Géniat, Marcelle (1879–1959)

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Géniat, Marcelle (1879–1959)

Russian-born actress. Name variations: Marcelle Geniat. Born Eugenie Martin, 1879, in St. Petersburg, Russia, of French parentage; died Sept 28, 1959, in Paris, France.

Entered Paris Conservatoire (1897); made 1st appearance at the Comédie Française as Pauline in Frou-Frou (1899), remaining there for over 12 years in such plays as Les femmes savantes, Andromaque, Le Médecin malgré lui, Le Luthier de Crémone, Diane de Lys, Le Monde ou l'on s'ennuie, Le Passant, Gringoire, Blanchette, L'Enigme, Simone, Chacun sa Vie, Primerose, Alkestis, La petite amie and Bagatelle; during WWI, served as the head of the Buffon Military Hospital (1914–17); returned to the stage in Monsieur Beverley (1917) and subsequently appeared in La race, Casanova, L'Amirable Crichton and Daniel; made London debut with Sarah Bernhardt in Daniel (1921); made over 40 films, including Crime et châtiment (as Mme Raskolnikov), Le voile bleu, La passante, Manon des sources and Sophie et le crime; elected a Societaire of the Comédie Française (1910).