Michèle Morgan (; 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.
Early life 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.
Career 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". 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) directed by Jean Grémillon, both opposite Jean Gabin.
Upon the invasion of France in 1940 by the Germans, Morgan left for the United States and Hollywood where she was contracted to RKO Pictures in 1941. Her career there proved rather disappointing, apart from Joan of Paris (1942) opposite Paul Henreid, and Higher and Higher (1943) opposite Frank Sinatra. She was tested and strongly considered for the female lead in Casablanca but RKO would not release her for the amount of money that Warner Bros. offered. Morgan did work for Warners, however, in Passage to Marseille (1944) with Humphrey Bogart.
After the war, Morgan returned to France and quickly resumed her career with the film La Symphonie Pastorale (1946) directed by Jean Delannoy, which earned her the Best Actress award at the Cannes Film Festival. Her other films from this period include; Carol Reed's The Fallen Idol (1948), Fabiola (1949), The Proud and the Beautiful (1953) by Yves Allégret, Les Grandes Manœuvres (1955) by René Clair and Marie-Antoinette reine de France (1956). She continued working in films throughout the 1960s, such as in Lost Command (1966), a version of Les Centurions. In the 1970s, she virtually retired from her acting career, then made only occasional appearances in film, television and theatre.
For her contribution to the motion picture industry, Morgan has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1645 Vine Street. In 1969, the government of France awarded her the Légion d'Honneur. For her long service to the French motion picture industry, in 1992 she was given an Honorary César Award. In 1996, she also received the Career Golden Lion for lifetime achievement at the Venice Film Festival.
Morgan took up painting in the 1960s. She had a solo exhibition, "Artistes En Lumière à Paris", from 2 March to 30 April 2009, at the Espace Cardin in Paris. In 1977 she released her memoir, titled With Those Eyes (Avec ces yeux-là).
Personal life and death While in Hollywood, Morgan married William Marshall (1917–1994), in 1942, with whom she had a son, Mike Marshall (1944–2005). Morgan had built and owned a house at 10050 Cielo Drive. Morgan and Marshall divorced in 1948. She married French actor Henri Vidal (1919–1959) in 1950. She remained with him until his death in 1959. She then lived with film director and actor/writer Gérard Oury until his death in 2006.
Morgan died on 20 December 2016, aged 96, in Meudon, France of natural causes. Her funeral was held at the Église Saint-Pierre in Neuilly-sur-Seine on 23 December 2016, and she was buried at the Montparnasse Cemetery.
Despite living to the age of 96, she technically only had 24 birthdays due to being born on 29 February.
Filmography Year Title Role Director Notes1935Mademoiselle MozartThe trainer of the white elephantYvan Noécredited as Simone Morgan1937GribouilleNathalie RoguinMarc Allégretremade as The Lady in Question in 19401938OrageFrançoise MassartMarc Allégretwith Charles BoyerPort of ShadowsNellyMarcel Carnéwith Jean GabinNightclub HostessSuzyAlbert Valentinwritten by Charles Spaak1939Coral ReefsLilian WhiteMaurice Gleizewith Jean GabinMusicians of the SkyLieutenant SaulnierGeorges Lacombewith Michel Simon1940Stormy WatersCatherineJean Grémillonbased on a novel by Roger VercelThe Heart of a NationMarie Froment-LéonardJulien Duvivierwith Raimu1941My Life with Caroline"Annette" (uncredited)Lewis Milestonewritten by John Van Druten1942La Loi du nordJacqueline BertJacques Feyderbased on a novel by Maurice Constantin-WeyerJoan of ParisJoanRobert Stevensonwith Paul Henreid1943Two Tickets to LondonJeanneEdwin L. Marinwith Alan CurtisHigher and HigherMillie Pico alias Paméla DrakeTim WhelanFrank Sinatra's film debut1944Passage to MarseillePaulaMichael Curtizwith Humphrey Bogart1946The ChaseLorna RomanArthur Ripleywith Robert Cummings Pastoral SymphonyGertrude (the young blind woman)Jean DelannoyCannes Film Festival Award for Best Actress with Pierre Blanchar1947The Fallen IdolJulieCarol Reedwith Ralph Richardson and Bobby Henrey.1948To the Eyes of MemoryClaire MagnyJean Delannoywith Jean Marais1949The Fighting GladiatorFabiolaAlessandro Blasettiwith Henri VidalHere Is the BeautyJeanne MorelJean-Paul Le Chanoisbased on a novel by Vicki Baum1950The Glass CastleEvelyne Lorin-BertalRené Clémenttwo versions, one filmed in ItalianThe Strange Madame XIrène Voisin-LariveJean Grémillonwith Henri VidalThe Naked HeartMaria ChapdelaineMarc Allégretbased on the novel by Louis Hémon1951The Seven Deadly SinsAnne-Marie de PallièresClaude Autant-Laraepisode "Pride"1952The Moment of Truth Madeleine RichardJean Delannoywith Jean Gabin1953The Proud and the BeautifulNellyYves Allégretwith Gérard Philipe1954Love, Soldiers and WomenJoan of ArcJean Delannoyepisode "Jeanne"ObsessionHélène GiovanniJean Delannoybased on a novel by Cornell WoolrichNapoléonJoséphine de BeauharnaisSacha GuitryDaniel Gélin/Raymond Pellegrin as Napoléon1955The Grand ManeuverMarie-Louise RivièreRené Clairwith Gérard PhilipeMarguerite of the NightMargueriteClaude Autant-Larawith Yves MontandMarie Antoinette Queen of FranceMarie-Antoinette, Queen of FranceJean Delannoywith Richard ToddIf Paris Were Told to UsGabrielle d'EstréesSacha Guitryportraying the mistress of Henry IV of France1956OasisFrançoise LignièresYves Allégretwith Pierre Brasseur1957The VintageLéonne MorelJeffrey Haydenwith Mel FerrerThere's Always a Price TagHélène FrémingerDenys de La Patellièrewith Daniel Gélin and Peter van Eyck1958The Mirror Has Two FacesMarie-Josée Tardivet, Pierre's wifeAndré Cayattewith Bourvil and Ivan DesnyMaximeJacqueline MonneronHenri Verneuilwith Charles BoyerGirls for the SummerMichelineGianni Franciolinicomedy with Alberto Sordi1959Menschen im HotelLa GrusinskaïaGottfried Reinhardtwith O. W. FischerWinter HolidaysSteffa TardierCamillo Mastrocinquewith Georges MarchalThe WretchesThelma RoolandRobert Hosseinwith Olivier HussenotWhy Do You Come So Late?Catherine FerrerHenri Decoinwith Henri Vidal1960FortunatJuliette ValcourtAlex Joffétitle character played by Bourvil1961Three Faces of SinRenée PlègeFrançois Villierswith Jean-Claude BrialyThe Lions Are LooseCécileHenri Verneuilwith Jean-Claude Brialy1962LandruCélestine BuissonClaude Chabrolwith Charles DennerMeetingsBella KrastnerPhilippe Agostiniwith Gabriele FerzettiCrime Does Not PayJeanne HuguesGérard Ouryepisode "The Hugues Case"The WinnerAs herselfFrançois ReichenbachLouis Delluc Prize, Golden Leopard1963Be Careful LadiesDenise DuparcAndré Hunebellewith Paul MeurisseWeb of FearConstanceFrançois Villierswith Dany Saval1964Marked EyesFlorenceRobert Hosseinstarring the film's directorThe Last StepsYolande SimonetJacques Robinwith Jean-Louis TrintignantThe ScapegoatPrincess SofiaDuccio Tessaribased on a novel by Francesco Dall'Ongaro1965Tell Me Whom to KillGeneviève MontanetÉtienne Périerwith Paul Hubschmid1966Lost CommandThe Countess of ClairfondMark Robsonwith Anthony Quinn1967La Bien-aiméeFanny DréalJacques Doniol-ValcrozeTV filmThe Diary of an Innocent BoyThe CountessMichel Devillewith Pierre Clémenti and Michel Piccoli1975Cat and MouseMadame RichardClaude Lelouchwith Serge Reggiani1986Le Tiroir secretColette Dutilleul-LemarchandÉdouard Molinaro, Roger Gillioz, Michel Boisrond, Nadine TrintignantTV miniseries, 6 episodes1990Everybody's FineA woman in the trainGiuseppe Tornatore with Marcello Mastroianni
Trivia The former President of Chile Michelle Bachelet was named after Michèle Morgan.
She almost played Ilsa Lund in Casablanca.
References
Further reading
External links
Michèle Morgan at filmsdefrance.com
Photographs of Michèle Morgan