Claude Noel Hulbert, a renowned comedian of the stage and screen, was born in the charming district of Fulham, London in the year 1901. He was the younger brother of the illustrious Jack Hulbert, a multi-talented comedian, singer, and comic dancer. Like his brother, Claude was educated at the prestigious Cambridge University, where he was an active member of the esteemed Footlights comedy club as an undergraduate.
Claude began his professional acting career by taking on supporting roles in numerous Aldwych farces, starring alongside notable comedians such as Tom Walls and Ralph Lynn. His first foray into the world of cinema was in 1928, and he soon transitioned to starring roles in films like Their Night Out (1933),alongside Binnie Barnes.
One of his most iconic roles during this period was as the lovable but silly brother to Ralph Lynn in A Cup of Kindness (1934),followed by starring turns in Hello, Sweetheart (1935) and Wolf's Clothing (1936),where he played a hapless diplomat.
Claude continued to appear in films throughout the 1940s, notably alongside Will Hay in the popular comedies The Ghost of St. Michael's (1941) and My Learned Friend (1943),which were the most successful of his later vehicles.
Sadly, Claude Noel Hulbert passed away in a hospital in Sydney, Australia, while on a world cruise with his family.