Claire McDowell

Claire McDowell ( MacDowell; November 2, 1877 – October 23, 1966) was an American actress of the silent era. She appeared in 350 films between 1908 and 1945.

Early years Claire MacDowell was born in New York City on November 2, 1877, the daughter of Eugene A. MacDowell and Fanny Reeves. Her aunt, actress Fanny Davenport, gave her early training in acting. Fanny Davenport's second husband was Eugene's brother Melbourne MacDowell.

Career When she was 17, she was an understudy in a theatrical company headed by Charles Frohman.

When she was 38, McDowell retired, but later she returned to acting, particularly portraying mothers. The couple appeared in numerous silent films together, including The Mark of Zorro. They had two sons,

Selected filmography

The Devil (1908, Short) – Mrs. Harold Thornton The Planter's Wife (1908, Short) – Mrs. John Holland A Flash of Light (1910, Short) – At First Party The Lucky Toothache (1910, Short) – A Cousin A Mohawk's Way (1910) as Indian mother His Trust (1911, Short) – Colonel Frazier's Wife His Trust Fulfilled (1911, Short) – Mrs. Frazier What Shall We Do with Our Old? (1911, Short) – The Old Carpenter's Wife Fisher Folks (1911) A Decree of Destiny (1911, Short) – A Nun The Spanish Gypsy (1911, Short) – Paula The Broken Cross (1911, Short) – Kate's Mother The Crooked Road (1911, Short) – A Neighbor The Primal Call (1911, Short) – The Woman A Country Cupid (1911, Short) – The Half-Wit's Mother The Making of a Man (1911, Short) – Actress The Long Road (1911, Short) – Ned's Wife A Woman Scorned (1911, Short) – The Doctor's Wife As in a Looking Glass (1911) – The Wife The School Teacher and the Waif (1912) - Huckster's girlfriend Under Burning Skies (1912, Short) – A Friend A Temporary Truce (1912, Short) – Mexican Jim's Wife The Sands of Dee (1912, Short) – The Artist's Fiancée Two Daughters of Eve (1912, Short) – The Mother So Near, yet So Far (1912, Short) – Rich Woman in Other Town In the Aisles of the Wild (1912, Short) – The Elder Daughter A Sailor's Heart (1912, Short) – The Sailor's Third Sweetheart The New York Hat (1912, Short) – First Gossip A Cry for Help (1912, Short) – The Thief's Wife – the Charity Patient The God Within (1912, Short) – The Woodsman's Wife The Telephone Girl and the Lady (1913, Short) – The Lady A Misappropriated Turkey (1913, Short) – Mrs. Fallon The Wrong Bottle (1913, Short) – The Blind Sister The Unwelcome Guest (1913, Short) – The Wife A Welcome Intruder (1913, Short) – A Widow The Stolen Bride (1913, Short) – The Wife The Wanderer (1913, Short) – The Female Lover The Tenderfoot's Money (1913, Short) – The Prospector's Wife The Stolen Loaf (1913, Short) – The Rich Woman The House of Darkness (1913, Short) – The Doctor's Wife Olaf—An Atom (1913, Short) – A Parent The Ranchero's Revenge (1913, Short) – The Schemer's Associate The Well (1913, Short) – The Farmer's Wife The Switch Tower (1913, Short) – The Switchman's Wife A Gamble with Death (1913, Short) – Kate The Enemy's Baby (1913, Short) – Miller's Wife A Gambler's Honor (1913, Short) – Beth The Mirror (1913, Short) – Daisy The Vengeance of Galora (1913, Short) – Galora Under the Shadow of the Law (1913, Short) – John Haywood's Sister I Was Meant for You (1913, Short) – Lavina The Crook and the Girl (1913, Short) – The Uncle's Adopted Daughter The Strong Man's Burden (1913, Short) – Ida Glynn, The Nurse The Stolen Treaty (1913, Short) – Olga The Law and His Son (1913, Short) – Marguerite, Manning's Sister A Tender-Hearted Crook (1913, Short) – Edith The Van Nostrand Tiara (1913, Short) – Kate The Stopped Clock (1913, Short) – The Antique Dealer's Daughter The Detective's Stratagem (1913, Short) – Kate, the Bank Clerk's Sweetheart All for Science (1913, Short) – Detective A Nest Unfeathered (1914, Short) – Kate Her Father's Silent Partner (1914, Short) The Cracksman's Gratitude (1914, Short) The Heart of a Bandit (1915, Short) The Sheriff's Dilemma (1915, Short) – Molly The Miser's Legacy (1915, Short) – The Crook's Wife The Gambler's I.O.U. (1915, Short) – Nell – Daddy Wilson's Daughter A Day's Adventure (1915, Short) – Hogan's Moll The Canceled Mortgage (1915, Short) – The Widowed Mother Truth Stranger Than Fiction (1915, Short) – Crook Her Dormant Love (1915, Short) – The Discontented Wife The Way Out (1915, Short) – The Young School Teacher Her Convert (1915, Short) – The Old Inventor's Daughter Old Offenders (1915, Short) – Joe's Wife As It Happened (1915, Short) – The Ranchman's Daughter A Stranger from Somewhere (1916) – Olga Mixed Blood (1916) – Nita Valyez The Right to Be Happy (1916) – Mrs. Cratchit The White Raven (1917) – Daisy The Gates of Doom (1917) – Indore / Agatha The Bronze Bride (1917) – A-Che-Chee The Clean-Up (1917) – Vera Vincent The Empty Gun (1917, Short) – Mary Fighting Back (1917) – The Fury The Ship of Doom (1917) – Clara Gove The Man Above the Law (1918) – Natchah Captain of His Soul (1918) – Annette De Searcy You Can't Believe Everything (1918) – Grace Dardley Closin' In (1918) The Return of Mary (1918) – Mrs. John Denby Sr. The Follies Girl (1919) – Nina Prudence on Broadway (1919) – Miss Grayson Chasing Rainbows (1919) – Mrs. Walters Heart o' the Hills (1919) – Martha Hawn The Feud (1919) – Mary Lynch The Woman in the Suitcase (1920) – Mrs. James B. Moreland The Gift Supreme (1920) – Lalia Graun The Devil's Riddle (1920) – Mrs. Potts Blind Youth (1920) – Elizabeth Monnier Through Eyes of Men (1920) – Mrs. Virginia All The Jack-Knife Man (1920) – Lize Merdin Something to Think About (1920) – Housekeeper The Mark of Zorro (1920) – Doña Catalina Pulido Midsummer Madness (1920) – Mrs. Osborne Prisoners of Love (1921) – Her Mother Chickens (1921) – Aunt Rebecca What Every Woman Knows (1921) – Comtesse de la Brière Mother o' Mine (1921) – Mrs. Sheldon Wealth (1921) – Mrs. Dominick Love Never Dies (1921) – Liz Trott Rent Free (1922) – Countess de Mourney The Gray Dawn (1922) – Mrs. Bennett Penrod (1922) – Mrs. Schofield The Ragged Heiress (1922) – Sylvia Moreton The Lying Truth (1922) – Mrs. Sam Clairborne Nice People (1922) – Margaret Rainsford In the Name of the Law (1922) – Mrs. O'Hara Heart's Haven (1922) – May Caroline Quincy Adams Sawyer (1922) – Mrs. Putnam The West~Bound Limited (1923) – Mrs. Bill Buckley Michael O'Halloran (1923) – Nancy Harding Human Wreckage (1923) – Mrs. Brown Circus Days (1923) – Martha Ashes of Vengeance (1923) – Margot's Aunt Ponjola (1923) – Mrs. Hope Enemies of Children (1923) Black Oxen (1923) – Agnes Trevor Judgment of the Storm (1924) – Mrs. Heath Leave It to Gerry (1924) – Mrs. Brent Thy Name Is Woman (1924) – Juan's Mother Secrets (1924) – Elizabeth Channing A Fight for Honor (1924) – Mrs. Hill Those Who Dare (1924) – Mrs. Rollins The Reckless Sex (1925) – Concha Waking Up the Town (1925) – Mrs. Joyce Dollar Down (1925) – Mrs. Meadows – Ruth's Sister The Tower of Lies (1925) – Katrina One of the Bravest (1925) – Mrs. Kelly The Big Parade (1925) – Mrs. Apperson The Midnight Flyer (1925) – Liza Slater Ben-Hur (1925) – Princess of Hur The Devil's Circus (1926) – Mrs. Peterson The Dixie Merchant (1926) – Josephine Fippany The Shamrock Handicap (1926) – Molly O'Shea The Unknown Soldier (1926) – John Phillips' sister The Show Off (1926) – Mom Fisher The Flaming Forest (1926) – Mrs. McTavish A Little Journey (1927) – Aunt Louise The Auctioneer (1927) – Mrs. Tim Eagan Cheaters (1927) – Mrs. Robin Carter The Taxi Dancer (1927) – Aunt Mary The Black Diamond Express (1927) – Martha Foster Tillie the Toiler (1927) – Ma Jones Winds of the Pampas (1927) – Doña Maria Casandos The Shield of Honor (1927) – Mrs. MacDowell Almost Human (1927) – Mrs. Livingston The Tragedy of Youth (1928) – Mother Don't Marry (1928) – Aunt Abigail Bowen 4 Devils (1928) – Woman The Viking (1928) – Lady Editha Marriage by Contract (1928) – Mother When Dreams Come True (1929) – Martha Shelby The Flying Fleet (1929) – Mrs. Hastings – Anita's Mother (uncredited) Silks and Saddles (1929) – Mrs. Calhoun The Quitter (1929) – Mrs. Abbott Whispering Winds (1929) – Mrs. Benton Redemption (1930) – Anna Pavlovna The Second Floor Mystery (1930) – Aunt Hattie Young Desire (1930) – Mrs. Spencer The Big House (1930) – Mrs. Marlowe Wild Company (1930) – Mrs. Laura Grayson Brothers (1930) – Mrs. Bess Naughton Mothers Cry (1930) – Mary's Mother (uncredited) An American Tragedy (1931) – Mrs. Samuel Griffiths Under Eighteen (1931) – Seamstress (uncredited) Manhattan Parade (1931) – Nancy – the Maid (uncredited) Union Depot (1932) – Little Boy's Mother (uncredited) The Famous Ferguson Case (1932) – The Brookses' Landlady (uncredited) Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm (1932) – Mrs. Randall (uncredited) Cornered (1932) – Jane's Aunt The Phantom Express (1932) – Ma Nolan A Successful Calamity (1932) – Struthers' Secretary (uncredited) Lawyer Man (1932) – Gilmurry's Secretary (uncredited) Central Airport (1933) – Mrs. Blaine The Working Man (1933) – Benjamin's Secretary By Appointment Only (1933) – Mrs. Mary Carroll Paddy the Next Best Thing (1933) – Miss Breen (uncredited) Wild Boys of the Road (1933) – Mrs. Smith Bedside (1934) – Nurse (uncredited) It Happened One Night (1934) – Mother on Bus (uncredited) Journal of a Crime (1934) – Sister at Hospital (uncredited) Dr. Monica (1934) – Miss Bryerly (uncredited) British Agent (1934) – Woman Saying 'Lenin will Live' (uncredited) Two Heads on a Pillow (1934) – Mrs. Helen Gorman Imitation of Life (1934) – Teacher Outside Classroom (uncredited) Black Fury (1935) – Nurse (uncredited) Murder by Television (1935) – Mrs. Houghland August Week End (1936) – Alma Washburne Small Town Girl (1936) – Woman in Bed (uncredited) Criminal Lawyer (1937) – Night Court Judge (uncredited) Two-Fisted Sheriff (1937) – Miss Herrick – Molly's Aunt High, Wide, and Handsome (1937) – Seamstress (uncredited) Test Pilot (1938) – Funeral Home Associate (uncredited) Three Comrades (1938) – Landlady Frau Zalewski (uncredited) Boys Town (1938) – Catholic Nun (uncredited) Stand Up and Fight (1939) – Woman (uncredited) Idiot's Delight (1939) – Crying Mother (uncredited) Miracles for Sale (1939) – Jack of Diamonds Woman (uncredited) Thunder Afloat (1939) – Nurse (uncredited) Those High Grey Walls (1939) – Mother (uncredited) Joe and Ethel Turp Call on the President (1939) – Gossiper (uncredited) Young Tom Edison (1940) – Woman at Station (uncredited) The Captain Is a Lady (1940) – Old Lady (uncredited) The Golden Fleecing (1940) – Pedestrian (uncredited) Dr. Kildare Goes Home (1940) – Nurse for Mr. Winslow (uncredited) Third Finger, Left Hand (1940) – Witness at wedding (uncredited) Lady Scarface (1941) – Mrs. Tuckerman (uncredited) Reap the Wild Wind (1942) – Ettie (uncredited) Keeper of the Flame (1942) – Mourner (uncredited) The Youngest Profession (1943) – Woman (uncredited) The Human Comedy (1943) – Woman on Street (uncredited) Hangmen Also Die! (1943) – Counterwoman (uncredited) Presenting Lily Mars (1943) – Dowager (uncredited) This Land Is Mine (1943) – Woman in Bathroom (uncredited) Du Barry Was a Lady (1943) – Subway Passenger (uncredited) Black Market Rustlers (1943) – Mrs. Prescott (uncredited) Teen Age (1943) – Mrs. Mary Abbott Men on Her Mind (1944) – Mother Goodwin Andy Hardy's Blonde Trouble (1944) – Dr. Standish's Servant (uncredited) Are These Our Parents (1944) – Miss Winfield The Thin Man Goes Home (1944) – Train Passenger in Passageway (uncredited) Having Wonderful Crime (1945) – Guest (uncredited) Adventure (1945) – Woman in Library (uncredited)