Claire Carleton

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BIRTHDAY

January 01, 1912

New York City, NY

DIED

February 11, 1979

RECENT CREDITS

Sex and the Single Girl (FILM) Jan. 1, 1964

The Careless Years (FILM) Sep. 1, 1957

Reform School Girl (FILM) Aug. 1, 1957

The Buster Keaton Story (FILM) May. 1, 1957

The Black Sleep (FILM) Jun. 1, 1956

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BIOGRAPHY

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Brassy, bleached-blonde Claire Carleton was a reliable supporting actress on Broadway, in films and on TV for nearly thirty years. Carleton's New York stage credits include The Body Beautiful, 20th Century and The Women. In films, she was usually cast as"B"-girls, strippers, gum-chewing manicurists and divorce correspondents: her character names were generally along the lines of Mamie, Tessie, Nellie or simply "The Blonde." She was afforded leading roles in the two-reelers of such comedians as The Three Stooges and Leon Errol, entering into the slapstick proceedings with relish and abandon: in the 1946 Columbia short Headin' for a Weddin', Carleton has a light bulb broken in her mouth, and in the final scene engages in a knock-down, drag-out fight with star Vera Vague. A frequent TV performer, Claire Carleton co-starred as Mickey Rooney's mother (she was eight years older than he!) in the 1955 sitcom Hey, Mulligan!, and played Alice Purdy on the 1958 western Cimarron City.

~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

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