The French publisher FA (F.A. Christensen) presented in the 1910s a postcard series with the stars of the Comédie-Française. The Comédie-Française is one of the few state theatres in France. Founded in 1680, it is the oldest active theatre company in the world. The membership of the theatrical troupe is divided into 'Sociétaires' and 'Pensionnaires'. The former are regular members of the organisation and as such receive a pension after 20 years of service, while the latter are paid actors who may, after a certain length of service, become 'Sociétaires'. The names of nearly all the great actors and dramatists of France have, at some time in their career, been associated with that of the Comédie-Française.
French postcard by FA, no. 2:1. Photo: Reutlinger. Caption: Robinne et Alexandre, Comédie Française.
Comédie Française actress Gabrielle Robinne (1886-1980) or Robinne was one of the first French film stars. The peak of her film career was in the 1910s when she starred in mundane and romantic dramas by Pathé. With her blond hair, passionate eyes and elegant posture, she was the perfect ‘femme du monde’. Robinne entered the Comédie-Française in 1907. She became a Societaire in 1924 and stayed there until 1938. In addition to her beauty, her versatility made her one of the most active and popular actresses on the French stage.
René Alexandre (1885-1946) or Alexandre was a French actor of the Comédie-Française. Between 1909 and 1940, he acted in some 53 films, mainly shorts by Pathé but also André Antoine’s rural drama La Terre (1921). In 1908, he entered the Comédie-Française, where he was a Sociétaire between 1920 and 1944 and became Sociétaire Honoraire in 1945. His repertory included the classics of Racine, Molière, Shakespeare and Victor Hugo, but also more modern authors such as Henri Lavedan, Paul Ferrier, and Henri Marx.
French postcard by FA, no. 21. Photo: Henri Manuel. Caption: Julia Bartet, Comédie Française.
Julia Bartet (1854-1941) was a member (1879) and Sociétaire (1880) of the Comédie Française, where she was one of the big stars of her time. She retired in 1919. She played in three Film d'Art films: Le Retour d'Ulysse (1908), Rival de son père (1910), and Louis XI (1910).
French postcard by FA, no. 32. Photo: Talbot. Caption: Faber, Comédie Française.
Jane Faber (1880-1968) was a Belgian actress, who was active in French cinema of the 1910s and is best known for her role as Princess Sonia Danidoff in the crime serial Fantomas (Louis Feuillade, 1913-1914). She was also a notable actress of the Comédie-Française, from 1910 (then becoming the 268th resident of the institution) to 1951. Among the many plays she performed at the Comédie-Française were Jules Renard's 'Poil de carrote' (1912), with Léon Bernard and Marie Leconte, Molière's and Jean-Baptiste Lully's comedy-ballet 'L'Amour médecin' (1920), with Georges Berr, 'La Dispute' (1938) by Marivaux with Jean Martinelli, 'La Reine morte' (1942) by Henry de Montherlant, with Jean-Louis Barrault, as well as 'Tartuffe ou l'imposteur' (1949) by Molière, with Jean Yonnel.
French postcard by FA, no. 35. Photo: Henri Manuel. Albert Lambert Fils de la Comédie Française.
Albert Lambert (1865-1941), a.k.a. Albert Lambert fils, was a French stage and screen actor, who was for a long time part of the Comédie-Française, but also played in several early French Film d’Art films, first of all, L'Assassinat du Duc de Guise (André Calmettes, Charles Le Bargy, 1908).
French postcard by FA, no. 41. Photo: Henri Manuel, Paris. Caption: (René) Alexandre, Comédie Française.
French postcard by FA, no. 51. Photo (Henri) Manuel. Caption: Pièrat, Comédie Française.
Marie-Thérèse Piérat (1883-1934), whose real name was Marie Panot, was a member of a theatre family. In 1900 she started drama school at the Paris Conservatoire (for which she swapped her birth certificate with a younger, stillborn girl) and graduated in 1901, starting her career at the Odéon theatre. She became a member (1902), Sociétaire (1905) and Doyenne of the Comédie-Française, where she mingled the classic repertory with more modern plays by Bataille, Kistemaeckers, Ibsen and Bernstein. She starred in only one film, the French silent film Pour régner (André Luguet, 1926), for which she wrote the script herself. Her early death in 1934 because of angina pectoris (she was only 50) created a stir in the international press.
French postcard by FA, no. 57. Photo: Félix. Caption: Paul Mounet, Comédie Française.
Paul Mounet (1847–1922), born Jean-Paul Mounet, was a French actor of the Comédie Française, who also acted in various film d'art films around 1910. He was the younger brother of actor Jean Mounet-Sully.
French postcard by FA, no. 58. Photo: Félix, Paris. Caption: (Gabrielle) Robinne, Comédie Française.
French postcard by FA, no. 71. Photo: A. Bert. Caption: Grant (sic), Comédie Française. Georges Grand's last name is misspelled.
Valentin Pierre Louis MacLeod, better known as Georges Grand (1864-1921), was a French stage and screen actor, who was first an acclaimed actor with André Antoine before becoming a reputed actor of the Comédie Française. He also acted in 11 modern and historical dramas by Pathé Frères. In 1906, he entered the Comédie-Française. Here he was Sociétaire between 1908 and 1921 and mostly played in modern repertory by Paul Hervieu, Eugène Brieux, Henry Bataille, Henry Kistemaeckers, etc.
French postcard by FA, no. 86. Photo Félix. Caption: Paul Numa, Comédie Française.
Paul Jules Numa Haëring named Paul Numa (1865-1953) was a French stage and screen actor. He was a Pensionnaire at the Comédie Française, but unclear is when this started. He remained attached to it for decades, and for sure even in the years 1927-1932 he was still Pensionnaire, but he never became one of the Sociétaires.
French postcard by FA, no. 94. Photo: Henri Manuel.
Firmin Gémier (1869-1933) was actor, director and theatre manager at the French stage, promotor of the Théâtre Populaire and founder of the first Théâtre National Populaire (Paris 1920). He also acted in the French silent and sound cinema of the 1910s to the 1930s.
French postcard by F.A. (F.A. Christensen), no. 150. Photo: A. Bert, Paris. Caption: Georges Berr, Comédie Française.
Georges Berr (1867-1942) was a French actor and dramatist, and a member and Sociétaire of the Comédie-Française from 1886 to 1923. Under the pseudonyms Colias and Henry Bott he wrote several plays, particularly in collaboration with Louis Verneuil. While he only acted in one film, Les précieuses ridicules (1910), directed by himself, and only directed one other film, L'enfant prodigue (1909), both for Pathé Frères, Berr was a most active playwright whose plays were often adapted for the cinema, such as Le Million (René Clair, 1931), scripted by Clair and Berr himself. Berr worked on three other film scenarios, while he was the dialogue writer for four more films, including La porteuse de pain (René Sti, 1934). He was Jean-Pierre Aumont's uncle.
French postcard by FA, no. 203. Photo: A. Bert. Caption: Jules Leitner as Alceste in the play 'The Misanthrope' by Moliere, performed at the Comédie Française in August 1908.
Jules-Louis-Auguste Leitner (1862-1940) was a French stage actor of the Comédie Française. Leitner acted in a few films of the company Film d'Art, including Jésus de Nazareth (André Calmettes, Henri Desfontaines, 1911).
French postcard by FA, no. 208. Photo: A. Bert. Caption: Georges Berr as 'Le bon roi Dagobert' at the Comédie Française.
French postcard by FA, no. 219. Photo: A. Bert. Caption: Jacques Fenoux, Comédie Française.
Jacques Fenoux (1870-1930) entered the Comédie-Française in 1895, became a Sociétaire in 1906, retired in 1924, and became a Sociétaire Honoraire in 1925. As the site of the Comédie states: "Fenoux was the type of a conscientious member, able to move effortlessly from one job to another, from small to large parts. He was appointed honorary member in 1925 but continued to play until his last days. He barely disappeared two weeks after having last interpreted Bazile, from The Barber of Seville." As far is known, his only performance was in Jacques de Féraudy's film Molière, sa vie, son oeuvre (1922), in which actors of the Comédie Française can be seen rehearsing plays by Molière.
French postcard by FA, no. 223. Photo: A. Bert. Caption: Mme. Silvain, Comédie Française.
Louise Silvain (1874-1930) entered the Comédie Française in 1901, became Sociétaire in 1910 and Sociétaire honoraire in 1925. She was married to Eugène Silvain, aka Sylvain. She acted in the films Une scène d'Andromaque à la Comédie Française (dir. unknown, 1909) and Molière, sa vie, son oeuvre (Jacques de Féraudy, 1922).
French postcard by FA, no. 262. Photo: H. Manuel. Caption: Piérat, Comédie Française.
French postcard by FA, no. 275. Photo: Félix. Caption: Colonna Romano, Comédie Française.
French stage actress (Gabrielle) Colonna-Romano (1883-1981) was a pupil of Sarah Bernhardt and a famous tragedienne of the Comédie-Française from 1913 till 1936. She also appeared in Film d'Art shorts and other early silent films. Her love life was tempestuous and legendary.
French postcard by FA, no. 312. Photo: Henri Manuel. Jean Worms, Comédie Française. Worms dressed up in Napoleonic costume
Jean Worms (1884–1943) was a French stage and screen actor, who from 1910 acted in French silent film and peaked there in the late 1910s, while all through the 1930s he was a prolific and well-known actor in French sound film.
French postcard by FA, no. 317. Photo: Félix. Caption: Roger Galliard (sic), Comédie Française. Roger Gaillard's second name is misspelled on this card.
Roger Gaillard (1893-1970) was a French stage and screen actor. He was a respected actor at the Comédie-Française between 1916 and 1924 but mainly acted in cinema a decade after, in the 1930s French sound cinema. He was Pensionnaire at the Comédie-Française between 1916 and 1924, where he played in their classic repertory of Racine, Corneille, Shakespeare, and Victor Hugo, but also modern plays by e.g. Henri Bataille and Jean Serment.
French postcard by FA, no. 320. Photo: Reutlinger. Caption: Provost, Comédie Française.
Jeanne Provost (1897-1980) was a member of the Comédie-Française only between 1907 and 1912. She would act in some 25 silent and sound films.
French postcard by FA, no. 321. Photo: Reutlinger. Caption: Cécile Sorel, Comédie Française.
Legendary actress Cécile Sorel (1873-1966) was the ‘queen of the French stage’ during the Belle Epoque, the period between the Paris Exposition of 1900 and the First World War. Her public appearances, often in extravagant costumes, created a sensation. During her long life, she played in five films. In 1901, she started to perform at the Comédie-Française, where she specialised in playing ‘grandes coquettes’. Her style was very recognisable, with her declamatory tone and articulated diction. It was also the style of Sarah Bernhardt. Like the latter, she is particularly associated with the role of the courtesan Célimène in 'Le Misanthrope' by Molière. Other success roles were 'La Dame aux camellias' and 'Marion Delorme' by Victor Hugo. In 1904, she was elected 339th Sociétaire of the Comédie-Française, and Sorel would remain there until 1933.
Sources: Comédie-Française (French), and Wikipedia.
French postcard by FA, no. 2:1. Photo: Reutlinger. Caption: Robinne et Alexandre, Comédie Française.
Comédie Française actress Gabrielle Robinne (1886-1980) or Robinne was one of the first French film stars. The peak of her film career was in the 1910s when she starred in mundane and romantic dramas by Pathé. With her blond hair, passionate eyes and elegant posture, she was the perfect ‘femme du monde’. Robinne entered the Comédie-Française in 1907. She became a Societaire in 1924 and stayed there until 1938. In addition to her beauty, her versatility made her one of the most active and popular actresses on the French stage.
René Alexandre (1885-1946) or Alexandre was a French actor of the Comédie-Française. Between 1909 and 1940, he acted in some 53 films, mainly shorts by Pathé but also André Antoine’s rural drama La Terre (1921). In 1908, he entered the Comédie-Française, where he was a Sociétaire between 1920 and 1944 and became Sociétaire Honoraire in 1945. His repertory included the classics of Racine, Molière, Shakespeare and Victor Hugo, but also more modern authors such as Henri Lavedan, Paul Ferrier, and Henri Marx.
French postcard by FA, no. 21. Photo: Henri Manuel. Caption: Julia Bartet, Comédie Française.
Julia Bartet (1854-1941) was a member (1879) and Sociétaire (1880) of the Comédie Française, where she was one of the big stars of her time. She retired in 1919. She played in three Film d'Art films: Le Retour d'Ulysse (1908), Rival de son père (1910), and Louis XI (1910).
French postcard by FA, no. 32. Photo: Talbot. Caption: Faber, Comédie Française.
Jane Faber (1880-1968) was a Belgian actress, who was active in French cinema of the 1910s and is best known for her role as Princess Sonia Danidoff in the crime serial Fantomas (Louis Feuillade, 1913-1914). She was also a notable actress of the Comédie-Française, from 1910 (then becoming the 268th resident of the institution) to 1951. Among the many plays she performed at the Comédie-Française were Jules Renard's 'Poil de carrote' (1912), with Léon Bernard and Marie Leconte, Molière's and Jean-Baptiste Lully's comedy-ballet 'L'Amour médecin' (1920), with Georges Berr, 'La Dispute' (1938) by Marivaux with Jean Martinelli, 'La Reine morte' (1942) by Henry de Montherlant, with Jean-Louis Barrault, as well as 'Tartuffe ou l'imposteur' (1949) by Molière, with Jean Yonnel.
French postcard by FA, no. 35. Photo: Henri Manuel. Albert Lambert Fils de la Comédie Française.
Albert Lambert (1865-1941), a.k.a. Albert Lambert fils, was a French stage and screen actor, who was for a long time part of the Comédie-Française, but also played in several early French Film d’Art films, first of all, L'Assassinat du Duc de Guise (André Calmettes, Charles Le Bargy, 1908).
French postcard by FA, no. 41. Photo: Henri Manuel, Paris. Caption: (René) Alexandre, Comédie Française.
French postcard by FA, no. 51. Photo (Henri) Manuel. Caption: Pièrat, Comédie Française.
Marie-Thérèse Piérat (1883-1934), whose real name was Marie Panot, was a member of a theatre family. In 1900 she started drama school at the Paris Conservatoire (for which she swapped her birth certificate with a younger, stillborn girl) and graduated in 1901, starting her career at the Odéon theatre. She became a member (1902), Sociétaire (1905) and Doyenne of the Comédie-Française, where she mingled the classic repertory with more modern plays by Bataille, Kistemaeckers, Ibsen and Bernstein. She starred in only one film, the French silent film Pour régner (André Luguet, 1926), for which she wrote the script herself. Her early death in 1934 because of angina pectoris (she was only 50) created a stir in the international press.
French postcard by FA, no. 57. Photo: Félix. Caption: Paul Mounet, Comédie Française.
Paul Mounet (1847–1922), born Jean-Paul Mounet, was a French actor of the Comédie Française, who also acted in various film d'art films around 1910. He was the younger brother of actor Jean Mounet-Sully.
French postcard by FA, no. 58. Photo: Félix, Paris. Caption: (Gabrielle) Robinne, Comédie Française.
French postcard by FA, no. 71. Photo: A. Bert. Caption: Grant (sic), Comédie Française. Georges Grand's last name is misspelled.
Valentin Pierre Louis MacLeod, better known as Georges Grand (1864-1921), was a French stage and screen actor, who was first an acclaimed actor with André Antoine before becoming a reputed actor of the Comédie Française. He also acted in 11 modern and historical dramas by Pathé Frères. In 1906, he entered the Comédie-Française. Here he was Sociétaire between 1908 and 1921 and mostly played in modern repertory by Paul Hervieu, Eugène Brieux, Henry Bataille, Henry Kistemaeckers, etc.
French postcard by FA, no. 86. Photo Félix. Caption: Paul Numa, Comédie Française.
Paul Jules Numa Haëring named Paul Numa (1865-1953) was a French stage and screen actor. He was a Pensionnaire at the Comédie Française, but unclear is when this started. He remained attached to it for decades, and for sure even in the years 1927-1932 he was still Pensionnaire, but he never became one of the Sociétaires.
French postcard by FA, no. 94. Photo: Henri Manuel.
Firmin Gémier (1869-1933) was actor, director and theatre manager at the French stage, promotor of the Théâtre Populaire and founder of the first Théâtre National Populaire (Paris 1920). He also acted in the French silent and sound cinema of the 1910s to the 1930s.
French postcard by F.A. (F.A. Christensen), no. 150. Photo: A. Bert, Paris. Caption: Georges Berr, Comédie Française.
Georges Berr (1867-1942) was a French actor and dramatist, and a member and Sociétaire of the Comédie-Française from 1886 to 1923. Under the pseudonyms Colias and Henry Bott he wrote several plays, particularly in collaboration with Louis Verneuil. While he only acted in one film, Les précieuses ridicules (1910), directed by himself, and only directed one other film, L'enfant prodigue (1909), both for Pathé Frères, Berr was a most active playwright whose plays were often adapted for the cinema, such as Le Million (René Clair, 1931), scripted by Clair and Berr himself. Berr worked on three other film scenarios, while he was the dialogue writer for four more films, including La porteuse de pain (René Sti, 1934). He was Jean-Pierre Aumont's uncle.
French postcard by FA, no. 203. Photo: A. Bert. Caption: Jules Leitner as Alceste in the play 'The Misanthrope' by Moliere, performed at the Comédie Française in August 1908.
Jules-Louis-Auguste Leitner (1862-1940) was a French stage actor of the Comédie Française. Leitner acted in a few films of the company Film d'Art, including Jésus de Nazareth (André Calmettes, Henri Desfontaines, 1911).
French postcard by FA, no. 208. Photo: A. Bert. Caption: Georges Berr as 'Le bon roi Dagobert' at the Comédie Française.
French postcard by FA, no. 219. Photo: A. Bert. Caption: Jacques Fenoux, Comédie Française.
Jacques Fenoux (1870-1930) entered the Comédie-Française in 1895, became a Sociétaire in 1906, retired in 1924, and became a Sociétaire Honoraire in 1925. As the site of the Comédie states: "Fenoux was the type of a conscientious member, able to move effortlessly from one job to another, from small to large parts. He was appointed honorary member in 1925 but continued to play until his last days. He barely disappeared two weeks after having last interpreted Bazile, from The Barber of Seville." As far is known, his only performance was in Jacques de Féraudy's film Molière, sa vie, son oeuvre (1922), in which actors of the Comédie Française can be seen rehearsing plays by Molière.
French postcard by FA, no. 223. Photo: A. Bert. Caption: Mme. Silvain, Comédie Française.
Louise Silvain (1874-1930) entered the Comédie Française in 1901, became Sociétaire in 1910 and Sociétaire honoraire in 1925. She was married to Eugène Silvain, aka Sylvain. She acted in the films Une scène d'Andromaque à la Comédie Française (dir. unknown, 1909) and Molière, sa vie, son oeuvre (Jacques de Féraudy, 1922).
French postcard by FA, no. 262. Photo: H. Manuel. Caption: Piérat, Comédie Française.
French postcard by FA, no. 275. Photo: Félix. Caption: Colonna Romano, Comédie Française.
French stage actress (Gabrielle) Colonna-Romano (1883-1981) was a pupil of Sarah Bernhardt and a famous tragedienne of the Comédie-Française from 1913 till 1936. She also appeared in Film d'Art shorts and other early silent films. Her love life was tempestuous and legendary.
French postcard by FA, no. 312. Photo: Henri Manuel. Jean Worms, Comédie Française. Worms dressed up in Napoleonic costume
Jean Worms (1884–1943) was a French stage and screen actor, who from 1910 acted in French silent film and peaked there in the late 1910s, while all through the 1930s he was a prolific and well-known actor in French sound film.
French postcard by FA, no. 317. Photo: Félix. Caption: Roger Galliard (sic), Comédie Française. Roger Gaillard's second name is misspelled on this card.
Roger Gaillard (1893-1970) was a French stage and screen actor. He was a respected actor at the Comédie-Française between 1916 and 1924 but mainly acted in cinema a decade after, in the 1930s French sound cinema. He was Pensionnaire at the Comédie-Française between 1916 and 1924, where he played in their classic repertory of Racine, Corneille, Shakespeare, and Victor Hugo, but also modern plays by e.g. Henri Bataille and Jean Serment.
French postcard by FA, no. 320. Photo: Reutlinger. Caption: Provost, Comédie Française.
Jeanne Provost (1897-1980) was a member of the Comédie-Française only between 1907 and 1912. She would act in some 25 silent and sound films.
French postcard by FA, no. 321. Photo: Reutlinger. Caption: Cécile Sorel, Comédie Française.
Legendary actress Cécile Sorel (1873-1966) was the ‘queen of the French stage’ during the Belle Epoque, the period between the Paris Exposition of 1900 and the First World War. Her public appearances, often in extravagant costumes, created a sensation. During her long life, she played in five films. In 1901, she started to perform at the Comédie-Française, where she specialised in playing ‘grandes coquettes’. Her style was very recognisable, with her declamatory tone and articulated diction. It was also the style of Sarah Bernhardt. Like the latter, she is particularly associated with the role of the courtesan Célimène in 'Le Misanthrope' by Molière. Other success roles were 'La Dame aux camellias' and 'Marion Delorme' by Victor Hugo. In 1904, she was elected 339th Sociétaire of the Comédie-Française, and Sorel would remain there until 1933.
Sources: Comédie-Française (French), and Wikipedia.
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