George was born on September 13, 1904[1] in Patten, Maine to British parents, Sir Arthur Evans Clare, a "noted Shakespearean actor", and his wife, Lady Alice.

[2][3] Another source indicated "Gladys was born in a little town in Missouri, where the troupe her parents belonged to happened to be stranded at the time.

"[4] George went on the stage at the age of 3 and toured the United States, appearing with her parents, who were British actors.

[5] Other roles were in Madame X (1937), Marie Antoinette (1938), The Roaring Twenties (1939), The Way of All Flesh (1940), The Maltese Falcon (1941), The Hard Way (1943), The Best Years of Our Lives (1946), He Ran All the Way (1951), Detective Story (1951), and Lullaby of Broadway (1951).

[citation needed] George was afflicted with numerous ailments, including throat cancer, heart disease, and cirrhosis of the liver.