Gisèle Casadesus Explained

Gisèle Casadesus
Birth Date:1914 6, df=yes
Birth Place:Paris, France
Death Place:Paris, France
Nationality:French
Occupation:Actress
Years Active:1934–2017
Known For:The Children of the Marshland by Jean Becker
My Afternoons with Margueritte by Jean Becker
Sarah's Key by Gilles Paquet-Brenner
Children:Jean-Claude Casadesus, Martine Pascal, Béatrice Casadesus, and Dominique Probst.
Relatives:Christian Casadesus (older brother), Caroline Casadesus (granddaughter), Olivier Casadesus (grandson), Sebastian Copeland (grandson)

Gisèle Casadesus (14 June 1914 – 24 September 2017) was a French actress, who appeared in numerous theatre and film productions. She was an honorary member of the Sociétaires of the Comédie-Française, Grand Officer of the Legion of Honor, Officer of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, and Grand-Croix of the National Order of Merit. In a career spanning more than 80 years, Casadesus appeared in more than a dozen films after turning 90.

Life and career

Born into a family of artists in the 18th arrondissement of Paris, Gisèle was the daughter of musician, composer and conductor Henri Casadesus and harpist Marie-Louise Beetz, her older brother was actor Christian Casadesus. After receiving first prize in acting at French National Academy of Dramatic Arts at the age of twenty, Casadeus joined the Comédie-Française in 1934. The same year, she married the actor Lucien Pascal (born Lucien Probst), with whom she had four children: Jean-Claude (1935), Martine (1939), Béatrice (1942) and Dominique (1954), all artists. She became the 400th member of the Comédie-Française on 1 January 1939, and honorary member on 15 April 1967.

In cinema, Pierre Billon hired her in 1943 to play the role of Clotilde Grandlieus in Vautrin, adapted from Balzac's novel, alongside Michel Simon, and in 1946 for the role of Mary in L'Homme au chapeau rond, alongside Raimu.

In 1971 she was Countess Eguzon in La Belle Aventure, participated in Le Mouton enragé by Michel Deville, played the role of Nicole Leguen, wife of Jean Gabin in Verdict (1974) by André Cayatte, and the mother of Claude Jade in Les Robots pensants (1976).

Again with Claude Jade, she was Mamie Rose (1976), the "grand-mère au pair" in the film by Pierre Goutas, her greatest role. It is followed by her Catherine in Un crime de notre temps (1977) by Gabriel Axel. Claude Lelouch engaged her in 1996 for the role of Clara Blanc, mother of Bernard Tapie, in Hommes, femmes, mode d'emploi. In Aïe (2000), she is the mother of André Dussollier, and in Valérie Lemercier's comedy Palais Royal (2005) she plays the queen mother. She was Margueritte ("with two ts") alongside Gérard Depardieu in Jean Becker's My Afternoons with Margueritte (2010).

Later role and award honours

In 2013, aged 99, Casadesus acted alongside Anne Consigny and Marie Kremer in Sous le figuier directed by Anne-Marie Étienne. Casadesus was awarded Grand Officer of the Legion of Honour on 29 March 2013.

She was also an Officer of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, and Grand-Croix of the National Order of Merit. She received an Honorary Molière Award in 2003 for her entire career.

Death

Casadesus died in Paris, France, at the age of 103.

Theatre

At Comédie-Française

Outside Comédie-Française

Filmography

Cinema

Television

1966: (in French), directed by Michel Drach: Louise de Montrevel[1]

2001: Maigret Chez Le Ministre, Maigret and the Minister (Sn7 Ep2) directed by Christian de Chalonge: Mme Calame

Bibliography

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Les compagnons de Jehu (TV Series 1966–) - IMDb. .