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French tragedian, comic actor and stage director For the New Zealand teacher, see Marie Bell (educationalist).

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Marie Bell

Born	Marie-Jeanne Bellon-Downey (1900-12-23)23 December 1900 Bègles, France
Died	14 August 1985(1985-08-14) (aged 84) Neuilly-sur-Seine, Hauts-de-Seine, France
Resting place	Monaco Cemetery
Occupation(s)	Tragedian, comic actor, stage director
Spouse	Jean Chevrier

Marie Bell (23 December 1900 – 14 August 1985), born Marie-Jeanne Bellon-Downey, was a French tragedian, comic actor and stage director. She was the director of the Théâtre du Gymnase in Paris from 1962 onwards, and this theatre now bears her name.

Early life

Marie Bell was born on 23 December 1900 in Bègles near Bordeaux (France). With her Irish father, she spent her childhood between Bordeaux and England.

Career

Bell was a classical actress. She also appeared in avant-garde theatre, Jean Genet in particular.

Her interpretation of the role of Phèdre is highly noted : "Voir Marie Bell dans Phèdre est une chance unique pour quiconque veut savoir ce qu'est le génie français." André Malraux

During the German Occupation of France (1940–1944), she participated in the French resistance as one of nine directors of the Front national du théâtre. She was awarded the decoration of the Légion d'honneur by President Charles de Gaulle.

Personal life

Bell married Jean Chevrier, who was also an actor.

Death

Bell died on 14 August 1985 in Neuilly-sur-Seine, Hauts-de-Seine, France. She was buried alongside her husband Jean Chevrier at the Monaco Cemetery not far from Josephine Baker.

Filmography

Paris (dir. René Hervil, 1924), as Marthe de Lignières
Madame Récamier (dir. Tony Lekain and Gaston Ravel, 1928), as Juliette Récamier
The Farewell Waltz (dir. Henry Roussel, 1928), as Maria Wodzińska
Figaro (dir. Tony Lekain and Gaston Ravel, 1929), as Suzanne
La nuit est à nous (The Night Is Ours) (dir. Carl Froelich and Henry Roussel, 1930), as Bettine de Barsac
Le Joker (dir. Erich Waschneck, 1930), as Harriet Williams
L'Homme qui assassina [fr] (dir. Curtis Bernhardt and Jean Tarride, 1931), as Lady Falkland
La Folle Aventure (dir. Carl Froelich and André-Paul Antoine, 1931), as Nelly Irwin
Luck (dir. René Guissart, 1931), as Tania Balieff
The Man with the Hispano (dir. Jean Epstein, 1933), as Stéphane Oswill
The Princess's Whim (dir. Karl Hartl and Henri-Georges Clouzot, 1934), as Isabelle
Fedora (dir. Louis J. Gasnier, 1934), as Fedora
Le Grand Jeu (dir. Jacques Feyder, 1934), as Florence / Irma
Poliche (dir. Abel Gance, 1934), as Rosine
Fiordalisi d'oro [it] (dir. Giovacchino Forzano, 1935), as Anne-Marie de Beaulieu
- Sous la terreur [fr] (dir. Giovacchino Forzano and Marcel Cravenne, 1936), as Anne-Marie de Beaulieu
Story of a Poor Young Man [fr] (dir. Abel Gance, 1936), as Marguerite
La Garçonne (dir. Jean de Limur, 1936), as Monique Lerbier – la garçonne
Temptation (dir. Pierre Caron, 1936), as Irène de Bergue
When Midnight Strikes (dir. Léo Joannon, 1936), as Mattia
Les Demi-vierges (dir. Pierre Caron, 1936), as Maud de Rouvre
Blanchette (dir. Pierre Caron, 1937), as Blanchette Rousset
Pantins d'amour [fr] (dir. Walter Kapps, 1937), as Renée Morhange
Un carnet de bal (Life Dances On) (dir. Julien Duvivier, 1937), as Christine Surgère
Légions d'honneur [fr] (dir. Maurice Gleize, 1938), de Simone
La Glu (dir. Jean Choux, 1938), as Fernande "La Glu"
Noix de coco (Cocoanut) (dir. Jean Boyer, 1939), as Caroline
The Phantom Carriage (dir. Julien Duvivier, 1939), as Sœur Maria
Those of the Sky (dir. Yvan Noé, 1941), as Hélène
Private Life (dir. Walter Kapps, 1942), as Florence
Le colonel Chabert (dir. René Le Hénaff, 1943), as Comtesse Rosine Ferraud
Il gattopardo (The Leopard) (dir. Luchino Visconti, 1963), uncredited
La Bonne Soupe (dir. Robert Thomas, 1964), as Marie-Paule
Vaghe stelle dell'Orsa (Sandra) (dir. Luchino Visconti, 1965), as Sandra's mother
Hotel Paradiso (dir. Peter Glenville, 1966), as La Grande Antoinette
Phèdre (dir. Pierre Jourdan, 1968), as Phèdre
Closed Shutters (dir. Jean-Claude Brialy, 1973), as Aurore

References

Dictionary of Pseudonyms: 13,000 Assumed Names and Their Origins (Fifth ed.). Jefferson and London: McFarland and Company. 2010. p. 55. ISBN 978-0-7864-4373-4.
"Marie Bell".
"Seeing Marie Bell in Phèdre is a unique opportunity for anyone who wants to know what is the French genius." Cited in L'Avant-Scène n°342 (October 1965)
Marie-Agnès Joubert, La Comédie-Française sous l’Occupation, Paris, Tallandier, 1998, p. 353.
"Marie Bell".
^ "Visite funéraire de Monaco". Amis et Passionés du Père-Lachaise. Retrieved 26 December 2015.

External links

Marie Bell at IMDb
Marie Bell at Find a Grave
Marie Bell at Ciné-Ressources (French)
Marie Bell at AlloCiné (in French)
brief biography of Marie Bell

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