Capucine
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| Capucine | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | Germaine Lefebvre 6 January 1931 Toulon, France |
| Died | 17 March 1990 (aged 59) Lausanne, Switzerland |
| Years active | 1959–1990 |
| Spouse(s) | Pierre Trabaud (1950) (divorced) |
Capucine (6 January 1931[1] – 17 March 1990)[2] was a French actress and fashion model best known for her comedic roles in The Pink Panther (1963) and What's New Pussycat? (1965). She appeared in 35 films between 1949 and 1989.
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[edit] Early life
Born Germaine Lefebvre in Toulon, France[2][3] she exhibited an independent, nonconformist personality at an early age. She attended school in France and received a B.A. in foreign languages. At 17, while riding in a carriage in Paris, a commercial photographer noticed her. She quickly became a successful fashion model, working for fashion houses Givenchy and Christian Dior. She also adopted a new name, "Capucine" (French for nasturtium). During this time, Capucine met future actress Audrey Hepburn. Both were modeling in Paris, and the two would remain friends for the rest of Capucine's life.
[edit] Career
In 1949, Capucine made her film debut in the French film Rendez-vous de Juillet. On the set of Rendez-vous, she met Pierre Trabaud; the two married the following year. The marriage lasted only six months, and Capucine would never marry again. In 1957, film producer Charles K. Feldman spotted Capucine while she was modeling in New York City. Feldman brought her to Hollywood to learn English and study acting under Gregory Ratoff.[4] She was signed to a contract with Columbia Pictures in 1958 and landed her first English-speaking role in the film Song Without End (1960) for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award. For the next few years, Capucine would go on to make six more major motion pictures including North to Alaska (1960) and Walk on the Wild Side (1962), before moving to Switzerland in 1962. She continued making films in Europe until her death.[3]
[edit] Personal life
Capucine met actor William Holden in the mid-1960s. Both starred in the films The Lion (1962) and The 7th Dawn (1964). Despite the fact that Holden was married to actress Brenda Marshall, the two began a two-year affair. After it ended, she and Holden remained friends until Holden's death in 1981.[5]
[edit] Death
On 17 March 1990, at the age of 59, Capucine committed suicide by jumping from her eighth-floor apartment in Lausanne, Switzerland.[2]
[edit] Selected filmography
| Film | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
| 1949 | Rendez-vous de Juillet | Une amie de Pierre | Uncredited |
| 1951 | Bernard and the Lion | La baronne | |
| 1955 | Mademoiselle de Paris | Alternative title: Mademoiselle from Paris | |
| Frou-Frou | Une amie d'Arthus, le peintre | ||
| 1960 | Song Without End | Princess Carolyne Wittgenstein | |
| North to Alaska | Michelle 'Angel' Bonet | ||
| 1961 | Le triomphe de Michel Strogoff | Tatoa, a Volskaya | Alternative title: The Triumph of Michael Strogoff |
| 1962 | Walk on the Wild Side | Hallie Gerard | |
| The Lion | Christine | ||
| I dongiovanni della Costa Azzurra | Alternative title: Beach Casanova | ||
| 1963 | The Pink Panther | Simone Clouseau | |
| 1964 | The 7th Dawn | Dhana Mercier | |
| 1965 | What's New Pussycat? | Renée Lefebvre | |
| 1967 | The Honey Pot | Princess Dominique | |
| 1969 | Fräulein Doktor | Dr. Saforet | |
| Satyricon | Trifena | ||
| 1971 | Red Sun | Pepita | |
| 1975 | Incorrigible | Hélène | |
| 1976 | For Love | Marina Reggiani | |
| 1977 | Portrait of a Bourgeois in Black | Amalia Mazzarini | |
| 1978 | Neapolitan Mystery | Sister Angela | |
| 1979 | Arabian Adventure | Vahishta | |
| 1982 | Aphrodite | Lady Suzanne Stanford | |
| Trail of the Pink Panther | Lady Simone Litton | ||
| 1983 | Curse of the Pink Panther | Lady Simone Litton | |
| 1987 | Delirium: Photo of Gioia | Flora | |
| 1989 | My First Forty Years | Principessa Caracciolo | |
| Television | |||
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1972 | Search | Silvana Tristano | 1 episode |
| 1976 | La pêche miraculeuse | Mlle du Colombier | Miniseries |
| 1979 | Martin Eden | Mrs. Morse | Miniseries |
| 1982 | Hart to Hart | Lily Von Borg | 1 episode |
| 1985 | Murder, She Wrote | Belle Chaney | 1 episode |
| 1986 | Sins | Odile | Miniseries |
| 1990 | Blaues Blut | Gräfin von Altenberg | Unknown episodes |
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Brettell, Andrew; King, Noel; Kennedy, Damien; Imwold, Denise (2005). Cut!: Hollywood Murders, Accidents, and Other Tragedies. Leonard, Warren Hsu; von Rohr, Heather. Barrons Educational Series. pp. 263. ISBN 0-764-15858-9.
- ^ a b c Donnelley, Paul (2005-11-01). Fade to Black: A Book of Movie Obituaries (3 ed.). Omnibus Press. pp. 236. ISBN 1-844-49430-6.
- ^ a b Marshall, Bill; Johnston, Cristina (2005). France and the Americas: Culture, Politics, and History : A Multidisciplinary Encyclopedia. 3. ABC-CLIO. pp. 211-212. ISBN 1-851-09411-3.
- ^ Monush, Barry (2003). Screen World Presents the Encyclopedia of Hollywood Film Actors: From the Silent Era to 1965. Hal Leonard Corporation. pp. 109. ISBN 1-557-83551-9.
- ^ Strodder, Chris (2000). Swingin' Chicks Of the Sixties. Cedco Pub.. pp. 112. ISBN 0-768-32232-4.
