Clare Eames

Clare Eames (August 5, 1894 – November 8, 1930) was an American actress and stage director who performed on Broadway from 1918 to 1928. Born in Hartford, Connecticut, she was the daughter of Clare (Hamilton) and Hayden Eames. Her maternal grandfather was William Thomas Hamilton, who served as both governor of and senator from Maryland. Her aunt was American soprano Emma Eames.

When Eames was eleven, her family relocated to Cleveland, Ohio. She subsequently moved to Paris to live with her aunt and pursued dramatic training there before enrolling at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. She made her stage debut in 1918, the same year her fiancé, Lieutenant Philip Livingston Rose, was killed in action on October 6 of that year.

In 1919, Eames joined the repertory theatre led by Ethel Barrymore. Though still relatively unknown at the time, she drew significant attention for her portrayal of the young Princess Elizabeth in a 1920 stage adaptation of Mark Twain's The Prince and the Pauper. Her starring role in John Drinkwater's one-act play Mary Stuart the following year further elevated her standing in the American theatre. During this period she performed classical roles in works by Shakespeare and George Bernard Shaw, and was regarded as one of the leading new female presences on the Broadway stage following World War I. Her Broadway credits included Little Eyolf, The Brothers Karamazoff, Juarez and Maximilian, Ned McCobb's Daughter, and The Sacred Flame, among other productions. She also appeared in a number of silent films.

In 1922, Eames married playwright Sidney Howard. The marriage ended when Howard divorced her in March 1930 after she had relocated to England. Custody of their young daughter Clare, later known as Jennifer Howard, was awarded to Howard. Eames died on November 8, 1930, following surgery at a hospital in Richmond, London. She was 36 years old.