Claire McDowell

Biography

Claire McDowell was an American actress of the silent era, born on November 2, 1877, in New York City. She began her acting career as a young woman, training under her aunt Fanny Davenport and later appearing in numerous films, including Douglas Fairbanks's The Mark of Zorro and starring roles in The Big Parade and Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ. McDowell was married to actor Charles Hill Mailes from 1906 until his death in 1937.