Dorothy Claire

Dorothy Claire, born Marietta Wright on June 5, 1920, in La Porte, Indiana, was an American singer, radio personality, and Broadway performer. She died on September 4, 1982, in La Porte, at the age of 62, and was legally known as Dorothy Carls at the time of her death, having been widowed.

The daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Nelson Wright, Claire began singing at age four, forming a trio with her sisters that performed at private parties and on WSBT radio in South Bend, Indiana. She later attended La Porte High School, where she was a cheerleader. Her professional name came from orchestra leader Ayars Lamar, who hired her as a vocalist at age sixteen and changed her name from Marietta Wright to Dorothy Claire. Two of her sisters subsequently adopted the Claire surname for their own professional careers. Her professional debut took place with Lamar's orchestra at the Indiana Roof in Indianapolis.

Claire went on to perform with several prominent bandleaders, among them Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, Sonny Dunham, and Bob Crosby. Her recording of "Perfidia" with Miller's orchestra sold more than one million copies. She later moved away from orchestra work and into nightclub engagements, appearing at venues including Chez Paree and The Palmer House in Chicago, and the Copacabana in New York. Her radio work included appearances on Bing Crosby's program and Don McNeill's Breakfast Club, as well as her own program on WJZ in New York City. She also toured in vaudeville and appeared on television with Jack Carter and Paul Winchell.

Claire's Broadway career spanned several decades. She appeared in Face the Music in 1932, Finian's Rainbow in 1947, and Jimmy in 1969. In her final years, she returned to La Porte, where she resided until her death.