Claire Trevor facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Claire Trevor
Trevor in the 1930s
Born	Claire Wemlinger (1910-03-08)March 8, 1910 New York City, U.S.
Died	April 8, 2000(2000-04-08) (aged 90) Newport Beach, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1929–1987
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Clark Andrews ​ ​ (m. 1938; div. 1942)​ Cylos William Dunsmore ​ ​ (m. 1943; div. 1947)​ Milton H. Bren ​ ​ (m. 1948; died 1979)​
Children	1

Claire Trevor (born Claire Wemlinger; March 8, 1910 – April 8, 2000) was a famous American actress. She starred in 65 movies between 1933 and 1982. Claire Trevor won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the movie Key Largo (1948). She was also nominated for two other Academy Awards. She was even the top-billed star, ahead of John Wayne, in the classic Western film Stagecoach (1939).

Claire Trevor's Early Life

Claire Trevor was born on March 8, 1910, in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, New York City. She was the only child of Noel Wemlinger, a tailor, and Benjamina ("Betty"). Her father was French with German family roots, and her mother was from Ireland. Claire grew up in New York City and later in Larchmont, New York, starting in 1923. For many years, people thought she was born in 1909, which made her age seem a year older when she passed away.

Claire Trevor's Acting Career

Claire Trevor's acting journey lasted over 70 years. She found success in plays, radio shows, television, and movies. She often played strong, independent women, sometimes even "bad girl" roles.

Starting Out in Acting

After finishing high school, Claire studied art at Columbia University. She also spent time at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, learning how to act. Her first stage performance was in the summer of 1929 in Michigan. She then returned to New York, where she appeared in short films and summer plays. In 1932, she played the main female role in a Broadway play called Whistling in the Dark.

Becoming a Movie Star

Claire Trevor with Fred MacMurray in Borderline (1950).

Claire Trevor's first movie was Jimmy and Sally (1933). She got the role because the original actress couldn't do it. From 1933 to 1938, Claire starred in 29 films. She often played the main character or the hero's love interest.

In 1937, she was a co-star with Humphrey Bogart in Dead End. This role earned her a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She also worked with Edward G. Robinson on the popular radio show Big Town from 1937 to 1940. During the early 1940s, she was a regular on The Old Gold Don Ameche Show on the radio. By 1939, she was a well-known leading lady in Hollywood. One of her most famous early movies was the Western Stagecoach (1939).

Winning Awards and Later Roles

Claire Trevor in The High and the Mighty (1954). This role earned her an Academy Award nomination.

Claire Trevor had many memorable roles. She starred with Dick Powell in Murder, My Sweet (1944) and with Lawrence Tierney in Born to Kill (1947).

In 1948, she played Gaye Dawn in Key Largo. For this role, she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Her third and final Oscar nomination was for her performance in The High and the Mighty (1954). In 1957, she won an Emmy Award for her role in a TV show called "Dodsworth."

In the 1950s, Claire started taking more supporting roles. She appeared less often in movies after the mid-1960s. Her last movie role was as Charlotte in Kiss Me Goodbye (1982). Her final TV role was in the 1987 film Norman Rockwell's Breaking Home Ties. Claire Trevor even made a special appearance at the 70th Academy Awards in 1998.

Claire Trevor's Personal Life

Claire Trevor married Clark Andrews, a radio show director, in 1938. They divorced four years later. In 1943, she married Navy Lieutenant Cylos William Dunsmore. They had one son named Charles. Claire and Cylos divorced in 1947.

The next year, Claire married Milton H. Bren, a film producer. Milton had two sons from a previous marriage. Claire and Milton moved to Newport Beach, California.

In 1978, Claire's son, Charles, sadly died in a plane crash. The next year, her husband Milton passed away from a brain tumor. These losses were very hard for her. She moved back to Manhattan for a few years, living in an apartment and taking on some acting roles. She also had a busy social life. Eventually, she returned to California, where she lived for the rest of her life. She became a generous supporter of the arts.

Claire Trevor supported the Republican Party in the 1944 United States presidential election.

Claire Trevor passed away on April 8, 2000, in Newport Beach, California. She has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6933 Hollywood Boulevard. This star honors her important contributions to the movie industry.

Claire Trevor's Legacy

The Claire Trevor School of the Arts at the University of California, Irvine, is named in her honor. Her Oscar and Emmy awards are displayed there.

Filmography

Radio Appearances

See also

In Spanish: Claire Trevor para niños