Clara Beranger(1886-1956)

Clara S. Beranger was born in Baltimore, Maryland and was a 1907 Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Goucher College in Baltimore. Early in her career, she wrote some newspaper and magazine articles. On a whim, she submitted a screenplay which was accepted. She eventually found work writing for several studios, including Edison, Kalem, Vitagraph, and Fox. By 1919, Beranger had already written over 100 screenplays and was reportedly making $75,000 a year for Famous Players-Lasky. In 1928, she married Producer William DeMille, brother of C.B. DeMille. The pair exchanged vows on a train in New Mexico. It was the second marriage for both, and it lasted until DeMille's death in 1955. After her retirement from film work, Beranger taught screenwriting at the University of Southern California. A deeply religious woman, she was the author of the books "Peace Begins at Home" and "You Can Be Happy." She also wrote for the inspirational "Guideposts" magazine. In September of 1956, Beranger succumbed to a heart attack in Los Angeles, at age 70.