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Claire Adams

Known For
Acting

Known Credits
49

Gender
Female

Birthday
September 24, 1898 (127 years old)

Place of Birth
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Claire Adams

Biography

From Wikipedia

Claire Adams (September 24, 1898 – September 25, 1978) was a Canadian silent film actress and benefactor. She was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, as the daughter of Stanley Wells Adams, a Welsh-born accountant, and his Canadian wife, Lillian Adams (née Kennedy). Educated in Canada and England, Claire Adams worked briefly as a nurse with the Red Cross during World War I.

In 1920 Adams signed a five-year contract with Benjamin Bowles Hampton, a Hollywood producer and her future husband. She later moved to California where she acted in more than forty silent films, including melodramas, comedies and westerns.

Described as "patricianly beautiful", Adams worked with many of Hollywood's leading actors, including Adolphe Menjou, Tom Mix, Wallace Beery, and Lon Chaney. In 1923 she was Rin Tin Tin's leading lady in Where the North Begins, which was a huge success and is often credited with saving Warner Bros. from bankruptcy. She later maintained that Rin Tin Tin was her "favourite leading man".

Her best known film was The Big Parade, the second largest grossing silent film in cinematic history. It was directed by King Vidor and Adams starred alongside John Gilbert. Perhaps her most memorable role came in 1920 as Barbara, the artist who helps humanize the crippled crime boss played by Lon Chaney in The Penalty.

She married film producer Benjamin B. Hampton in Hollywood on September 18, 1924. They had no children. He died in 1932 leaving her very wealthy. Later that year Adams met Scobie Mackinnon, the second son of L.K.S. Mackinnon, at a party in London and three weeks later they married on April 1 in Mayfair. They remained childless. After a protracted honeymoon, in March 1938, Mackinnon brought Adams to Victoria, Australia.

On his death in 1974, Scobie Mackinnon's estate was worth A$2,111, 729, which was left entirely to Adams. She died on September 25, 1978, in Windsor, Victoria and was cremated.

Known For

Acting

2009Five Starsas
1934What a Mother-in-Law!as Frances
1927Married Aliveas Viola Helmesley Duxbury
1926The Sea Wolfas Maud Brewster
1926Yellow Fingersas Nona Deering
1925The Big Paradeas Justyn Reed
1925The Kiss Barrieras Marion Weston
1925Men and Womenas Agnes Prescott
1925The Devil's Cargoas Martha Joyce
1925Souls for Sablesas Helen Ralston
1924The Brass Bowlas Sylvia
1924The Fast Setas Fay Collen
1924The Painted Flapperas Eunice Whitney
1924Oh, You Tony!as Betty Faine
1924Honor Among Menas Patricia Carson
1924The Girl in the Limousineas The Girl
1924The Night Hawkas Clia Milton
1924Daddiesas Bobette Audrey
1923The Clean Upas Phyllis Andrews
1923Legally Deadas Minnie O'Reilly
1923Where the North Beginsas Felice McTavish
1923Stepping Fastas Helen Durant
1923Brass Commandmentsas Ellen Bosworth
1923The Scarlet Caras Beatrice Forbes
1922Do and Dareas Juanita Sánchez
1922Just Tonyas Marianne Jordan
1922Heart's Havenas Vivian Breed
1922Golden Dreamsas Mercedes McDonald
1922When Romance Ridesas Lucy Bostil
1921The Mysterious Rideras Columbine
1921The Man Of The Forestas Helen Raynor
1921A Certain Rich Manas Molly Culpepper
1921The Lure of Egyptas Margaret Lampton
1921The Killeras Ruth Emory
1920The Great Loveras Ethel
1920The Money Changersas Lucy Hegan
1920The Dwelling Place of Lightas Janet Butler
1920The Penaltyas Barbara Ferris
1920Riders of the Dawnas Lenore Anderson
1920The Key to Poweras
1919The Invisible Bondas Leila Templeton
1919A Misfit Earlas Phyllis Burton
1919Speedy Meadeas Alice Hall
1919The End of the Roadas Mary Lee
1918Romance and Brass Tacksas
1917Your Obedient Servantas
1917Barnaby Leeas Dorothy Van Swringen
1917Chris and His Wonderful Lampas Betty
1912Revenge Is Sweetas One of the Office Girls

Production