A 1945 trade publication announced she was being considered for a role as a French aristocrat in Adventures of Don Juan (1948), but by the time this film came out in 1948, the role no longer existed.
After filming The Secret Heart (1946) together, she and co-star, June Allyson, became great friends. Colbert became godmother to Allyson's daughter, Pamela Powell.
After the completion of For the Love of Mike (1927), Colbert told one and all, "I shall never make another film".
After the release of The Secret Fury (1950), RKO offered the actress the option of directing as well as acting, but she turned the offer down.
Biography in: "American National Biography". Supplement 1, pp. 115-117. New York: Oxford University Press, 2002.
Biography in: "Who's Who in Comedy" by Ronald L. Smith. Pg. 111-112. New York: Facts on File, 1992. ISBN 0816023387
Godmother of Helen B. Kelly.
In Sex and the City 2, Carrie and Mr. Big watch It Happened One Night (specifically the taxi scene) in a hotel. Later in the film, in an attempt to get a taxi in Abu Dhabi, Carrie mimmicks Claudette Colbert by showing some leg to stop a taxi.
In Italy, in her early films, most notably the multi-Oscar winner It Happened One Night (1934), she was dubbed by Nella Maria Bonora. Unlike other prominent Hollywood actresses, Colbert didn't have an 'official Italian voice': She was often dubbed by Giovanna Scotto and Lidia Simoneschi but Marcella Rovena, Andreina Pagnani, Tina Lattanzi and Lia Orlandini lent their voice to her at some point as well.
Measurements: 32 1/2B-25-34 (according to her costumer) (Source: Celebrity Sleuth magazine)
Most shots of her in her films were of her left profile. She considered her left side to be her best and only rarely allowed full face or right profile shots; an injury to her nose had created a bump on the right. Once an entire set had to be rebuilt so she wouldn't have to show her right side, resulting in some cameramen calling the right side of her face "the dark side of the moon".
Profiled in the book, "Funny Ladies: 100 Years of Great Comediennes", by Stephen M. Silverman. [1999]
She was so convinced that she would lose the Oscar competition in 1935 to write-in nominee Bette Davis, that she decided not to attend the awards ceremony. When she, contrary to her belief, won that year for her performance in It Happened One Night (1934) she was summoned from a train station to pick up her Oscar.
The shelving of a proposed movie about "Joan of Arc", at Warner Brothers in 1936, to be directed by Anatole Litvak, was considered one of her greatest disappointments in her career.
Twice appeared with fellow Academy Award winner Rex Harrison late in their careers in Broadway productions; "The Kingfisher" by William Douglas-Home opening at the Biltmore Theatre on December 16, 1978 running for 181 performances and "Aren't We All" by Frederick Lonsdale opening at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre on April 2, 1985 running for 93 performances.
Urged good friend Charles Boyer to learn English, in order to further his American movie career.
Was named #12 Actress on The American Film Institute's 50 Greatest Screen Legends
Was nominated for Broadway's 1959 Tony Award as Best Actress (Dramatic) for "The Marriage-Go-Round."
Was offered the part of Hildy Johnson in His Girl Friday (1940), but she turned it down. As a result Rosalind Russell was cast instead.