Morgan, Michèle (1920–)

French actress. Name variations: Michele Morgan. Born Simone Roussel, Feb 29, 1920, in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France; m. William Marshall (American actor), 1942 (div. 1949); m. Henri Vidal (French actor), 1950 (died 1959); children: (1st m.) Michael.

One of France's most acclaimed actresses, studied drama and dance as a child; began appearing in small film roles (1935); came to stardom in Allégret's Gribouille (1937), followed by Orage (The Storm, 1938), Quai des Brumes (Port of Shadows, 1938), L'Entrâineuse (The Trainer, 1939) and Les Musiciens du ciel (Heaven's Musicians, 1940); by start of WWII, was among the most popular screen personalities in France (1939); spent much of the war in Hollywood, making several films which were generally mediocre (1939–45), including Joan of Paris (1942), Two Tickets to London (1943) and Passage to Marseilles (1944); returned triumphantly to French screen (1946), winning Best Actress award at Cannes for work in La Symphonie Pastorale; maintained active international screen career (1940s–70s), in such films as The Fallen Idol (1948), The Naked Heart (1949), Fabiola (1951), Les Grande Manoevres (1956) and Lost Command (1964); served as president of Cannes Film Festival (1971); was a member of board of directors of France's government-owned tv channel, FR3, and began accepting tv work (her series Le Tiroir Secret was a huge success); appeared on stage in Cherie (1982), which ran for 246 performances in Paris, and the Italian-French comedy Tutti stanno benne (Everybody's Fine, 1990). Named Chevalier of the French Legion of Honor (1969); made an officer of France's National Order of Merit (1975).

See also autobiography (with Marcelle Routier) Avec ces yeux-la (Editions Laffont, 1977, published in English as With Those Eyes); and Women in World History.