Claire Lillian Ijames described herself as "born in Louisville";[1] other sources give Richmond, Virginia as her hometown.

Tempest's act was admired not only for its humor but also for its technical ingenuity: "Florence Tempest has conceived and put into effect the most unique fashion of hair dressing for her boy characterization", commented one reviewer, "Her own front and side hair is combed into the wig and makes and excellent boy's pompadour without the suspicion of girlish coiffure.

"[5] The duo made a short silent film, Sunshine and Tempest (1915), in which they played telepathic twin sisters in the Tennessee mountains.

[10] She appeared on the cover art of sheet music in masculine suits and caps, in youthful poses, even smoking a cigarette; for "I Want a Boy to Love Me" (1913), she's shown lounging on a bench, a hand in her trouser pocket;[11] for "I Love the Ladies" (1914) she appears in a boater hat and the caption "Our American Boy".

[12] In the 1920s, no longer suited to "boyish" characters, she was in a vaudeville act with her second husband, comedian Homer Dickinson; they were billed as "Broadway's Smart Couple".