Simone Simon(1911-2005)
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Diminutive, fiery-tempered Simone Simon was born in France, but spent
much of her early childhood in Madagascar, where her father managed a
graphite mine. Her schooling was somewhat unsettled, her family moving
from city to city (Berlin, Budapest, Turin) before finally establishing
themselves in Paris in 1930. Simone started as a dress designer,
fashion model and occasional performer in stage musicals. She
eventually met the director Marc Allégret,
who took her under his wing. Her film debut was in 1931 and she had her
first major hit as Jean Gabin's co-star in
The Human Beast (1938), directed
by Jean Renoir.
There were two halves to Simone's history in Hollywood. In 1936,
Darryl F. Zanuck signed her to a
contract at 20th Century Fox on the strength of a picture she had made
two years earlier, Allegret's
Ladies Lake (1934). She was
launched with an expensive publicity campaign which accentuated her
continental allure, particularly, her 'sexy pout'. During her tenure,
problems surfaced regarding her command of English and also her limited
singing skills. Dissatisfied with the roles she was given, Simone
returned to France and
'La Bete Humaine'. She made a second attempt at
Hollywood, acting in William Dieterle's
All That Money Can Buy (1941)
as Belle, the devil's handmaiden. The New York Times review of October
17 considered her 'completely out of key'. Simone's best work, however,
was to come in the shape of the cult horror classic
Cat People (1942). Producer
Val Lewton and director
Jacques Tourneur used her
triangular-faced feline qualities to best effect in the story of a girl
who obsesses about an ancient Balkan curse turning her into a panther.
The film was stylish and subtle, creating imagined rather than actual
menace. Simone's performance was commensurate with perfectly studied
cat-like mannerisms. During the production of 'Cat People', Simone was
under FBI surveillance because of her relationship with MI5 spy Dusko
Popov. She made two further, less successful, films at RKO, then
returned to France for good. Simone made several films there and worked
on the stage. In spite of many affairs and relationships, she never
married.
much of her early childhood in Madagascar, where her father managed a
graphite mine. Her schooling was somewhat unsettled, her family moving
from city to city (Berlin, Budapest, Turin) before finally establishing
themselves in Paris in 1930. Simone started as a dress designer,
fashion model and occasional performer in stage musicals. She
eventually met the director Marc Allégret,
who took her under his wing. Her film debut was in 1931 and she had her
first major hit as Jean Gabin's co-star in
The Human Beast (1938), directed
by Jean Renoir.
There were two halves to Simone's history in Hollywood. In 1936,
Darryl F. Zanuck signed her to a
contract at 20th Century Fox on the strength of a picture she had made
two years earlier, Allegret's
Ladies Lake (1934). She was
launched with an expensive publicity campaign which accentuated her
continental allure, particularly, her 'sexy pout'. During her tenure,
problems surfaced regarding her command of English and also her limited
singing skills. Dissatisfied with the roles she was given, Simone
returned to France and
'La Bete Humaine'. She made a second attempt at
Hollywood, acting in William Dieterle's
All That Money Can Buy (1941)
as Belle, the devil's handmaiden. The New York Times review of October
17 considered her 'completely out of key'. Simone's best work, however,
was to come in the shape of the cult horror classic
Cat People (1942). Producer
Val Lewton and director
Jacques Tourneur used her
triangular-faced feline qualities to best effect in the story of a girl
who obsesses about an ancient Balkan curse turning her into a panther.
The film was stylish and subtle, creating imagined rather than actual
menace. Simone's performance was commensurate with perfectly studied
cat-like mannerisms. During the production of 'Cat People', Simone was
under FBI surveillance because of her relationship with MI5 spy Dusko
Popov. She made two further, less successful, films at RKO, then
returned to France for good. Simone made several films there and worked
on the stage. In spite of many affairs and relationships, she never
married.