Claire McDowell
Acting
Biography
Claire McDowell (2 November 1877 – 23 October 1966) was an American actress. She appeared in 360 films between 1908 and 1945. Still somewhat of a youthful beauty when she started in early silent films, McDowell appeared in numerous films, eventually graduating to playing character and mother types. She can be seen to good advantage in Douglas Fairbanks's 1920 The Mark of Zorro. McDowell appeared in two of the biggest films of the silent era, The Big Parade (1925) and Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ (1925), both in which she played mothers. She was married to silent screen character actor Charles Hill Mailes from 1906 to his 1937 death. The couple appeared in numerous silent films together, including The Mark of Zorro. They had two sons, Robert Mailes and Eugene Mailes. Claire McDowell died, aged 88, in Hollywood, California. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Born: October 31, 1877
Place of Birth: New York City, New York, USA
Known For
The Right to Be Happy
Considered to be lost.
Almost Human
John Livingston is a rich mama's-boy, who owns a blooded dog named Paul. Paul meets Maggie Mutt, and Paul, being a pedigree canine and somewhat of a cad, lures trusting Maggie to the barn to have his way. He then departs for his palatial doghouse at the Livingston estate. Meanwhile Maggie is broken-hearted and also finds that she is in a "family way", and gives birth to a pup she names Hank. Maggie tells Hank to find his "human ", and departs the scene. Hank goes to the park, meets a "human" named Mary Kelly, who is a homeless waif and sweetheart of poverty, and the two adopt each other. Later on in the park Paul comes strolling along with his 'human', John. A child falls into the lake and Paul and Hank team up to save her.
It Happened One Night
A runaway heiress makes a deal with the rogue reporter trailing her but the mismatched pair end up stuck with each other when their bus leaves them behind.
The Big Parade
The story of an idle rich boy who joins the US Army's Rainbow Division and is sent to France to fight in World War I, becomes friends with two working class men, experiences the horrors of trench warfare, and finds love with a French girl.
Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ
Erstwhile childhood friends, Judah Ben-Hur and Messala meet again as adults, this time with Roman officer Messala as conqueror and Judah as a wealthy, though conquered, Israelite. A slip of a brick during a Roman parade causes Judah to be sent off as a galley slave, his property confiscated and his mother and sister imprisoned. Years later, as a result of his determination to stay alive and his willingness to aid his Roman master, Judah returns to his homeland an exalted and wealthy Roman athlete. Unable to find his mother and sister, and believing them dead, he can think of nothing else than revenge against Messala.
Three Comrades
A love story centered on the lives of three young German soldiers in the years following World War I. Their close friendship is strengthened by their shared love for the same woman who is dying of tuberculosis.
This Land Is Mine
Somewhere in Europe, in a city occupied by the Nazis, a gentle school teacher finds himself torn between collaboration and resistance, cowardice and courage.
The Mark of Zorro
Don Diego Vega pretends to be an indolent fop as a cover for his true identity, the masked avenger Zorro. Preserved by the Academy Film Archive in 2012.
The Devil's Circus
In 1913, Carl is released from prison, where he served a sentence for stealing. Spurned by his circumstance, Carl rejects God and resumes his fast life of crime. Before long, his fate intersects with that of Mary, a devout orphan, prompting a romance and a reevaluation.
The Show Off
A blowhard who poses as a railroad executive (but is really just a $30-a-week clerk) catches a young bride and then drives her family's finances to the brink of ruin.
Filmography
as Self
as Woman in Library (uncredited)
as Dr. Standish's Servant (uncredited)
as Mother Goodwin
as Subway Passenger (uncredited)
as Woman in Bathroom
as Dowager
as Counterwoman (uncredited)
as Mrs. Tuckerman
as Gossip (uncredited)
as Nurse for Mr. Winslow (uncredited)
as Pedestrian (uncredited)
as Minor Role (uncredited)
as Woman at Station
as Gossiper
as Nurse (uncredited)
as Jane Todd Crawford (uncredited)
as Jack of Diamonds Woman
as Mother (uncredited)
as Crying Mother
as Woman
as Nun (uncredited)
as Napoleon's Mother (uncredited)
as Mrs. Fletcher (uncredited)
as Landlady Frau Zalewski (uncredited)
as Funeral Home Associate (uncredited)
as Movie Patron (uncredited)
as Miss Herrick - Molly's Aunt
as Artistocratic Dowager (uncredited)
as Woman in Bed (uncredited)
as Alma Washburne
as Mrs. Houghland
as Teacher Outside Classroom (uncredited)
as Mrs. Helen Gorman
as Woman Saying 'Lenin will Live' (uncredited)
as Miss Bryerly (uncredited)
as Sister at Hospital (uncredited)
as Mother on Bus (uncredited)
as Nurse
as Mrs. Smith
as Mrs. Mary Carroll
as Benjamin's Secretary
as Mrs. Blaine
as Gilmurry's Secretary (uncredited)
as Struthers' Secretary (uncredited)
as Ma Nolan
as Jane's Aunt
as Ann Marie's Caregiver Mrs. Schiller (uncredited)
as Brooks' Landlady (uncredited)
as Little Boy's Mother (uncredited)
as Seamstress (uncredited)
as Nancy - the Maid
as Mrs. Samuel Griffiths
as Mary's Mother
as Bess Naughton
as Mrs. Laura Grayson
as Mrs. Marlowe
as Mrs. Spencer
as Aunt Hattie
as Anna Pavlovna
as Mrs. Abbott
as Mrs. Calhoun
as Mrs. Hastings (uncredited)
as Martha Shelby
as Mother
as Lady Editha (as Claire MacDowell)
as Woman
as Mother
as Mrs. Livingston
as Mrs. MacDowell
as Ma Jones
as Martha Foster
as Aunt Mary
as Mrs. Tim Eagan
as Aunt Louise
as Mrs. McTavish
as Mom Fisher
as John Phillips' sister
as Molly O'Shea
as Josephine Fippany
as Mrs. Peterson
as Princess of Hur
as Liza Slater
as Mrs. Apperson
as Katrina
as Mrs. Joyce
as Mrs. Joyce
as Mrs. Rollins
as Elizabeth Channing
as Juan's Mother
as Mrs. Heath
as Agnes Trevor
as Godfrey sister
as Mrs. Hope
as Margot's Aunt
as Martha
as Mrs. Brown
as Nancy Harding
as Mrs. Bill Buckley
as Mrs. Putnam
as May Caroline
as Margaret Rainsford
as Sylvia Moreton
as Mrs. Schofield
as Countess de Mourney
as Liz Trott
as Mrs. Dominick
as Comtesse de la Brière
as Mrs. Osborne
as Her Mother
as Dona Catalina Pulido
as Housekeeper
as Lize Merdin
as Mrs. Virginia All
as Lalia Graun
as Elizabeth Monnier
as Mrs. Potts
as Mrs. James B. Moreland
as Mary Lynch
as Martha Hawn
as Mrs. Walters
as Miss Grayson
as Nina
as Mrs. John Denby Sr.
as Grace Dardley
as Annette
as Vera Vincent
as A-Che-Chee
as Indore / Agatha
as Daisy
as Mrs. Cratchit
as Nita Valyez
as Olga
as The Widowed Mother
as Claire
as Mrs. Stephen Rodman
as The Mother
as The Sister-in-Law
as Ida Glynn, The Nurse
as The Switchman's Wife
as A Parent
as The Doctor's Wife
as The Female Lover
as The Wife
as The Lady
as The Thief's Wife - the Charity Patient
as Stephen's Belle - In Prologue
as The Main Gossip
as The Sailor's Third Sweetheart
as The Elder Daughter
as Rich Woman in Other Town
as The Mother
as Cave Woman
as The Street Fakir's Sweetheart
as Lena's Mother
as Mexican Jim's Wife
as At Audition
as The Miner's Wife
as The Italian Shoemaker's Wife
as The Spinster
as Artist's fiancee
as The Friend
as Billy's Mother
as The Mother
as The Workman
as The Doctor's Wife
as Ned's Wife
as Rich Woman
as Silver Fawn
as Irene Lambert
as The Half-Wit's Mother
as The Woman
as Lunchroom Hostess
as At Fair
as The Old Carpenter's Wife
as At Hotel/At Wedding
as Mrs. Frazier
as Col. Frazier's wife
as Lady-in-Waiting
as The Chief of Police's Wife
as Rebel
as One of the Sisters Frost
as Housemaid
as Despairing Mother / One of the Third Debtors
as At First Party
as Party Guest
as Mrs. John Holland