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Simone Signoret (French: [simɔn siɲɔʁɛ]; born Simone Henriette Charlotte Kaminker; 25 March 1921 – 30 September 1985) was a French actress. She received various accolades, including an Academy Award, three BAFTA Awards, a César Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actress, in addition to nominations for two Golden Globe Awards.

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Early life

Signoret was born Simone Henriette Charlotte Kaminker in Wiesbaden, Germany, to Georgette (née Signoret) and André Kaminker. She was the eldest of three children, with two younger brothers. Her father, a pioneering interpreter who worked in the League of Nations, was a French-born army officer from an assimilated and middle-class Polish-Jewish and Hungarian-Jewish family,12 who brought the family to Neuilly-sur-Seine on the outskirts of Paris. Her mother, Georgette, from whom she acquired her stage name, was a French Catholic.3

Signoret grew up in Paris in an intellectual atmosphere and studied English, German and Latin. After completing secondary school during the Nazi occupation, Simone was responsible for supporting her family and forced to take work as a typist for a French collaborationist newspaper Les nouveaux temps, run by Jean Luchaire.45

Career

During the occupation of France, Signoret mixed with an artistic group of writers and actors who met at the Café de Flore in the Saint-Germain-des-Prés quarter.6 By this time, she had developed an interest in acting and was encouraged by her friends, including her lover Daniel Gélin to follow her ambition. In 1942, she began appearing in bit parts and was able to earn enough money to support her mother and two brothers as her father, who was a French patriot, had fled the country in 1940 to join General De Gaulle in England. She took her mother's maiden name for the screen to help hide her Jewish roots.7

Signoret's sensual features and earthy nature led to type-casting and she was often seen in roles as a prostitute.891011 She won considerable attention in La Ronde (1950),12 a film which was banned briefly in New York City as immoral.13 She won further acclaim, including an acting award from the British Film Academy, for her portrayal of another prostitute, Amélie Élie, in Jacques Becker's Casque d'or (1951).1415 She appeared in many French films during the 1950s, including Thérèse Raquin (1953), directed by Marcel Carné,16 Les Diaboliques (1954),17 and The Crucible (Les Sorcières de Salem; 1956), based on Arthur Miller's The Crucible.18

In 1958, Signoret acted in the English independent film Room at the Top (1959),19 and her performance won numerous awards, including the Best Female Performance Prize at Cannes20 and the Academy Award for Best Actress.21 She was offered films in Hollywood, but turned them down for several years,2223 continuing to work in France and England—for example, with Laurence Olivier in Term of Trial (1962).24 She earned another Oscar nomination for her work on Ship of Fools (1965),25 appeared in a few other Hollywood films, and returned to France in 1969.

In 1962, Signoret translated Lillian Hellman's play The Little Foxes into French for a production in Paris that ran for six months at the Théâtre Sarah-Bernhardt. She played the Regina role as well. Hellman was displeased with the production, although the translation was approved by scholars selected by Hellman.26

Signoret's one attempt at Shakespeare, performing Lady Macbeth with Alec Guinness at the Royal Court Theatre in London in 1966 proved to be ill-advised, with some harsh critics; one referred to her English as "impossibly Gallic".27

Signoret won acclaim for her portrayal of a weary madam in Madame Rosa (1977)282930 and as an unmarried sister who unknowingly falls in love with her paralyzed brother via anonymous correspondence in I Sent a Letter to my Love [fr] (1980).3132 She continued to act until her death, working on the miniseries Music-Hall while terminally ill.3334

Personal life

Signoret's memoirs, Nostalgia Isn't What It Used to Be, were published in 1976.35 She also wrote the novel Adieu Volodya, published in 1985, the year of her death.36

Signoret first married filmmaker Yves Allégret (1944–1949), with whom she had a son (Patrick) and a daughter Catherine Allégret. Patrick died nine days after his birth. Privately, Signoret blamed the hospital for his death as they had taken Patrick to a chapel for baptism and he shortly thereafter caught a cold and died. Signoret never spoke publicly about his death.37

Her second marriage was to the Italian-born French actor Yves Montand in 1951, a union which lasted until her death; the couple had no children.3839 They were both active in left-wing and humanitarian causes, although as they grew older she gravitated towards the political centre and he to the right.404142

Signoret died of colon cancer in Autheuil-Authouillet, France, aged 64.4344 She was buried in Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris,45 and Yves Montand later was buried next to her.46

Signoret identified as Jewish. She was a supporter of a variety of Jewish causes, including the Zionist movement and the Soviet Jewry movement. She maintained relationships with many Israeli leaders and was critical of antisemitism in the French Communist Party. Because she was of patrilineal Jewish ancestry and was therefore not considered Jewish under traditional halakha, there was no religious ceremony at her funeral.47

Filmography

YearTitleRoleNotes
1942BoleroUne employée de la maison de coutureUncredited
Prince CharmingExtraUncredited
Les Visiteurs du SoirExtraUncredited
The BenefactorLa sécrétaire du journalUncredited
1943Strange InheritanceExtraUncredited
Goodbye LeonardLa gitaneUncredited
1944The Angel of the NightUne étudianteUncredited
Behold BeatriceLiliane Moraccini
Night ShiftLa danseuse à la taverneUncredited
Death No Longer AwaitsLa maitresse de Firmin
1945Box of DreamsUne femmeUncredited
1946Dawn DevilsLily, la cabaretière
The Ideal CoupleAnnette
Back Streets of ParisGisèle
1947FantômasHélène
1948Against the WindMichele Dennis
Dédée d'AnversDédée
Dilemma of Two AngelsMarianne
1950ManègesDora
Swiss TourYvonne
La RondeLeocadie, the Prostitute
Gunman in the StreetsDenise Vernon(also released as The Hunted)
1951...Sans laisser d'adresseUne journalisteUncredited
Shadow and LightIsabelle Leritz
1952Casque d'orMarie 'Casque d'Or'BAFTA Award for Best Foreign Actress
1953Thérèse RaquinThérèse Raquin
1955Les DiaboliquesNicole Horner
Mother Courage and Her ChildrenYvette, Lagerhure(unfinished)
1956Death in the GardenDjin
1957The CrucibleElisabeth ProcterBAFTA Award for Best Foreign ActressKarlovy Vary International Film Festival Award for Best Actress
1958Room at the TopAlice Aisgill
1960General Electric TheaterWomanEpisode: Don't You Remember?
Adua and FriendsAdua Giovannetti(also released as Hungry for Love)
1961Les Mauvais CoupsRoberte
Famous Love AffairsJenny(segment "Jenny de Lacour")
1962Term of TrialAnna
1963The Shortest Day
The Day and the HourTherese Dutheil
Sweet and SourMadame Geneviève
1965Ship of FoolsLa Contessa
The Sleeping Car MurdersEliane Darès
1966Is Paris Burning?La patronne du bistrot / Cafe Owner
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler TheatreSara LescaultEpisode: "A Small Rebellion"Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Single Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Drama
1967The Deadly AffairElsa FennanNominated — BAFTA Award for Best Foreign Actress
GamesLisa SchindlerNominated — BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role
1968Mr. FreedomCameoUncredited
The Sea GullArkadina, an actress
1969Army of ShadowsMathilde
L'Américain [fr]Léone
1970The ConfessionMme L. Lise London
A HostageMegTV movie
1971Comptes à rebours [fr]Léa
Le ChatClémence BouinSilver Bear for Best Actress (at the 21st Berlin International Film Festival)48
La Veuve Couderc [fr]Veuve Couderc Tati
1973The Burned BarnsRose
Rude journée pour la reine [fr]Jeanne
1975La Chair de l'orchidéeLady Vamos
1976Police Python 357Thérèse Ganay
1977Madame RosaMadame Rosa
1978Madame le juge [fr]Elisabeth MassotTV series, 6 episodes
Judith TherpauveJudith Therpauve
1979The AdolescentMamie
1980I sent a letter to my loveLouise Martin
1982L'étoile du nordMme Louise BaronNominated — César Award for Best Actress
Guy de Maupassant [fr]Maupassant's mother
1983Thérèse HumbertThérèse Humbert
1985Des terroristes à la retraiteNarrator

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryNominated workResultRef.
1959Academy AwardsBest ActressRoom at the TopWon49
1965Ship of FoolsNominated50
1971Berlin International Film FestivalBest ActressLe ChatWon5152
1952British Academy Film AwardsBest Foreign ActressCasque d'OrWon53
1957The CrucibleWon54
1958Room at the TopWon55
1965Ship of FoolsNominated56
1967The Deadly AffairNominated57
1968Best Actress in a Supporting RoleGamesNominated58
1959Cannes Film FestivalBest ActressRoom at the TopWon59
1977César AwardsBest ActressMadame RosaWon60
1982L'Étoile du NordNominated61
1977David di Donatello AwardsBest Foreign ActressMadame RosaWon62
1959Golden Globe AwardsBest Actress in a Motion Picture – DramaRoom at the TopNominated63
1965Ship of FoolsNominated
1959Jussi AwardsBest Foreign ActressRoom at the TopWon
1957Karlovy Vary International Film FestivalBest ActressThe CrucibleWon6465
1959Laurel AwardsTop Female Dramatic PerformanceRoom at the Top3rd Place
1959National Board of Review AwardsBest ActressWon66
1959New York Film Critics Circle AwardsBest Actress2nd Place67
1966Primetime Emmy AwardsOutstanding Single Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a DramaBob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre (Episode: "A Small Rebellion")Won68
  • A BBC TV film, Madame Montand and Mrs Miller (1992), depicted the relationship between Signoret and Marilyn Monroe during the filming of Let's Make Love, when Monroe had an affair with Yves Montand. Sue Glover wrote the script and Pauline Larrieu played Signoret.69
  • Glover's subsequent stage-play on the same subject, Marilyn, premiered at the Citizens' Theatre, Glasgow in 2011.7071
  • Singer Nina Simone (Born Eunice Waymon) took her last name from Simone Signoret.72

See also

  • Biography portal
  • Film portal

Notes

Works Cited

Further Reading

  • DeMaio, Patricia A. "Garden Of Dreams: The Life of Simone Signoret," 2014
  • Signoret, Simone. Nostalgia Isn't What It Used To Be. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 1978. ISBN 0-297-77417-4.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Simone Signoret.

References

  1. Signoret, Simone (1979). Nostalgia isn't what it used to be. Harmondsworth, England New York: Penguin Books. ISBN 978-0-14-005181-0. 978-0-14-005181-0 ↩

  2. "Nostalgia Isn't What It Used to Be (Paperback)". The Guardian. 7 August 2000. Signoret was descended from Polish/Hungarian Jews ↩

  3. Hayward, Susan (November–December 2000). "Simone Signoret (1921–1985) — The body political". Women's Studies International Forum. 23 (6): 739–747. doi:10.1016/S0277-5395(00)00147-3. /wiki/Doi_(identifier) ↩

  4. David 1993, pp. 24–26. - David, Catherine (1993). Simone Signoret. Translated by Sampson, Sally. Woodstock, New York: Overlook Press. ISBN 0-87951-491-4. https://archive.org/details/simonesignoret0000davi ↩

  5. DeMaio, Patricia A. (January 2014). Garden of Dreams: The Life of Simone Signoret. University Press of Mississippi. ↩

  6. David 1993, pp. 28–29. - David, Catherine (1993). Simone Signoret. Translated by Sampson, Sally. Woodstock, New York: Overlook Press. ISBN 0-87951-491-4. https://archive.org/details/simonesignoret0000davi ↩

  7. David 1993, pp. 30–31. - David, Catherine (1993). Simone Signoret. Translated by Sampson, Sally. Woodstock, New York: Overlook Press. ISBN 0-87951-491-4. https://archive.org/details/simonesignoret0000davi ↩

  8. Pace, Eric (1 October 1985). "Simone Signoret Dies in France at 64". The New York Times. Retrieved 25 May 2025. https://www.nytimes.com/1985/10/01/movies/simone-signoret-dies-in-france-at-64.html ↩

  9. "Obituary: Simone Signoret, Well-loved French actress". The Times. No. 62257. 1 October 1985. p. 18. /wiki/The_Times ↩

  10. David 1993, p. 8. - David, Catherine (1993). Simone Signoret. Translated by Sampson, Sally. Woodstock, New York: Overlook Press. ISBN 0-87951-491-4. https://archive.org/details/simonesignoret0000davi ↩

  11. Monush, Barry (2013). The Encyclopedia of Hollywood Film Actors: From the Silent Era to 1965. New York: Applause Books. p. 680. ISBN 1-55783-551-9. 1-55783-551-9 ↩

  12. Bouchardeau 2005, pp. 65–67. - Bouchardeau, Huguette (2005). Simone Signoret: Biographie (in French). Paris: Flammarion. ISBN 2-08-068749-2. https://archive.org/details/simonesignoretbi0000bouc ↩

  13. "Court Sees Banned Film: U.S. Justices View 'La Ronde' in State Censorship Case". The New York Times. 6 January 1954. Retrieved 26 May 2025. https://www.nytimes.com/1954/01/06/archives/court-sees-banned-film-u-s-justices-view-la-ronde-in-state.html ↩

  14. Smyth, Robin (30 September 1990). "Scarred by a great beauty". The Observer. p. 56. /wiki/The_Observer ↩

  15. "BAFTA | Film / Foreign Actress | Through the Years | 1953". bafta.org. Retrieved 26 May 2025. https://www.bafta.org/awards/film/foreign-actress ↩

  16. "Thérèse Raquin". cinematheque.fr (in French). Retrieved 28 May 2025. https://www.cinematheque.fr/film/47326.html ↩

  17. "Les Diaboliques". cinematheque.fr (in French). Retrieved 28 May 2025. https://www.cinematheque.fr/film/47752.html ↩

  18. Bouchardeau 2005, pp. 93–101. - Bouchardeau, Huguette (2005). Simone Signoret: Biographie (in French). Paris: Flammarion. ISBN 2-08-068749-2. https://archive.org/details/simonesignoretbi0000bouc ↩

  19. Wickham, Phil. "Room at the Top (1958)". Screenonline. Retrieved 25 May 2025. http://www.screenonline.org.uk/film/id/440778/index.html ↩

  20. "Obituary: Simone Signoret, Well-loved French actress". The Times. No. 62257. 1 October 1985. p. 18. /wiki/The_Times ↩

  21. "The 32nd Academy Awards (1960) Nominees and Winners". oscars.org. Retrieved 24 August 2011. http://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1960 ↩

  22. Bouchardeau 2005, p. 67. - Bouchardeau, Huguette (2005). Simone Signoret: Biographie (in French). Paris: Flammarion. ISBN 2-08-068749-2. https://archive.org/details/simonesignoretbi0000bouc ↩

  23. Monush, Barry (2013). The Encyclopedia of Hollywood Film Actors: From the Silent Era to 1965. New York: Applause Books. p. 680. ISBN 1-55783-551-9. 1-55783-551-9 ↩

  24. Crowther, Bosley (31 January 1963). "Screen: 'Term of Trial'". The New York Times. Retrieved 29 May 2025. /wiki/Bosley_Crowther ↩

  25. "The 38th Academy Awards (1966) Nominees and Winners". oscars.org. Retrieved 4 September 2011. http://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1966 ↩

  26. Signoret 1978, pp. 324–328. ↩

  27. Sutcliffe, Tom. "Sir Alec Guinness". Film Guardian, 7 August 2000. http://film.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/Guardian/0,4029,351452,00.html ↩

  28. Canby, Vincent (19 March 1978). "Moishe Mizrahi's 'Rosa'". The New York Times. Retrieved 25 May 2025. /wiki/Vincent_Canby ↩

  29. Shorter, Eric (12 April 1979). "An age of decision". The Daily Telegraph. No. 38522. p. 15. /wiki/The_Daily_Telegraph ↩

  30. Bouchardeau 2005, p. 242. - Bouchardeau, Huguette (2005). Simone Signoret: Biographie (in French). Paris: Flammarion. ISBN 2-08-068749-2. https://archive.org/details/simonesignoretbi0000bouc ↩

  31. Robinson, David (4 November 1980). "Distinctive style in a sturdy retrospective". The Times. No. 60767. p. 8. /wiki/David_Robinson_(film_critic) ↩

  32. Canby, Vincent (3 May 1981). "Moshe Mizrahi's 'I Sent a Letter to My Love'". The New York Times. Retrieved 25 May 2025. /wiki/Vincent_Canby ↩

  33. Meisler, Stanley (1 October 1985). "French Actress Simone Signoret Dies at 64". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 26 May 2025. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-10-01-mn-19173-story.html ↩

  34. Bouchardeau 2005, pp. 265–267. - Bouchardeau, Huguette (2005). Simone Signoret: Biographie (in French). Paris: Flammarion. ISBN 2-08-068749-2. https://archive.org/details/simonesignoretbi0000bouc ↩

  35. "Obituary: Simone Signoret, Well-loved French actress". The Times. No. 62257. 1 October 1985. p. 18. /wiki/The_Times ↩

  36. Meisler, Stanley (1 October 1985). "French Actress Simone Signoret Dies at 64". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 26 May 2025. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-10-01-mn-19173-story.html ↩

  37. Demaio, Patricia A. (2014). Garden of Dreams The Life of Simone Signoret. Jackson, Mississippi: University Press of Mississippi. p. 70. ISBN 9781604735697. Retrieved 17 April 2025. 9781604735697 ↩

  38. Pace, Eric (1 October 1985). "Simone Signoret Dies in France at 64". The New York Times. Retrieved 25 May 2025. https://www.nytimes.com/1985/10/01/movies/simone-signoret-dies-in-france-at-64.html ↩

  39. David 1993, p. 205. - David, Catherine (1993). Simone Signoret. Translated by Sampson, Sally. Woodstock, New York: Overlook Press. ISBN 0-87951-491-4. https://archive.org/details/simonesignoret0000davi ↩

  40. "Obituary: Simone Signoret, Well-loved French actress". The Times. No. 62257. 1 October 1985. p. 18. /wiki/The_Times ↩

  41. Meisler, Stanley (1 October 1985). "French Actress Simone Signoret Dies at 64". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 26 May 2025. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-10-01-mn-19173-story.html ↩

  42. Riding, Alan (10 November 1991). "Yves Montand, Sage Charmer of French Film and Politics, Dies at 70". The New York Times. Retrieved 25 May 2025. /wiki/Alan_Riding ↩

  43. Bouchardeau 2005, pp. 266–267. - Bouchardeau, Huguette (2005). Simone Signoret: Biographie (in French). Paris: Flammarion. ISBN 2-08-068749-2. https://archive.org/details/simonesignoretbi0000bouc ↩

  44. Meisler, Stanley (1 October 1985). "French Actress Simone Signoret Dies at 64". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 26 May 2025. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-10-01-mn-19173-story.html ↩

  45. Pace, Eric (1 October 1985). "Simone Signoret Dies in France at 64". The New York Times. Retrieved 25 May 2025. https://www.nytimes.com/1985/10/01/movies/simone-signoret-dies-in-france-at-64.html ↩

  46. Whitney, Craig R. (12 March 1998). "Beyond the Grave, DNA Haunts Yves Montand". The New York Times. Retrieved 25 May 2025. https://www.nytimes.com/1998/03/12/world/paris-journal-beyond-the-grave-dna-haunts-yves-montand.html ↩

  47. "Simone Signoret Dead at 64". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved 29 April 2024. https://www.jta.org/archive/simone-signoret-dead-at-64 ↩

  48. "Berlinale 1971: Prize Winners". berlinale.de. Retrieved 14 March 2010. http://www.berlinale.de/en/archiv/jahresarchive/1971/03_preistr_ger_1971/03_Preistraeger_1971.html ↩

  49. "The 32nd Academy Awards (1960) Nominees and Winners". oscars.org. Retrieved 24 August 2011. http://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1960 ↩

  50. "The 38th Academy Awards (1966) Nominees and Winners". oscars.org. Retrieved 4 September 2011. http://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1966 ↩

  51. Tied with Shirley MacLaine for Desperate Characters. /wiki/Shirley_MacLaine ↩

  52. "Berlinale 1971: Prize Winners". berlinale.de. Retrieved 14 March 2010. http://www.berlinale.de/en/archiv/jahresarchive/1971/03_preistr_ger_1971/03_Preistraeger_1971.html ↩

  53. "BAFTA | Film / Foreign Actress | Through the Years | 1953". bafta.org. Retrieved 26 May 2025. https://www.bafta.org/awards/film/foreign-actress ↩

  54. "BAFTA Awards: Film in 1982". BAFTA. 1982. Retrieved 16 September 2016. http://awards.bafta.org/award/1982/film ↩

  55. "BAFTA Awards: Film in 1959". BAFTA. 1959. Retrieved 16 September 2016. http://awards.bafta.org/award/1959/film ↩

  56. "BAFTA Awards: Film in 1966". BAFTA. 1966. Retrieved 16 September 2016. http://awards.bafta.org/award/1966/film ↩

  57. "BAFTA Awards: Film in 1968". BAFTA. 1968. Retrieved 16 September 2016. http://awards.bafta.org/award/1968/film ↩

  58. "BAFTA Awards: Film in 1969". BAFTA. 1969. Retrieved 16 September 2016. http://awards.bafta.org/award/1969/film ↩

  59. "Festival de Cannes: Room at the Top". festival-cannes.com. Retrieved 15 February 2009. http://www.festival-cannes.com/en/archives/ficheFilm/id/3430/year/1959.html ↩

  60. "The 1978 Caesars Ceremony". César Awards. Retrieved 23 February 2023. https://www.academie-cinema.org/evenements/ceremonie-des-cesar-1978/ ↩

  61. "The 1983 Caesars Ceremony". César Awards. Retrieved 23 February 2023. https://www.academie-cinema.org/evenements/ceremonie-des-cesar-1983/ ↩

  62. Tied with Jane Fonda for Julia. /wiki/Jane_Fonda ↩

  63. "Simone Signoret – Golden Globes". HFPA. Retrieved 11 February 2023. https://www.goldenglobes.com/person/simone-signoret ↩

  64. Tied with Tzvetana Arnaudova for Urok istorii. ↩

  65. "KVIFF – History (1957)". Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. Retrieved 23 February 2023. http://www.kviff.com/en/history/1957 ↩

  66. "1959 Award Winners". National Board of Review. Retrieved 5 July 2021. https://nationalboardofreview.org/award-years/1959/ ↩

  67. "1959 New York Film Critics Circle Awards". New York Film Critics Circle. Retrieved 5 July 2021. https://www.nyfcc.com/awards/?awardyear=1959 ↩

  68. "Simone Signoret". Emmys.com. Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved 23 February 2023. https://www.emmys.com/bios/simone-signoret ↩

  69. Lyttle, John (24 August 1992). "Chasing after the manner of women". The Independent. No. 1826. p. 12. /wiki/The_Independent ↩

  70. Fisher, Mark (1 March 2011). "Marilyn - review". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 May 2025. https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2011/mar/01/marilyn-review-citizens-glasgow ↩

  71. Burnside, Anna (22 February 2011). "Monroe, Miller, Montand, Signoret: When golden couples meet". The Independent. Retrieved 26 May 2025. https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/theatre-dance/features/monroe-miller-montand-signoret-when-golden-couples-meet-2221677.html ↩

  72. Source: "What Happened, Miss Simone", documentary on Nina Simone's life, 2015 ↩