Dorothy Claire
{{Infobox person
| name = Dorothy Claire
| image = Publicity_Photo_of_Dorothy_Claire.jpg
| caption = Publicity Photo of Dorothy Claire
| birth_name = Marietta Wright
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1920|6|5}}
| birth_place =
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1982|9|4|1920|6|5}}
| death_place =
| occupation =
| years_active =
| spouse =
| website =
}}
{{Short description|American singer (1920–1982)}}
Dorothy Claire (born Marietta Wright, June 5, 1920 – September 4, 1982) was an American singer and radio personality.
Early years
The daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Nelson Wright, Claire was born in La Porte, Indiana on June 5, 1920. At age 4, she began singing, joining her sisters to form a trio that performed at parties and on WSBT radio in South Bend, Indiana.{{cite news |last1=Welsh |first1=Beverly |title=Dorothy Claire Brought Back to NY by 'Nanette' |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/54267017/dorothy-claire/ |accessdate=June 27, 2020 |work=The South Bend Tribune |date=August 1, 1971 |location=Indiana, South Bend |page=31|via = Newspapers.com}} She later attended La Porte High School, where she was a cheerleader.{{cite news |last1=Long |first1=Bob |title=Hoosier Cinderella |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/54264266/dorothy-claire/ |accessdate=June 27, 2020 |work=The Indianapolis Star |date=September 28, 1947 |location=Indiana, Indianapolis |page=88|via = Newspapers.com}}
Career
Orchestra leader Ayars Lamar hired Claire as a singer when she was 16, changing her name from Marietta Wright to Dorothy Claire. Two of her sisters later adopted that last name for their own professional work. She debuted professionally when she appeared with Lamar's orchestra in Indianapolis at the Indiana Roof. She went on to sing for notable band leaders including Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, Sonny Dunham, and Bob Crosby. Her rendition of "Perfidia" with Miller's orchestra sold more than 1 million records.
Breaking away from orchestras, Claire began singing in night clubs in Chicago, including Chez Paree and The Palmer House,{{cite news |last1=Sider |first1=Don |title=Dorothy Claire A 'We Want More' Singer |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/54271547/dorothy-claire/ |accessdate=June 27, 2020 |work=Tampa Bay Times |date=January 13, 1961 |location=Florida, St. Petersburg |page=56|via = Newspapers.com}} then performed at the Copacabana in New York. She sang on Bing Crosby's radio program and on Don McNeill's Breakfast Club. She also had her own program on radio station WJZ in New York City and toured in vaudeville.{{cite news |title=Dorothy Claire Won Part, But Dyed Hair to Get It |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/54270591/dorothy-claire/ |accessdate=June 27, 2020 |work=The Brooklyn Daily Eagle |date=December 14, 1947 |location=New York, Brooklyn |page=33|via = Newspapers.com}} Her work on television included appearances with Jack Carter and Paul Winchell.{{cite news |last1=Lockerbie |first1=Sarah |title=End of the Rainbow |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/54268799/dorothy-claire/ |accessdate=June 27, 2020 |work=The South Bend Tribune |date=July 5, 1953 |location=Indiana, South Bend |page=79|via = Newspapers.com}}
On Broadway, Claire performed in Face the Music (1932),{{cite web |title=Dorothy Claire |url=https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/dorothy-claire-112194 |website=Internet Broadway Database |publisher=The Broadway League |accessdate=June 28, 2020 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20200628194808/https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/dorothy-claire-112194 |archivedate=June 28, 2020}} Finian's Rainbow (1947) and Jimmy (1969).{{cite web |title=Dorothy Claire |url=https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/dorothy-claire-103484 |website=Internet Broadway Database |publisher=The Broadway League |accessdate=June 27, 2020 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20200627201411/https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/dorothy-claire-103484 |archivedate=June 27, 2020}}
Later life and death
Claire returned to La Porte and resided there in the last few years of her life. She died there on September 4, 1982, at the age of 62.{{cite news |title=Dorothy Wright Carls |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89549410/the-south-bend-tribune/ |access-date=26 November 2021 |publisher=The South Bend Tribune |date=7 September 1982}} At the time of her death, Claire was legally known as Dorothy Carls, and was a widow.{{cite web |title=Dorothy Carls |url=https://postimg.cc/tsGZ92vG |publisher=Indiana, Death Certificates, 1899–2011 |access-date=26 November 2021}}
References
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External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Claire, Dorothy}}
Category:20th-century American singers
Category:20th-century American women singers
Category:American women jazz singers