Biographical Overview & Key Facts

Subject:

Michèle Morgan

Role / Field:

Iconic French actress, celebrated for her leading roles in cinema from the 1930s to the 1990s.

Born:

1920-02-29

Died:

2016-12-20

Century / Era:

1920s Historical Era

Database Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0

Origins & Early Life

Michèle Morgan (French: [miʃɛl mɔʁɡɑ̃]; born Simone Renée Roussel; 29 February 1920 – 20 December 2016) was a French film actress, who was a leading lady for three decades in both French cinema and Hollywood features. She is considered one of the greatest French actresses of the 20th century. Morgan was the inaugural winner of the Best Actress Award at the Cannes Film Festival. In 1992, she was given an honorary César Award for her contributions to French cinema.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Morgan was born Simone Renée Roussel in Neuilly-sur-Seine, Hauts-de-Seine, a suburb of Paris. She grew up in Dieppe, Seine-Maritime, France. Morgan left home at the age of 15 for Paris determined to become an actress. She took acting lessons from René Simon while serving as an extra in several films to pay for her drama classes. It was then that she took the stage name "Michèle Morgan".

Enduring Legacy & Impact

She argued that she did not have the body type of a Simone, and "Morgan" sounded more Hollywood-friendly. Morgan was first noticed by director Marc Allégret, who offered her a major role in the film Gribouille (1937), opposite Raimu. Then came Le Quai des brumes (1938) directed by Marcel Carné and Remorques (1941...

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Frequently Asked Questions about Michèle Morgan