Darrieux, Danielle (1917–)

French actress. Born in Bordeaux, Gironde, France, May 1, 1917; dau. of Jean (ophthalmologist) and Marie-Louise Witkowski Darrieux; m. Henri Decoin (film director), 1934 (div. 1940); m. Porfirio Rubirosa, 1942 (div. 1947); m. Georges Mitsinkides (author), 1948; children: (3rd m.) Mathieu.

In an international career lasting more than 6 decades, appeared in a number of classic films, including Mayerling (1936) and La Ronde (1950); made film debut at 14 in Le Bal (1931); appeared in a highly successful musical, La Crise est finie (1934), followed by Mauvaise Graine (1934), Volga en flammes (1934) and Le Domino vert (1935); came to prominence with Mayerling (1936), in which she co-starred with Charles Boyer; starred in 1st husband's Mademoiselle ma mere and made stage debut in his Jeux Dangereux (1937); after the war, had a smashing success on stage in L'Amour Vient en Jouant, followed by La Ronde (1950), directed by Max Ophüls, and 2 further well-received roles in films directed by Ophüls, as Rosa in Le Plaisir (The House of Pleasure, 1952), and as Madame Louise de … in The Earrings of Madame de … (1953); other films include Katia (1938), Premier Rendezvous (1941), Adieu Chérie (1945), Five Fingers (1952), Alexander the Great (1956), The Young Girls of Rochefort (1967), En Haut des marches (1983), Une Chambre en ville (A Room in Town, 1982) and Les Mamies (1992); appeared on tv in "Plège infernal" (1991) and on Paris stage in Harold et Maude (1995). Received Chevalier de la legion d'honneur (1962), the rank of Officier de la legion d'honneur (1977), as well as the film industry's César d'honneur (1985) and the prix de l'Amicale des cadres de l'industrie cinématographique (1987).

See also Women in World History.