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Claudette Colbert Biography

Birth Name:Emilie Claudette Chauchoin

Birth Place:Saint-Mandé, France

Profession Actress, Soundtrack

Fast Facts

Ranked No․ 12 on the American Film Institute's "100 Years․․․ 100 Stars" list for Female Legends
Sure she would not win the Oscar for her performance in "It Happened One Night", she refused to attend the ceremony and was boarding a train for a cross-country trip when studio executives learned of her win and pulled her off the train to attend
In order to pursue new business opportunities, she and her family moved to the United States in 1906
Initially got her start on Broadway after signing a five-year contract with producer Al Woods in 1925, but eventually moved on to Hollywood after growing upset for constantly being typecast as French-speaking ingenues
Gained widespread recognition after renegotiating her contract with Paramount in 1935 upon being named the highest-paid star in Hollywood of the 1930s
Credits her well-known legs to living in a fifth-floor walk-up in New York for more than 15 years
Only allowed shots to be taken of her left side, as she thought it was her best, and refused to be filmed on the right or straight on, often causing studio execs to rebuild movie sets to abide by her wishes

Awards

1929Photoplay Award-Best Performances of the Month (December): winner
1930Photoplay Award-Best Performances of the Month (July): winner
1930Photoplay Award-Best Performances of the Month (September): winner
1931Photoplay Award-Best Performances of the Month (July): winner
1931Photoplay Award-Best Performances of the Month (September): winner
1933Photoplay Award-Best Performances of the Month (February): winner
1933Photoplay Award-Best Performances of the Month (March): winner
1933Photoplay Award-Best Performances of the Month (July): winner
1934Photoplay Award-Best Performances of the Month (April): winner
1935Oscar-Best Actress in a Leading Role: winner
1935Photoplay Award-Best Performances of the Month (February): winner
1935Photoplay Award-Best Performances of the Month (June): winner
1936Oscar-Best Actress in a Leading Role: nominated
1936Photoplay Award-Best Performances of the Month (February): winner
1937Photoplay Award-Best Performances of the Month (August): winner
1937Photoplay Award-Best Performances of the Month (March): winner
1938Photoplay Award-Best Performances of the Month (February): winner
1938Photoplay Award-Best Performances of the Month (May): winner
1939Photoplay Award-Best Performances of the Month (July): winner
1939Photoplay Award-Best Performances of the Month (March): winner
1939Photoplay Award-Best Performances of the Month (May): winner
1940Photoplay Award-Best Performances of the Month (January): winner
1940Photoplay Award-Best Performances of the Month (December): winner
1942Photoplay Award-Best Performances of the Month (March): winner
1943Photoplay Award-Best Performances of the Month (September): winner
1944Photoplay Award-Best Performances of the Month (October): winner
1945Oscar-Best Actress in a Leading Role: nominated
1945Photoplay Award-Best Performances of the Month (March): winner
1946Photoplay Award-Best Performances of the Month (April): winner
1946Photoplay Award-Best Performances of the Month (July): winner
1947Photoplay Award-Best Performances of the Month (March): winner
1949Photoplay Award-Best Performances of the Month (March): winner
1950Photoplay Award-Best Performances of the Month (March): winner
1950Gold Medal-Most Popular Female Star: nominated
1951Golden Laurel-Top Female Dramatic Performance: winner
1987Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Special: nominated
1988Golden Globe-Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television: winner