Skip to content

Claudette Colbert

Claudette Colbert

26 movies on Netflix

Biography

Claudette Colbert was a French-American actress who began on Broadway in the late 1920s before moving into talking pictures, initially with Paramount Pictures and later as a freelancer. Born in Saint-Mandé, France, and raised in Manhattan, she became a popular star in the 1930s and 1940s, known for light comedy and emotional drama. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress for It Happened One Night (1934) and earned nominations for Private Worlds and Since You Went Away (1944). Her other films included The Smiling Lieutenant (1931), The Sign of the Cross (1932), Cleopatra (1934), Imitation of Life (1934), Midnight (1939), Drums Along the Mohawk (1939), The Palm Beach Story (1942), and The Egg and I (1947). In the mid-1950s she turned to television and stage work, earning a Tony nomination for The Marriage-Go-Round in 1959 and a Golden Globe plus an Emmy nomination for The Two Mrs. Grenvilles (1987).

92years old at death

Born September 13, 1903Saint-Mandé
Died July 30, 1996Speightstown
Star sign: VirgoThe sign runs August 23 to September 22
Émilie Chauchoin (birth name)Also credited as Lily Chauchoin

Movie Career

Films: 26
Career span: 63 years1931 to 1994

Genres

Romance73%, 19 films
Drama58%, 15 films
Comedy50%, 13 films
History12%, 3 films
Mystery12%, 3 films

First and latest

Photos

Share

Did you know?!

First role
Colbert made her stage debut at 17 in 1921 at the Provincetown Playhouse in revivals of The Widow's Veil and Aria da Capo, after her speech teacher encouraged her to audition.
A role that slipped away
Colbert was replaced by Frieda Inescort in Frederick Lonsdale's The Fake before it opened, after Leslie Howard had contacted producer Al Woods to cast her.

Claudette Colbert movies on Netflix

That's Entertainment! III1994IMDb rating 7.5
Royal Affairs in Versailles1954IMDb rating 6.8as Mrs. de Montespan
Let's Make It Legal1951IMDb rating 6.1as Miriam Halsworth
Thunder on the Hill1951IMDb rating 6.8as Sister Mary Bonaventure
Three Came Home1950IMDb rating 7.3as Agnes Newton Keith
Sleep, My Love1948IMDb rating 6.8as Alison Courtland
The Egg and I1947IMDb rating 6.9as Betty MacDonald
Tomorrow Is Forever1946IMDb rating 7.3as Elizabeth Hamilton
Without Reservations1946IMDb rating 6.4as Kit Madden
Since You Went Away1944IMDb rating 7.5as Anne Hilton
No Time for Love1943IMDb rating 6.7as Katherine Grant
So Proudly We Hail1943IMDb rating 7.4as Lt. Janet 'Davy' Davidson
The Palm Beach Story1942IMDb rating 7.4as Gerry Jeffers
Arise, My Love1940IMDb rating 6.8as Augusta Nash
Boom Town1940IMDb rating 7.0as Betsy Bartlett
Drums Along the Mohawk1939IMDb rating 7.0as Lana (Magdelana)
It's a Wonderful World1939IMDb rating 6.8as Edwina Corday
Midnight1939IMDb rating 7.8as Eve Peabody
Bluebeard's Eighth Wife1938IMDb rating 7.1as Nicole De Loiselle
The Gilded Lily1935IMDb rating 6.7as Marilyn David
Cleopatra1934IMDb rating 6.8as Cleopatra
Imitation of Life1934IMDb rating 7.5as Beatrice 'Bea' Pullman
It Happened One Night1934IMDb rating 8.1as Ellie
The Sign of the Cross1932IMDb rating 6.8as Empress Poppaea
Honor Among Lovers1931IMDb rating 6.4as Julia Traynor
The Smiling Lieutenant1931IMDb rating 7.1as Franzi

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

It Happened One Night1934 Comedy, Romanceas Ellie
IMDb rating 8.1121K votes
The Palm Beach Story1942 Comedy, Romanceas Gerry Jeffers
IMDb rating 7.414K votes
Drums Along the Mohawk1939as Lana (Magdelana)
IMDb rating 7.07.5K votes
Since You Went Away1944as Anne Hilton
IMDb rating 7.55.6K votes
Midnight1939as Eve Peabody
IMDb rating 7.86.5K votes
Imitation of Life1934as Beatrice 'Bea' Pullman
IMDb rating 7.56.3K votes
Bluebeard's Eighth Wife1938as Nicole De Loiselle
IMDb rating 7.15.3K votes
Cleopatra1934as Cleopatra
IMDb rating 6.85.2K votes

Most often with

Mitchell Leisen directed three of these films, Ernst Lubitsch two and Cecil B. DeMille two. Two actors appear in three of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

Fred MacMurray

Eugene Borden

Ray Milland

Clark Gable

Alan HaleMitchell LeisenDirector, 3 films

Ernst LubitschDirector, 2 films

Cecil B. DeMilleDirector, 2 films

Films together

Fred MacMurray3 films together, 1935 to 1947
Fred MacMurray's page
- The Egg and I1947IMDb rating 6.9Colbert as Betty MacDonaldMacMurray as Bob MacDonald
- No Time for Love1943IMDb rating 6.7Colbert as Katherine GrantMacMurray as Jim Ryan
- The Gilded Lily1935IMDb rating 6.7Colbert as Marilyn DavidMacMurray as Peter Dawes
Eugene Borden3 films together, 1938 to 1940
Eugene Borden's page
- Arise, My Love1940IMDb rating 6.8Colbert as Augusta NashBorden as Waiter at Maxim's
- Midnight1939IMDb rating 7.8Colbert as Eve PeabodyBorden as Porter
- Bluebeard's Eighth Wife1938IMDb rating 7.1Colbert as Nicole De LoiselleBorden as Waiter on Stairs
Ward Bond2 films together, 1934 to 1939
Ward Bond's page
- Drums Along the Mohawk1939IMDb rating 7.0Colbert as Lana (Magdelana)Bond as Adam Hartman
- It Happened One Night1934IMDb rating 8.1Colbert as EllieBond as Bus Driver
Ray Milland2 films together, 1935 to 1940
Ray Milland's page
- Arise, My Love1940IMDb rating 6.8Colbert as Augusta NashMilland as Tom Martin
- The Gilded Lily1935IMDb rating 6.7Colbert as Marilyn DavidMilland as Charles Gray (Lord Granton)
Clark Gable2 films together, 1934 to 1940
Clark Gable's page
- Boom Town1940IMDb rating 7.0Colbert as Betsy BartlettGable as Big John McMasters
- It Happened One Night1934IMDb rating 8.1Colbert as EllieGable as Peter
Alan Hale2 films together, 1934
Alan Hale's page
- Imitation of Life1934IMDb rating 7.5Colbert as Beatrice 'Bea' PullmanHale as Martin the Furniture Man
- It Happened One Night1934IMDb rating 8.1Colbert as EllieHale as Danker
Mitchell LeisenDirector, 3 films, 1939 to 1943
All films by Mitchell Leisen
- No Time for Love1943IMDb rating 6.7Colbert as Katherine Grant
- Arise, My Love1940IMDb rating 6.8Colbert as Augusta Nash
- Midnight1939IMDb rating 7.8Colbert as Eve Peabody
Ernst LubitschDirector, 2 films, 1931 to 1938
All films by Ernst Lubitsch
- Bluebeard's Eighth Wife1938IMDb rating 7.1Colbert as Nicole De Loiselle
- The Smiling Lieutenant1931IMDb rating 7.1Colbert as Franzi
Cecil B. DeMilleDirector, 2 films, 1932 to 1934
All films by Cecil B. DeMille
- Cleopatra1934IMDb rating 6.8Colbert as Cleopatra
- The Sign of the Cross1932IMDb rating 6.8Colbert as Empress Poppaea
Also two films together26 more actors
- C. Aubrey SmithThe Gilded Lily (1935) and Cleopatra (1934)
- Frank PugliaWithout Reservations (1946) and Arise, My Love (1940)
- Raymond BurrSleep, My Love (1948) and Without Reservations (1946)
- Fredric MarchThe Sign of the Cross (1932) and Honor Among Lovers (1931)
- Mary AstorThe Palm Beach Story (1942) and Midnight (1939)
- Elizabeth PattersonBluebeard's Eighth Wife (1938) and The Smiling Lieutenant (1931)
- Franklin PangbornThe Palm Beach Story (1942) and Bluebeard's Eighth Wife (1938)
- Arthur HohlCleopatra (1934) and The Sign of the Cross (1932)
- Don AmecheSleep, My Love (1948) and Midnight (1939)
- Esther DaleThe Egg and I (1947) and Arise, My Love (1940)
- Nat PendletonIt's a Wonderful World (1939) and The Sign of the Cross (1932)
- Ian KeithCleopatra (1934) and The Sign of the Cross (1932)
- Charles RugglesHonor Among Lovers (1931) and The Smiling Lieutenant (1931)
- Harry C. BradleyIt Happened One Night (1934) and The Smiling Lieutenant (1931)
- Walter AbelSo Proudly We Hail (1943) and Arise, My Love (1940)
- Warren HymerBluebeard's Eighth Wife (1938) and The Gilded Lily (1935)
- Charles C. WilsonThe Gilded Lily (1935) and It Happened One Night (1934)
- Ralph MorganSleep, My Love (1948) and Honor Among Lovers (1931)
- Warren WilliamCleopatra (1934) and Imitation of Life (1934)
- Arthur HoytThe Palm Beach Story (1942) and It Happened One Night (1934)
- Granville BatesHonor Among Lovers (1931) and The Smiling Lieutenant (1931)
- Harry BeresfordCleopatra (1934) and The Sign of the Cross (1932)
- Richard LongThe Egg and I (1947) and Tomorrow Is Forever (1946)
- Ferdinand GottschalkCleopatra (1934) and The Sign of the Cross (1932)
- Monty WoolleySince You Went Away (1944) and Midnight (1939)
- Victor PotelThe Egg and I (1947) and The Palm Beach Story (1942)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Box office

What Claudette Colbert's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

Combined worldwide box office

$15.8 million

5 of the 26 films have a worldwide figure.

5Worldwide figure
2US gross only
19Figure not found

Top grosser

Boom Town1940Betsy Bartlett$5.0 million

Highest grossing

The five biggest films earned 100% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.

1
Boom Town1940as Betsy Bartlett
$5.0M31.7% of the total
2
It Happened One Night1934as Ellie
$4.5M28.5% of the total
3
Tomorrow Is Forever1946as Elizabeth Hamilton
$3.2M20.6% of the total
4
The Sign of the Cross1932as Empress Poppaea
$2.7M17.4% of the total
5
That's Entertainment! III1994
$280K1.8% of the total

Awards

Six awards and honors from 1935 to 1990, two of them major.

Claudette Colbert's awards and nominations, grouped by award
Year	Award	Film	Result
Academy Awards
1935	Best Actress	It Happened One Night	Won
Golden Globes
1988	Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film	The Two Mrs. Grenvilles	Won
Other honors
1990	Donostia Award		Won
	Ellis Island Medal of Honor		Won
	Kennedy Center Honors		Won
	Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame		Honored

Online

Official profiles and reference pages.