Bernhardt, Sarah

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Bernhardt, Sarah (1845–1923) French actress. The greatest tragedienne of her era, Bernhardt rose to prominence in the Comédie Française (1872–80). Her superb portrayals in Phédre (1874) and Hernani (1877) earned her the title ‘Divine Sarah’. In the 1880s, she won international fame touring Europe and the USA. In 1899 she founded the Théatre Sarah Bernhardt in Paris, where she played the lead in Hamlet (1899) and L'Aiglon (1901). She also appeared in silent films.

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