Michèle Morgan was a renowned French actress, born Simone Renee Roussel on February 29, 1920. She began her acting career at the age of 16, working as a film extra to pay for drama classes under René Simon.
Michèle's early success came with her role in Heart of Paris (1937),directed by Marc Allégret, which cemented her stardom. Her unique features and captivating on-screen presence led audiences to compare her to a young Greta Garbo.
Throughout her career, Michèle appeared in numerous films, including Orage (1938),Moth and the Flame (1938),Coral Reefs (1939),Stormy Waters (1941),L'entraîneuse (1939),and La loi du nord (1939). She also worked with prominent directors such as Marcel Carné and Marc Allégret.
In the 1940s, Michèle fled war-torn France for Hollywood, where she earned roles based on her European prestige. However, she struggled to stand out among other female foreign imports, such as Ingrid Bergman, and received only modest reception for her US-based films.
Despite this, Michèle continued to thrive in France, appearing in films such as The Proud and the Beautiful (1953),The Moment of Truth (1952),Oasis (1955),The Grand Maneuver (1955),Shadow of the Guillotine (1956),Grand Hotel (1959),Bluebeard (1963),Web of Fear (1964),The Diary of an Innocent Boy (1968),and Cat and Mouse (1975).
Michèle received numerous accolades throughout her career, including the first Cannes Film Festival award for "best actress" for her performance in Pastoral Symphony (1946). She also received an honorary Cesar Award in 1992.
In her personal life, Michèle was married three times, first to American actor/singer William Marshall, then to Gallic star Henri Vidal, and finally to French actor/writer/director Gérard Oury. She had an unbilled cameo in A Man and a Woman: 20 Years Later (1986) with her third husband.
Michèle Morgan passed away on December 20, 2016, at the age of 96, leaving behind a legacy as one of France's most beloved and enduring actresses.
