Claiborne Foster
Portait of Foster c. 1927
Born
Claiborne Foster Comegys

April 15, 1896
Shreveport, Louisiana
DiedFebruary 21, 1981
Fort Myers, Florida
Other namesClaiborne Foster Cresap, Claiborne Foster Rice, Claiborne Foster Foulds
OccupationActress

Claiborne Foster (April 15, 1896 – February 21, 1981) was an American stage actress, born Claiborne Foster Comegys.

Early life

Claiborne Foster Comegys was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, the daughter of Thomas McLoyd Comegys and Mary Elinor "Nell" Foster Comegys. Her father was a dentist. Her uncle was diplomat Benton McMillin.[1] Her older sister Kathleen Foster Comegys (1893–1984) was also an actress.[2][3]

Career

A young white woman, arms overhead as if to catch the ball just beyond her fingertips. She is wearing a dark jersey one-piece dress-like bathingsuit with white piping and a belt with tassles. She is also wearing ballet-style slippers, and a cap.
Claiborne Foster modeling a bathing suit in a 1921 publication.

Foster's Broadway and other major stage credits included roles in The Blue Bird (1910), Romance (1913),[4] Miss Daisy (1914),[5] A Full House (1914),[6] Cousin Lucy (1915), Abe and Mawruss (1915–1916),[7] The Girl in the Limousine (1919-1920), Ladies' Night (1920–1921), Two Fellows and a Girl (1923),[8] Applesauce (1924), The Lady Killer (1924), Cheaper to Marry (1924), The Patsy (1925),[9][10] Sinner (1927), Trigger (1927),[11] Eva the Fifth (1928),[12] Gypsy (1929),[13] Other Men's Wives (1929),[14] Blind Mice (1930), A Widow in Green (1931),[15][16] And Shadows Fall (1945),[17] Dearly Beloved, Mr. Sycamore,[18] and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1956).[19] She also wrote the Broadway shows On the Wing and Pretty Little Parlor (1944).[20]

In 1936, Foster survived a fatal plane crash in Trinidad.[21] After she retired from the stage, Foster produced a program at WINK-TV in Fort Myers, Florida.[22]

Personal life

In 1915, Claiborne Foster married naval lieutenant James McDowell Cresap.[1] He died in the 1918 influenza pandemic.[23] Her second husband was Maxwell Jay Rice, an airline executive.[24] They married in 1932, and moved to Rio de Janeiro;[18] she was widowed a second time when Rice died in 1943.[25] Her third husband was Ned F. Foulds. She was widowed a third time when Foulds died in 1978.[26] She died in 1981, aged 84 years, in Fort Myers.[22]

References

  1. ^ a b "Will Wed a Lieutenant – Miss Claiborne Foster, Actress, to Marry James McD. Cresap". The New York Times. 1915-10-21. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-11-29.
  2. ^ Calta, Louis (1960-07-06). "Actress to Quit After 47 Years – Kathleen Comegys, Who Has Role in 'Miracle Worker,' Will Retire on Saturday". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-11-29.
  3. ^ "Miss Comegys Has Sister, Also Star". The Birmingham News. 1926-04-18. p. 77. Retrieved 2020-11-29.
  4. ^ Hines, Dixie; Hanaford, Harry Prescott (1914). Who's who in Music and Drama. H.P. Hanaford. pp. 399, 469.
  5. ^ Ankerich, Michael G. (2013-01-04). Mae Murray: The Girl with the Bee-Stung Lips. University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 978-0-8131-4038-4.
  6. ^ Thorold, W. J.; Hornblow, Jr., Arthur; Maxwell, Perriton; Beach, Stewart (August 1915). "Some Native Sons of New York". Munsey's Weekly. 55: 513.
  7. ^ "Abe and Mawruss". The Green Book Magazine. 15: 74–75. January 1916.
  8. ^ Thorold, W. J.; Hornblow, Jr., Arthur; Maxwell, Perriton; Beach, Stewart (September 1923). "Two Fellows and a Girl". Theatre Magazine. 38: 15.
  9. ^ "In Which Claiborne Foster is Considered". The New York Times. January 17, 1926. p. X1 – via ProQuest.
  10. ^ "Claiborne Foster Makes Most of her Role in 'The Patsy', Here This Week". The Lexington Herald. 1925-12-06. p. 31. Retrieved 2020-11-29 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ Allen, Kelcey (December 7, 1927). "Amusements: Claiborne Foster A Vivid Personality In "Trigger" At Little". Women's Wear Daily. 35: 5 – via ProQuest.
  12. ^ Allen, Kelcey (August 29, 1928). "Amusements: Action, Humor, Pathos Blend In "Eva The Fifth"". Women's Wear Daily. 37: 5 – via ProQuest.
  13. ^ Allen, Kelcey (January 15, 1929). "Amusements: Like Mother, Like Daughter, "Gypsy" Theme". Women's Wear Daily. 38: 14 – via ProQuest.
  14. ^ "Miss Claiborne Foster, Shreveport Girl, Winning New Laurels in Play, 'Other Men's Wives' on Broadway". The Times. 1929-11-19. p. 11. Retrieved 2020-11-29 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ "Claiborne Foster Wears Bustle Frock In 'Widow In Green'". Women's Wear Daily. 43: 3, 20. November 23, 1931 – via ProQuest.
  16. ^ Mantle, Burns (1931-11-21). "'A Widow in Green' Slightly Balmy". Daily News. p. 329. Retrieved 2020-11-29 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ "Claiborne Foster in New Lang Play – Actress to Be Featured in 'And Shadows Fall' – Resuming on Stage After 14-Year Hiatus Two Plays Making Bows New "David Copperfield" Play". The New York Times. 1945-10-13. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-11-29.
  18. ^ a b Ferris, John (1942-10-18). "Claiborne Foster Excited About her Comeback after 11-Year Retirement". The Miami Herald. p. 39. Retrieved 2020-11-29 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ^ Morehouse, Ward (1956-08-12). "Claiborne Foster is Back on Stage and She Loves It". Arizona Republic. p. 40. Retrieved 2020-11-29 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ^ "Miss Foster's Play Closing Tomorrow". The New York Times. April 21, 1944. p. 14 – via ProQuest.
  21. ^ "Claiborne Foster and Jose Iturbi Escape Death in Clipper Accident". Nashville Banner. 1936-04-11. p. 1. Retrieved 2020-11-29 – via Newspapers.com.
  22. ^ a b "Deaths: Claiborne Foster Foulds". The New York Times. March 3, 1981. p. B19 – via Newspapers.com.
  23. ^ "Young Naval Officer Victim of Epidemic". The Times. 1918-10-26. p. 8. Retrieved 2020-11-29 – via Newspapers.com.
  24. ^ "Claiborne Foster Flies Away a Bride". Daily News. 1932-02-23. p. 453. Retrieved 2020-11-29 – via Newspapers.com.
  25. ^ "Claiborne Foster is Secretly Wed". The New York Times. February 23, 1932. p. 22 – via ProQuest.
  26. ^ "Civic Leader Dies". News-Press. 1978-10-28. p. 18. Retrieved 2020-11-29 – via Newspapers.com.

External links

More
Categories