Claire Windsor (born Clara Viola Cronk; April 14, 1892 – October 24, 1972) was an American film actress of the silent screen era.

Early life

Windsor was born Clara Viola Cronk (nicknamed "Ola") in 1892 in Marvin, Phillips County, Kansas to parents of Scandinavian descent, George Edwin Cronk and Ella Rose Fearing (later called "Rosella"), who married on October 21, 1885 in

Davenport, Iowa Davenport is a city in and the county seat of Scott County, Iowa, United States. Located along the Mississippi River on the eastern border of the state, it is the largest of the Quad Cities, a metropolitan area with a population of 384,324 and a ...

. Their first child, a son, died shortly after birth. Her parents later moved to Cawker City, Kansas when she was two years old. At some point, Claire's sister, Nellie, was born. Claire attended Washburn Preparatory Academy in

Topeka Topeka ( ; Kansa: ; iow, Dópikˀe, script=Latn or ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Kansas and the seat of Shawnee County. It is along the Kansas River in the central part of Shawnee County, in northeast Kansas, in the Central Uni ...

from 1906-07. After a year at Broadway High School, Seattle, Washington, she returned as a student in the

Fine Arts In European academic traditions, fine art is developed primarily for aesthetics or creative expression, distinguishing it from decorative art or applied art, which also has to serve some practical function, such as pottery or most metalwork ...

Department at

Washburn College Washburn University (WU) is a public university in Topeka, Kansas, United States. It offers undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as professional programs in law and business. Washburn has 550 faculty members, who teach more than 6,100 ...

. Intent on further refining her daughters' education and position in society, Rosella and her daughters returned to Seattle in the fall of 1910. On July 14, 1913, Claire ("Ola") was chosen for the role of

Empress An emperor (from la, imperator, via fro, empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereignty, sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), ...

during the lavish

musical production A record producer is a recording project's creative and technical leader, commanding studio time and coaching artists, and in popular genres typically creates the song's very sound and structure. Virgil Moorefield"Introduction" ''The Producer as ...

of ''Jappyland''. While living in Seattle, Ola met David Willis Bowes and the intense relationship continued by correspondence after Mr. Bowes' return to Denver. Soon a June wedding was planned, but en route back to Kansas, Ola and Bowes wed secretly on May 13, 1914, in

Denver, Colorado Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...

. The union resulted in the birth of a son, David Willis Bowes Jr., on September 9, 1916, but the couple soon went their separate ways. Bowes officially filed for divorce on September 14, 1920. Ola moved to

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

to be reunited with her parents who had recently retired. Seeking a way to support herself and baby son, Ola took the advice of a friend and quickly found employment at the

movie studios A film studio (also known as movie studio or simply studio) is a major entertainment company or motion picture company that has its own privately owned studio facility or facilities that are used to make films, which is handled by the production ...

. Initially receiving only

bit part In acting, a bit part is a role in which there is direct interaction with the principal actors and no more than five lines of dialogue, often referred to as a five-or-less or under-five in the United States, or under sixes in British television, ...

s, she was soon spotted by

Lois Weber Florence Lois Weber (June 13, 1879 – November 13, 1939) was an American silent film actress, screenwriter, producer and director. She is identified in some historical references as among "the most important and prolific film directors in the e ...

, a highly regarded and influential director and producer of silent films for

Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film and television production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the main namesake division of Paramount Global (formerly ViacomCBS). It is the fifth-oldes ...

. Weber immediately signed Windsor to a contract."Silent Era People"
accessed September 2, 2021.

Career climb

Claire Windsor's film debut was in the 1920 release of

's '' To Please One Woman'' which was only a modest success. To promote the nascent starlet, Paramount Pictures often paired Windsor with the newly divorced actor

Charlie Chaplin Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin Jr. (16 April 188925 December 1977) was an English comic actor, filmmaker, and composer who rose to fame in the era of silent film. He became a worldwide icon through his screen persona, the Tramp, and is consider ...

in publicity photographs, leading the

tabloid press Tabloid journalism is a popular style of largely sensationalism, sensationalist journalism (usually dramatized and sometimes unverifiable or even Fake news, blatantly false), which takes its name from the Tabloid (newspaper format), tabloid ne ...

to give mention to the young actress in print. In 1921, Windsor costarred with

Louis Calhern Carl Henry Vogt (February 19, 1895 – May 12, 1956), known professionally as Louis Calhern, was an American stage and screen actor. Well known to film noir fans for his role as the pivotal villain in 1950's '' The Asphalt Jungle'', he was ...

in Weber's ''

The Blot ''The Blot'' is a 1921 American silent drama film directed by Lois Weber, who also co-wrote (with Marion Orth) and produced the film (with her then-husband, Phillips Smalley). The film tackles the social problem of genteel poverty, focusing on ...

'' (1921). The publicity paid off; in 1922 the newly formed Western Association of Motion Picture Advertisers (WAMPAS) began their annual

WAMPAS Baby Stars The WAMPAS Baby Stars was a promotional campaign sponsored by the United States Western Association of Motion Picture Advertisers, which honored 13 (15 in 1932) young actresses each year whom they believed to be on the threshold of movie stardom. ...

awards and she was named, along with

Bessie Love Bessie Love (born Juanita Horton; September 10, 1898April 26, 1986) was an American-British actress who achieved prominence playing innocent, young girls and wholesome leading ladies in silent and early sound films. Her acting career spanned e ...

Lila Lee Lila Lee (born Augusta Wilhelmena Fredericka Appel; July 25, 1905 – November 13, 1973) was a prominent screen actress, primarily a leading lady, of the silent film and early sound film eras. Early life The daughter of Augusta Fredericka Appe ...

Mary Philbin Mary Loretta Philbin (July 16, 1902 – May 7, 1993) was an American film actress of the silent film era, who is best known for playing the roles of Christine Daaé in the 1925 film ''The Phantom of the Opera '' opposite Lon Chaney, and as Dea in ...

and

Colleen Moore Colleen Moore (born Kathleen Morrison; August 19, 1899 – January 25, 1988) was an American film actress who began her career during the silent film era. Moore became one of the most fashionable (and highly-paid) stars of the era and helped po ...

, as the year's most promising starlets. That same year Claire signed a contract with

Goldwyn Pictures Corporation Goldwyn Pictures Corporation was an American motion picture production company that operated from 1916 to 1924 when it was merged with two other production companies to form the major studio, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It was founded on November 19, 1 ...

. She would appear in '' Broken Chains'' with fellow WAMPAS Baby Star Colleen Moore. In 1923, the former Ola Cronk officially began using the more matinee-friendly ''Claire Windsor'' as a moniker. Throughout the 1920s, Windsor established herself as highly regarded

leading lady A leading actor, leading actress, or simply lead (), plays the role of the protagonist of a film, television show or play. The word ''lead'' may also refer to the largest role in the piece, and ''leading actor'' may refer to a person who typica ...

in film. As her career progressed, she was often

typecast In film, television, and theatre, typecasting is the process by which a particular actor becomes strongly identified with a specific character, one or more particular roles, or characters having the same traits or coming from the same social or ...

as the "upscale

society girl An "it girl" is an attractive young woman, who is perceived to have both sex appeal and a personality that is especially engaging. The expression ''it girl'' originated in British upper-class society around the turn of the 20th century. ...

", often playing the part of a princess, or monied

socialite A socialite is a person from a wealthy and (possibly) aristocratic background, who is prominent in high society. A socialite generally spends a significant amount of time attending various fashionable social gatherings, instead of having traditio ...

. Critics lauded her elegant fashion sense, and Windsor became a noted trend-setter of 1920s fashion. Claire Windsor by Clarence Sinclair Bull

In 1924, Windsor was one of the top stars at the newly formed

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by amazon (company), Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded o ...

studio. Later, at

Tiffany Pictures Tiffany Pictures, which also became Tiffany-Stahl Productions for a time, was a Hollywood motion picture studio in operation from 1921 until 1932. It is considered a Poverty Row studio, whose films had lower budgets, lesser-known stars, and overal ...

, ''Souls for Sables'' (1925), co-starring Eugene O'Brien, was a box-office hit for Windsor.

Personal life and sound films

Windsor was frequently romantically linked to her leading male co-stars. She reportedly had a well-publicized affair with actor

Charles "Buddy" Rogers Charles Edward "Buddy" Rogers (August 13, 1904 – April 21, 1999) was an American film actor and musician. During the peak of his popularity in the late 1920s and early 1930s he was publicized as "America's Boyfriend". Life and career Early ...

, and in 1925 married

matinée idol Matinée idol is a term used mainly to describe film or theatre stars who are adored to the point of adulation by their fans. The term almost exclusively refers to adult male actors. Matinée idols often tend to play romantic and dramatic lead ...

Bert Lytell Bertram Lytell (February 24, 1885 – September 28, 1954) was an American actor in theater and film during the silent film era and early talkies. He starred in romantic, melodrama, and adventure films. Background Born in New York City, Lyt ...

. The couple divorced in 1927, however. Windsor never remarried, but a few notable love affairs with men caused minor scandals in the press, including once being sued by the young wife of a Boston broker in an "

Alienation of Affection Alienation of affections is a common law tort, abolished in many jurisdictions. Where it still exists, an action is brought by a spouse against a third party alleged to be responsible for damaging the marriage, most often resulting in divorce. The ...

" lawsuit, in which the broker's wife contended that Windsor had "stolen her husband".''Claire Windsor: One Fan's Fond Remembrance'' by Al Bohrer. ''Classic Images''.
By the late 1920s, Claire (like so many of her acting peers) found it difficult to move into

talkies A sound film is a motion picture with synchronized sound, or sound technologically coupled to image, as opposed to a silent film. The first known public exhibition of projected sound films took place in Paris in 1900, but decades passed before ...

. She made several talkies throughout the 1930s but could never recapture the success of her earlier years as a silent screen actress. She had a brief stint on a road tour with

Al Jolson Al Jolson (born Eizer Yoelson; June 9, 1886 – October 23, 1950) was a Lithuanian-American Jews, Jewish singer, comedian, actor, and vaudevillian. He was one of the United States' most famous and highest-paid stars of the 1920s, and was self-bi ...

in the production of ''The Wonder Bar'' and occasionally took stage parts. In her later years, Windsor devoted herself to painting. On April 12, 1943, she legally changed her name to Claire Windsor, and her son took the name of William Willis Windsor.

Death

Claire Windsor died of a heart attack on October 24, 1972, at the age of 80 at Good Samaritan Hospital, Los Angeles, California. (Windsor's age at death was reported as 74 in Sidney D. Kirkpatrick's 1986 book ''Cast of Killers''.) She was buried at Glendale's Forest Lawn Memorial Park cemetery. For her contribution to the motion picture industry, Claire Windsor was given a star on the

Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a historic landmark which consists of more than 2,700 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, Californ ...

at 7021 Hollywood Blvd. in Hollywood, California on February 8, 1960.

Filmography

*''

Eyes of Youth ''Eyes of Youth'' is a 1919 American silent drama film directed by Albert Parker and starring Clara Kimball Young. The film was based on the stage play ''Eyes of Youth'', performed on Broadway in 1917-18 and starred Marjorie Rambeau. This fil ...

'' (1919) *''

In the Heart of a Fool ''In the Heart of a Fool'' is a 1920 American silent drama film directed by Allan Dwan. It is based on a novel by William Allen White. Plot As described in a film magazine, in a small town lives Dr. Harvey Nesbit (Burton), who knows of the scan ...

'' (1920) *'' To Please One Woman'' (1920) *''

What's Worth While? ''What's Worth While?'' is a 1921 American silent drama film written and directed by Lois Weber and starring Claire Windsor, Arthur Stuart Hull, Mona Lisa, Louis Calhern, and Edwin Stevens. The film was released on February 27, 1921, by Paramo ...

'' (1921) *''The Raiders'' (1921) *''

Too Wise Wives ''Too Wise Wives'' is a 1921 American silent drama film directed by Lois Weber, written by Lois Weber and Marion Orth, and starring Louis Calhern, Claire Windsor, Phillips Smalley, and Mona Lisa. It was released on May 22, 1921, by Paramount P ...

'' (1921) *''

What Do Men Want? ''What Do Men Want?'' is a 1921 American silent drama film written, produced, and directed by Lois Weber and starring her muse Claire Windsor. Surviving reels were released on DVD and Blu-ray in 2018. Plot As described in a film magazine, at t ...

'' (1921) * '' Dr. Jim'' (1921) *''The Raiders'' (1921) *''

Grand Larceny Larceny is a crime involving the unlawful taking or theft of the personal property of another person or business. It was an offence under the common law of England and became an offence in jurisdictions which incorporated the common law of Engla ...

'' (1922) * '' One Clear Call'' (1922) *''

Fools First ''Fools First'' is a 1922 American crime film directed by Marshall Neilan and written by Marion Fairfax and Hugh Wiley. The film stars Richard Dix, Claire Windsor, Claude Gillingwater, Raymond Griffith, George Siegmann, and Helen Lynch. The fil ...

'' (1922) * ''

Rich Men's Wives ''Rich Men's Wives'' is a lost 1922 American silent drama film directed by Louis J. Gasnier and starring House Peters, Claire Windsor and Gaston Glass. Synopsis A bored wife of a wealthy man is irritated by his neglect, and is drawn into a flirt ...

'' (1922) *''

Brothers Under the Skin ''Brothers Under the Skin'' is a 1922 American silent film, silent comedy film directed by E. Mason Hopper. This picture survives in the Turner archives but is incomplete. Plot As described in a review in a film publication, Newton Craddock (O' ...

'' (1922) * ''

The Strangers' Banquet ''The Strangers' Banquet'' is a 1922 American silent drama film directed by Marshall Neilan and starring Hobart Bosworth, Claire Windsor, and Rockliffe Fellowes.Connelly p. 272 It is based on the 1919 novel of the same title by Brian Oswald Donn- ...

'' (1922) *''Broken Chains'' (1922) *''

The Eternal Three ''The Eternal Three'' is a 1923 American silent drama film produced and distributed by Goldwyn Pictures. It was directed by both Marshall Neilan and Frank Urson. Hobart Bosworth, Claire Windsor, and Bessie Love star. The film was made from a s ...

'' (1923) *''

Little Church Around the Corner The Church of the Transfiguration, also known as the Little Church Around the Corner, is an Episcopal parish church located at 1 East 29th Street, between Madison and Fifth Avenues in the NoMad neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City. The con ...

'' (1923) *''

Rupert of Hentzau ''Rupert of Hentzau'' is a sequel by Anthony Hope to ''The Prisoner of Zenda'', written in 1895 but not published in book form until 1898. The novel was serialized in ''The Pall Mall Magazine'' and ''McClure's Magazine'' from December 1897 thr ...

'' (1923) *''The Acquittal'' (1923) *''

Nellie, The Beautiful Cloak Model ''Nellie, the Beautiful Cloak Model'' is a play written by Owen Davis. A Broadway production of it by A. H. Woods opened in 1906 and was a huge hit. The story is a melodrama, and it was often cited as an archetype of the genre. Reata Winfield ...

'' (1924) *''

A Son of the Sahara ''A Son of the Sahara'' is a 1924 American silent drama film produced and directed by Edwin Carewe and co-directed with René Plaissetty. It stars Claire Windsor and Bert Lytell. First National handled the distribution of the film. Plot As de ...

'' (1924) *''

For Sale For Sale may refer to: Film * ''For Sale'' (1918 film), a silent film starring Gladys Hulette and Creighton Hale * ''For Sale'' (1924 film), a silent film starring Vera Reynolds * ''For Sale'' (1998 film), a French drama film Music * Beatles fo ...

'' (1924) *'' Souls For Sale'' (1924) *''

The Dixie Handicap ''The Dixie Handicap'' is a 1924 American silent drama film directed by Reginald Barker. The film stars Claire Windsor, Lloyd Hughes, and Otis Harlan. It is written by Waldemar Young. Plot As described in a review in a film magazine, Judge Ro ...

'' (1924) *'' Born Rich'' (1924) *''

The Denial ''The Denial'' is a 1925 American silent drama film directed by Hobart Henley. The film stars Claire Windsor, Bert Roach, William Haines, Lucille Ricksen, and Robert Agnew. The film was written by Agnes Christine Johnston based on the play ...

'' (1925) *''

The White Desert ''The White Desert'' is a 1925 American silent drama film directed by Reginald Barker. The film stars Claire Windsor and Pat O'Malley, with Robert Frazer, Frank Currier, and Sōjin Kamiyama. It is written by Monte M. Katterjohn and Gordon R ...

'' (1925) *'' Just A Woman'' (1925) *'' The Lady Who Lied'' (1925) *''

Souls for Sables ''Souls for Sables'' is a 1925 American silent drama film directed by James C. McKay and starring Claire Windsor. It was produced and released by Tiffany Pictures. Plot As described in a film magazine reviews, Fred Garlan is devoted to his wif ...

'' (1925) *'' Dance Madness'' (1926) *'' Money Talks'' (1926) *'' Tin Hats'' (1926) *''

A Little Journey ''A Little Journey'' is a 1927 American silent comedy film directed by Robert Z. Leonard and featuring Claire Windsor, William Haines and Harry Carey. It is based on a play by Rachel Crothers. No prints are thought to survive of this film. It ...

'' (1927) *'' The Claw'' (1927) *''

The Bugle Call ''The Bugle Call'' is a 1927 American silent drama film directed by Edward Sedgwick and starring Jackie Coogan and Claire Windsor, which was released on August 6, 1927. The Lost Film Files database lists this film as being lost. Plot Billy ...

'' (1927) *'' Foreign Devils'' (1927) *''

The Frontiersman ''The Frontiersman'' is a 1927 American silent Western film directed by Reginald Barker and written by Tom Miranda and Gordon Rigby. The film stars Tim McCoy, Claire Windsor, Tom O'Brien, Russell Simpson, Lillian Leighton and Louise Lorraine ...

'' (1927) * '' The Opening Night'' (1927) *''

Nameless Men ''Nameless Men'' is a 1928 American silent drama film directed by Christy Cabanne and starring Claire Windsor, Antonio Moreno and Eddie Gribbon.Monaco p.91 Cast * Claire Windsor as Mary * Antonio Moreno as Robert Strong * Eddie Gribbon as B ...

'' (1928) * '' Fashion Madness'' (1928) * '' Satan and the Woman'' (1928) *'' Blondes by Choice'' (1928) *'' The Grain of Dust'' (1928) *''Opening Night'' (1928) * ''

Domestic Meddlers ''Domestic Meddlers'' is a 1928 American silent comedy film directed by James Flood and starring Claire Windsor, Lawrence Gray and Roy D'Arcy.Darby p.373 Cast * Claire Windsor as Claire * Lawrence Gray as Walter * Roy D'Arcy as Lew * Jed ...

'' (1928) *'' Captain Lash'' (1929) * ''

Midstream The oil and gas industry is usually divided into three major components: upstream, midstream and downstream. The midstream sector involves the transportation (by pipeline, rail, barge, oil tanker or truck), storage, and wholesale marketing of crud ...

'' (1929) *''

Self Defense Self-defense (self-defence primarily in Commonwealth English) is a countermeasure that involves defending the health and well-being of oneself from harm. The use of the right of self-defense as a legal justification for the use of force in ...

'' (1932) * ''

Sister to Judas ''Sister to Judas'' is a 1932 American drama film directed by E. Mason Hopper and starring Claire Windsor, Holmes Herbert and John Harron.Pitts p.250-51 Cast * Claire Windsor as Anne Fane * Holmes Herbert as Bruce Rogers * John Harron as Ronni ...

'' (1932) *'' The Constant Woman'' (1933) *''

Kiss of Araby ''Kiss of Araby'' is a 1933 American Pre-Code adventure film directed by Phil Rosen and starring Maria Alba, Walter Byron and Claire Windsor.Pitts p.158 It is an action melodrama set in the Middle East. Plot A British Army officer is forced t ...

'' (1933) *'' Cross Streets'' (1934) *''Kiss of Araby'' (1938) *'' Barefoot Boy'' (1938) *''How Doooo You Do!!!'' (1945)

References

Sources

* 1900 United States Census for Cawker, Mitchell County, Kansas, and 1910 United States Census for Kansas for Cawker, Mitchell County, Kansas * '' Massillon Evening Independent'', "Actress Asks To Keep Stage Name", April 12, 1943, p. 12. * ''

Philadelphia Inquirer ''The Philadelphia Inquirer'' is a daily newspaper headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The newspaper's circulation is the largest in both the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the Delaware Valley metropolitan region of Southeastern Pennsy ...

'', "Claire Windsor and Husband Former Denver Residents", February 2, 1922.

External links

* *
Silent Era People - Claire Windsor
*
Photographs and literature
{{DEFAULTSORT:Windsor, Claire 1892 births 1972 deaths Actresses from Kansas American film actresses American silent film actresses People from Mitchell County, Kansas People from Phillips County, Kansas American people of Scandinavian descent Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer contract players 20th-century American actresses Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale) WAMPAS Baby Stars