Biography for
Danielle Darrieux More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

1 May 1917, Bordeaux, Gironde, Aquitaine, France

Birth Name

Danielle Yvonne Marie Antoinette Darrieux

Mini Biography

Danielle Darrieux was born in 1917 in Bordeaux, France, but raised in Paris. She was only 14 when she auditioned for a secondary role in Le bal (1931): she got the part, and the producer offered her a five-year contract. She had her first romantic lead in La crise est finie (1934) and scored an international hit with the historical drama Mayerling (1936) in which she played Marie Vetsera opposite Charles Boyer. In 1938, she went to Hollywood to appear in the fine comedy The Rage of Paris (1938) but quickly returned to Paris.

Darrieux remained in France during the Occupation and was one of the leading actresses during this period, starring in major hits such as Premier Rendez-Vous (1941). In 1945, she appeared both on stage (in "Tristan et Isolde") and on screen (in Au petit bonheur (1946)). In the next three decades, she found several important roles, in films like La ronde (1950), Madame de... (1953) -- in which she gave her best performance, as a society lady torn between her husband and her lover -- and Les demoiselles de Rochefort (1967).

In 1970, she replaced Katharine Hepburn on Broadway in "Coco." Afterwards, she made occasional screen and stage appearances. But she made a triumphant comeback in 2002, playing Catherine Deneuve's mother in the international hit 8 femmes (2002).

IMDb Mini Biography By: Thanassis Agathos

Spouse

Georges Mitsinkidès	(1948 - 1991) (his death)
Porfirio Rubirosa	(18 September 1942 - May 1947) (divorced)
Henri Decoin	(1935 - 6 September 1941) (divorced)

Trivia

Her second husband was international jet-setter and diplomat Porfirio Rubirosa, whose career was dogged by numerous crime and sex scandals. Other marriages included heiresses Doris Duke and Barbara Hutton, while his notorious affairs included Zsa Zsa Gabor and probably sister Eva Gabor. He was killed in a car crash in 1965.

She appeared in a few films of first husband, writer/director Henri Decoin.

Darrieux married three times.

Has played Catherine Deneuve's mother in five films: L'homme à femmes (1960), Les demoiselles de Rochefort (1967), Le lieu du crime (1986), 8 femmes (2002) and Persepolis (2007).

Sister of actor Olivier Darrieux.

Decades before Brigitte Bardot ("BB"), she was known for her initials "DD".

Replaced Katharine Hepburn in the Broadway musical "Coco" (1970).

Studied the cello and piano at the Conservatoire de Musique in Paris.

Lost her father, an army doctor, at the age of seven.

Personal Quotes

"The stage takes more from your life in three hours of work than one whole day in the film studio. On stage, you are a prisoner, even though it is a lovely prison."

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