Bernice Claire

Bernice Claire

c. 1930
Born Bernice Jahnigen (surname later mistranscribed as Janighen)
(1906-01-27)January 27, 1906[1][2][3]
Oakland, California, U.S.
Died January 17, 2003 (aged 96)
Portland, Oregon, U.S.
Occupation Singer, actress
Years active 1930-1938

Bernice Claire (January 27, 1906 – January 17, 2003) was an American singer and actress. She appeared in 13 films between 1930 and 1938.

Career

She was born as Bernice Jahnigen (surname later mistranscribed as Janighen) to Adolph and Clara (née Sternitzky) Jahnigen in 1906 in Oakland, California. She had an elder brother, Earl. With a clear coloratura, she took to the stage performing light opera and had no difficulty singing demanding roles. She met then-leading singer Alexander Gray; they appeared in three films together in 1930 for Warner Bros. Gray and Claire became film's first operetta team, predating Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy.

Her first screen appearance was in the original film version of No, No, Nanette in the title role. (A post-Code version was made in 1940.) The other two films she made with Gray were Spring is Here and Song of the Flame. Operettas began losing popularity with audiences so Warners tried Claire in dramatic parts without much success. Claire made several more musical shorts up through the late thirties (some again with Gray), later becoming a radio and orchestra singer. In 1934, she appeared on Broadway in a short-lived musical, The Chocolate Soldier.

Later life

She died from pneumonia, aged 96, in her adopted hometown of Portland, Oregon, where she had lived for many years. She was married twice but had no children.

Filmography

References

  1. ↑ Age given as 34 in 1940 census; taken in Assembly District 10, Manhattan, New York City during the first week of April 1940, listed as Bernice Claire, occupation: “Actress” "United States Census, 1940", index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/KQT6-92S: accessed November 10, 2014), Bernice Claire, Assembly District 10, Manhattan, New York City, New York, New York, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 31-884, sheet 61A, family 45, NARA digital publication of T627, roll 2644, NARA digital publication of T627, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C.
  2. ↑ Bernice Claire, aged 25, year of birth given as 1906, on June 29, 1931 ship manifest sailing from Hamilton, Bermuda to New York, New York, "New York, New York Passenger and Crew Lists, 1909, 1925-1957", index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/24N8-W41: accessed November 10, 2014), Bernice Claire, 1931; citing Immigration, New York, New York, United States, NARA microfilm publication T715, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C.; FHL microfilm 1756726.
  3. ↑ “Bernice Claire (known as Jahnigen)", aged 29, born Oakland, California (Passport # 203238), date of birth given as ”Jan/27/I906” ship manifest, SS Champlain, sailing from Southampton, England (on July 17, 1935) to New York-U.S.A. (July 24, 1935)

External links

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