Claire Trevor (March 8, 1910 – April 8, 2000) was an American actress, who appeared in 65 feature films from 1933 to 1982. According to her biography on the website of Claire Trevor School of the Arts, “Trevor’s acting career spanned more than seven decades and included successes in stage, radio, television, and film…[She] often played the hard-boiled blonde, and every conceivable type of ‘bad girl’ role.”
Trevor is often regarded as the “Queen of Film Noir” due to her compelling portrayals of tough, complex, and often tragic women in the shadowy world of noir cinema. Across her career, she played everything from femme fatales to desperate, down-on-their-luck characters, leaving an indelible mark on the genre.
The 1940s cemented Claire Trevor as the ultimate film noir actress, playing a range of characters from desperate lovers to manipulative femme fatales. Her ability to bring raw emotion, intelligence, and depth to each role made her an essential part of classic Hollywood’s noir era.
Trevor’s influence on film noir is undeniable. While actresses like Barbara Stanwyck, Gloria Grahame, and Joan Bennett also defined the genre, her raw emotional performances set her apart. She embodied the broken dreams, hard choices, and tragic destinies that defined noir.
Below is a collection of 30 stunning black and white portraits of Claire Trevor in the 1940s:
