claire 3

Dorothy Claire is shown with fellow vocalists of the Glenn Miller Band, including Tex Beneke (standing, left). Claire was also a Tony Award winner.

   A little stardust sprinkled LaPorte in the name of one Dorothy Claire, who became a popular singer in the Big Band era and on Broadway.

fern   Dorothy Claire was born Marietta Wright on June 5, 1925, in LaPorte to Nelson Henry and Clara P. (Goretski) Wright. The “Musical Wrights” were well known for their singing and although neither had professional training, they both knew all of the popular songs of the day and shared their talents with the community. The family lived on West Street and Mr. Wright worked as a tool and die maker at the Advance-Rumely plant.

   Dorothy was named for her mother’s favorite Victor Herbert operetta, “Naughty Marietta,” and she apparently lived up to the name. Dorothy had three sisters who were all singers. Reportedly when her sisters were playing with dolls and having tea parties, the petite, golden-haired Dorothy belied her angelic looks and was swinging a bat or shooting marbles with the boys in the neighborhood.

   Music was in the household — Nelson played the ukulele, violin, banjo and harmonica, and Clara played the piano. The children were exposed to singing from birth to the stage. Dorothy said they began to sing as soon as they could talk. When she was 5, Nelson entered Dorothy in an amateur contest and she won first prize singing “There’s Something Nice About Everybody But There’s Everything Nice About You.”

   When she was 16 and a high school senior, Dorothy and her older sister, Debby, were invited to the Notre Dame prom. The Indiana University Band was playing and since the Wright girls knew a lot of the band members, they were asked to sing. Debby refused, but Dorothy sang “I Can’t Give You Anything But Love” and “Dinah,” and got a lot of applause. As a result, she was asked to sing with another band.

   Dorothy’s parents wanted her to finish high school, but the bandleader wanted her right away. They consulted with the LaPorte High School Latin teacher, who gave her approval, saying Dorothy might as well take advantage of the showbiz break. But Dorothy didn’t let her singing interfere with her education — she graduated from LPHS, where she had been captain of the girls basketball team and was a cheerleader. Meanwhile, the bandleader changed her name to Dorothy for movie star Dorothy Lamour, and Claire for Ina Claire.

   Dorothy sang with several name bands — Glenn Miller, Bob Crosby and Tommy Dorsey. During that time she met another young singer with whom she shared dreams of stardom. That singer: Frank Sinatra.

   Dorothy was singing at the Strand Theater in New York when she was asked to try out for the role of Sharon in “Finian’s Rainbow.” After the star became ill and the understudy was dismissed, she hit the stage as Sharon. She did so well that the original star became Dorothy’s understudy. She stayed for 18 months and played to big houses.

   Among her other engagements were the Copacabana, ABC, Station WJZ in New York with her own program entitled “That’s For Me,” and the same program over WENR in Chicago.

   Dorothy won the Tony Award for her part as Pauline in “No, No, Nanette.” But she said her biggest thrill was appearing on the Kraft Music Hall show with Bing Crosby at the request of “Der Bingle” himself. Crosby said of her, “That girl can sing!”

   UPDATE: A cousin of Dorothy Claire’s contacted Fern and WNLP via e-mail after this column was posted. Steven Williamson of California said Dorothy moved back to LaPorte in the late 1970s and opened her own restaurant, “Dorothy Claire’s Place.” She passed away in the mid 1980s. “She was a great lady,” he said. 

FERN EDDY SCHULTZ is LaPorte County’s official Historian. Visit the LaPorte County Historical Society Museum, 2405 Indiana Ave., and its website, www.laportecountyhistory.org, to learn much more about LaPorte County’s history.