- 1940Cavalcade of the Academy Awards · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 1941Remember the Day · as Nora TrinellActor
- 1941Skylark · as Lydia KenyonActor
- 1942The Palm Beach Story · as Geraldine 'Gerry' JeffersActor
- 1942Hedda Hopper’s Hollywood No. 6 · as SelfActor
- 1943So Proudly We Hail · as Lt. Janet 'Davy' DavidsonActor
- 1943No Time for Love · as Katherine GrantActor
- 1944Since You Went Away · as Anne HiltonActor
- 1944Practically Yours · as Peggy MartinActor
- 1945Guest Wife · as Mary PriceActor
- 1946Tomorrow Is Forever · as Elizabeth HamiltonActor
- 1946Without Reservations · as Kit MaddenActor
- 1946The Secret Heart · as Lee AddamsActor
- 1947The Egg and I · as Betty MacDonaldActor
- 1948Sleep, My Love · as Alison CourtlandActor
- 1948Family Honeymoon · as Katie Armstrong JordanActor
- 1949Bride for Sale · as Nora ShelleyActor
- 1950Three Came Home · as Agnes Newton KeithActor
- 1950The Secret Fury · as Ellen EwingActor
- 1951Thunder on the Hill · as Sister Mary BonaventureActor
- 1951Let's Make It Legal · as Miriam HalsworthActor
- 1952The Planter's Wife · as Liz FrazerActor
- 1953Royal Affairs in Versailles · as Mrs. de MontespanActor
- 1954Daughters of Destiny · as Elizabeth Whitefield (segment "Elisabeth")Actor
- 1955Texas Lady · as Prudence WebbActor
- 1956Blithe Spirit · as Ruth CondomineActor
- 1957The Comedian · as Self (intro)Actor
- 1957One Coat of White · as Betsy GreggActor
- 1961Parrish · as Ellen McLeanActor
- 1986Marilyn Monroe · as archive footageActor
- 1994That's Entertainment! III · as (archive footage) (uncredited)Actor
- 1995The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 1997The Silver Screen: Color Me Lavender · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 1999Frank Capra Jr. Remembers: 'It Happened One Night' · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2001Beyond Tara: The Extraordinary Life of Hattie McDaniel · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2003Complicated Women · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2022Azzedine Alaïa, un couturier français · as Self (archive footage)Actor
Filmography data from TMDB. The profile text is a draft written for Cinespective.