Claire Adams (; 24 September 1898 – 25 September 1978) was a silent film actress and benefactor. She was born in Canada, studied there and in England, and developed a movie career in Hollywood. She spent the second half of her life in Australia.
Early years Born in Winnipeg, Adams was the daughter of operatic teacher and singer Stanley Adams and Lillian Adams. She had a sister and a brother. She moved with her family to London, England, when she was seven years old. At age 13 she visited Canada and ended up staying with relatives there. At some point her parents moved to Toronto, and she rejoined them there. Her education included St. Hilda's Academy in Calgary, Canada, followed by a finishing school in England.
Career While Adams worked as a nurse in a Detroit hospital, the United States entered World War I. The Army had her portray a nurse in films that were shown in military camps. Her flim debut came in The Spirit of the Red Cross (1919). She went on to become a star for B. B. Hampton productions and later made films for Goldwyn. Early in Adams's career her performances lacked emotion. Even with experience she reached only a level that one newspaper article described as "giving interesting, delightful, but emotionally lukewarm performances". That situation changed with her work in The Big Parade, which the same article called "the first truly emotional performance in Claire's career". Her progress continued when she portrayed Maud Brewster in The Seal Wolf, leading to compliments for her performance in an "intensely emotional role".
Personal life and death Adams married Ben Hampton in Los Angeles in 1924. She died on 25 September 1978, in Windsor, Victoria, aged 80, and was cremated.
Filmography Year Title Role Notes1934 What a Mother-in-Law! Frances 1927 Combat Wanda Married Alive Viola Helmesley Duxbury The Lunatic 1926 The Sea Wolf Maud Brewster Combat Wanda Yellow Fingers Nona Deering 1925 The Big Parade Justyn Reed The Wheel Kate O'Hara Souls for Sables Helen RalstonSouls for Sables Cast Information Uncredited The Kiss Barrier Marion Weston Men and Women Agnes Prescott The Devil's Cargo Martha Joyce 1924 The Brass Bowl Sylvia The Fast Set Fay Colleen The Painted Flapper Eunice Whitney Helen's Babies Helen Lawrence Oh, You Tony! Betty Faine Honor Among Men Patricia Carson The Girl in the Limousine The Girl Missing Daughters Claire Mathers The Night Hawk Clia Milton Daddies Bobette Audrey 1923 The Clean Up Phyllis Andrews Legally Dead Minnie O'Reilly Where the North Begins Felice McTavish Stepping Fast Helen Durant Brass Commandments Ellen Bosworth The Scarlet Car Beatrice Forbes 1922 Do and Dare Juanita Sánchez Heart's Haven Vivian Breed Just Tony Marianne Jordan Golden Dreams Mercedes McDonald When Romance Rides Lucy Bostil The Gray Dawn Nan Bennett 1921 The Mysterious Rider Columbine The Man of the Forest Helen Raynor A Certain Rich Man Molly Culpepper The Lure of Egypt Margaret Lampton Black Beauty Claire Adams is not in the Vitagraph film. She appeared in a competing rival version of the story produced by Eskay Harris Feature Film Company.Black Beauty (II) produced by Eskay Harris Feature Film Company..retrieved 16 June 2018 The Killer Ruth Emory The Spenders Avice Milbrey 1920 The Dwelling Place of Light Janet Butler The Penalty Barbara Riders of the Dawn Lenore Anderson The White Dove Ella De Fries Credited as Clare Adams The Key to Power Ann Blair The Money Changers Lucy Hegan The Great Lover Ethel 1919 The Invisible Bond Leila Templeton Also known as Should a Wife Forgive? (USA) A Misfit Earl Phyllis Burton Speedy Meade Alice Hall The End of the Road Mary Lee 1918 The Spirit of the Red Cross Ethel Adam and Some Eves The Man-Eater Credited as Peggy Adams 1917 Nutty Knitters Faint Heart and Fair Lady Your Obedient Servant Chris and His Wonderful Lamp Betty 1913 The Widow's Suitors Credited as Clara Adams Boy Wanted As Clara Adams A Shower of Slippers As Clara Adams Aunt Elsa's Visit As Clara Adams The Office Boy's Birthday As Clara Adams Bragg's New Suit As Clara Adams 1912 Kitty at Boarding School Revenge Is Sweet As Clara Adams The Artist's Joke As Clara Adams An Intelligent Camera Apple Pies As Clara Adams Kitty's Holdup Eddie's Exploit As Clara Adams Curing the Office Boy As Clara Adams A Heroic Rescue As Clara Adams
References
Photoplay Dec,1924 Film Index, No 3, 1970, p. 12 Social History Report on Morramong, Skipton by D. Hellier (1989). National Trust of Australia, Victoria branch.
External links
Archival collections Guide to the Claire Adams Photographs. Special Collections and Archives, The UC Irvine Libraries, Irvine, California.
Other
Profile and picture at Northern Stars Biography in the Australian Dictionary of Biography