Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On December 29, 1908, Claire Dodd, a member of the Ziegfeld Follies and famous film actress of the 1930s and 1940s, was born in Baxter. Over a whirlwind career spanning a dozen years, Dodd appeared in more than sixty films.
Dorothy Arlene Dodd was born to Jasper County pioneers Walter and Ethel Dodd, and the future actress only spent a brief portion of her childhood in Hawkeye State. As the family bounced from Iowa to Colorado, Arizona, and Montana, the relationship between Dodd’s parents faltered. In 1927, the 16-year-old Dodd headed for Hollywood, where she started out on a career in show business.
Although some sources list Dodd’s birthplace as Des Moines, the confusion stems from the actress’s own vague memories of her tumultuous childhood. “My early childhood was a blur to me…I don’t remember a thing about Iowa. I’m sorry to say. I was so small when I left there.” Numerous relatives in and around Baxter confirmed the birth of the actress in the small town in 1908.
After catching Florenz Ziegfeld’s attention in a bit part in a film called “Whoopee!”, a stint with the Ziegfeld Follies led to a five-year contract with Paramount Pictures. From 1930 to 1942, she often played supporting actress roles as a type of femme fatale or seductress, appearing in over sixty films. Perhaps best known as Perry Mason’s secretary, Della Street opposite Warren Williams. #IowaOTD #IowaHistoryDaily #IowaHistoryCalendar
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