Gisèle Casadesus

Gisèle Casadesus (14 June 1914 – 24 September 2017) was a French actress, who appeared in numerous theatre and film productions.[1] 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.[2][3]

Gisèle Casadesus
Casadesus at the Cabourg Film Festival, 2012
Born(1914-06-14)14 June 1914
Paris, France
Died24 September 2017(2017-09-24) (aged 103)
Paris, France
NationalityFrench
OccupationActress
Years active1934–2017
Known forThe Children of the Marshland by Jean Becker
My Afternoons with Margueritte by Jean Becker
Sarah's Key by Gilles Paquet-Brenner
Spouse(s)
Lucien Pascal
​
​
(m. 1934; died 2006)​
ChildrenJean-Claude Casadesus, Martine Pascal, Béatrice Casadesus, and Dominique Probst.
RelativesChristian Casadesus (older brother), Caroline Casadesus (granddaughter), Olivier Casadesus (grandson), Sebastian Copeland (grandson)

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.[4] The same year, she married the actor Lucien Pascal (born Lucien Probst),[5] with whom she had four children: Jean-Claude (1935), Martine (1939), Béatrice (1942) and Dominique (1954), all artists.[1][6] She became the 400th member of the Comédie-Française 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,[7] and in 1946 for the role of Mary in L'Homme au chapeau rond, alongside Raimu.[8]

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).[9][10]

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).[11]

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.[12] Casadesus was awarded Grand Officer of the Legion of Honour on 29 March 2013.[13]

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.[14]

Death

Casadesus died in Paris, France, at the age of 103.[15]

Theatre

At Comédie-Française

Outside Comédie-Française

Filmography

Cinema

Television

1966: fr:Les Compagnons de Jéhu (mini-série) (in French), directed by Michel Drach: Louise de Montrevel[16]

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

Bibliography
  • Casadesus, Gisèle (1960). Le jeune fille au théâtre de Corneille à Claudel.
  • Casadesus, Gisèle (1961). Le jeune Molière: pour le tricentenaire de ses premiers succès parisiens, 1661–1961. Europe-Ed. français réunis.
  • Casadesus, Gisèle; Dumesnil, Jacques (1968). Simone de Beauvoir: Extraits de: Mémoires d'une jeune fille rangée. La force de l'âge. L'Age de discrétion. Libr. Hachette.
  • Casadesus, Gisèle (2007). Le jeu de l'amour et du théâtre. Philippe Rey. ISBN 9782848760865.
  • Casadesus, Gisèle (2014). Cent ans, c'est passé si vite... Le Passeur Editeur. ISBN 9782368901212.
  • Casadesus, Gisèle; Blondie, Isabelle (21 August 2014). Ici Paris d'hier à avant-hier. Chèvre-feuille étoilée. ISBN 9782367950815.

See also

References
  1. Lafitte; Stephen Taylor (2008). Qui est qui en France (in French). Jacques Lafitte. p. 478.
  2. Brigitte Salino. "Joyeux centenaire, Gisèle Casadesus !". Le Monde.fr.
  3. "AFP: Show goes on for French actress, 98". Retrieved 2013-10-15.
  4. Edward Forman (27 April 2010). Historical Dictionary of French Theater. Scarecrow Press. pp. 82–. ISBN 978-0-8108-7451-0. Retrieved 15 October 2013.
  5. Jacques Lafitte; Stephen Taylor (2003). Who's Who in France (in French). J. Lafitte. p. 420. ISBN 9782857840428.
  6. "80 and Beyond: The Longevity and Grace of French Actors". Theculturetrip.com. Retrieved 2013-10-15.
  7. Jacques Siclier (1981). La France de Pétain et son cinéma (in French). Henri Veyrier. p. 427. ISBN 978-2-85199-229-1.
  8. Paul Olivier (1977). Raimu: ou l'épopée de César (in French). Éditions France-Empire. p. 277.
  9. Positif: revue de cinéma (in French). Nouvelles éditions Opta. 1974. p. 70.
  10. Jean-Marc Doniak (1998). Les fictions françaises à la télévision: 1945–1990, 15000 œuvres (in French). Dixit.
  11. "French Actress Gisèle Casadesus Talks About 'La Tête en Friche' and Her Expansive Career". Online.wsj.com. 12 November 2010. Retrieved 15 October 2013.
  12. "Sous le figuier: les dernières vacances d'une vieille dame". Lefigaro.fr. 19 March 2013. Retrieved 15 October 2013.
  13. "Décret du 29 mars 2013 portant élévation aux dignités de grand'croix et de grand officier" (in French). Legifrance. Retrieved 15 October 2013.
  14. Keslassy, Elsa (September 16, 2009). "'Tete' a tete for Depardieu". Variety. ISSN 0042-2738.
  15. "Gisèle Casadesus, doyenne des actrices françaises, est décédée à 103 ans" (in French). 25 September 2017.
  16. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0168317/fullcredits/?ref_=tt_ov_st_sm
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