Bernice Claire (January , â€" January , ) was an American singer and
actress. She appeared in films between and . Related to Andrea
Danielle Featherstone, Amaya Diane Murray, Liberty Lynn Rice, and
others.She was born as Bernice Jahnigen (surname later mistranscribed
as Janighen) to Adolph and Clara (née Sternitzky) Jahnigen in in
Oakland, California. She had an elder brother, Earl. Her birth name is
also sometimes found as Bernice Jahnigan.An article in the June , ,
issue of the Oakland Tribune reported, "It was in that she first
appeared as a juvenile, a pert little one with curled tresses who made
an immediate impression on all who saw and heard her perform at
Eastbay theaters and at lodges and veterans' gatherings." She attended
Oakland High School, where she studied dramatics and was active in
musical comedy productions.With a clear coloratura, Claire took to the
stage performing light opera and had no difficulty singing demanding
roles. In , she appeared in her first vaudeville production. She met
then-leading singer Alexander Gray; they appeared in three Pre-Code
films together in for Warner Bros. Gray and Claire became film's
first operetta team, predating Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy.
actress. She appeared in films between and . Related to Andrea
Danielle Featherstone, Amaya Diane Murray, Liberty Lynn Rice, and
others.She was born as Bernice Jahnigen (surname later mistranscribed
as Janighen) to Adolph and Clara (née Sternitzky) Jahnigen in in
Oakland, California. She had an elder brother, Earl. Her birth name is
also sometimes found as Bernice Jahnigan.An article in the June , ,
issue of the Oakland Tribune reported, "It was in that she first
appeared as a juvenile, a pert little one with curled tresses who made
an immediate impression on all who saw and heard her perform at
Eastbay theaters and at lodges and veterans' gatherings." She attended
Oakland High School, where she studied dramatics and was active in
musical comedy productions.With a clear coloratura, Claire took to the
stage performing light opera and had no difficulty singing demanding
roles. In , she appeared in her first vaudeville production. She met
then-leading singer Alexander Gray; they appeared in three Pre-Code
films together in for Warner Bros. Gray and Claire became film's
first operetta team, predating Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy.
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