Béatrix Dussane

Béatrix Dussane
Béatrix Dussane in 1920
Born	Béatrice Dussan 9 March 1888 Paris
Died	3 March 1969(1969-03-03) (aged 80) Paris
Occupation	Actress
Spouse(s)	Lucien Coulond

Béatrice Dussan, called Béatrix Dussane, (9 March 1888 - 3 March 1969) was a French stage actress. Admitted at the Comédie-Française in 1903, she became the 363th sociétaire in 1922. A street in the 15th arrondissement of Paris is named after her.

Biography[]

Béatrix Dussane in 1910

Née Dussan, she added an "e" to her last name to mimic the great actress of the time Rejane (pseudonym of Gabrielle Réju). A first prize of classic comedy crowned her efforts 22 July 1903. She was immediately engaged as a boarder by Jules Claretie, the then director of the Comédie-Française. On 23 September, she made her debut in The Imaginary Invalid (role of Toinette). Named an associate in 1922, she sat on the board from 1935 to 1942.

A teacher at the Conservatoire d'Art dramatique de Paris, Sophie Desmarets, Robert Hirsch, Michel Bouquet, Maria Casarès, Serge Reggiani, Daniel Gélin, Gérard Oury, , Alice Sapritch, Gilles Claude Thierrault and many others were her students.

In the 1920s, she lectured, collaborated in different magazines (including , , Le Journal de la femme, , Le Journal, etc.) and published several books on theatre. From 1951, she had a column in Le Mercure de France.^[1]

Towards the end of her career, she produced radio and television programs devoted to the history of theater: Au jour et aux lumières, Des chandelles aux projecteurs, Tréteaux, racontez moi, etc.

She was very a close friend of the poet Tristan Derème until his death in 1941. Dussane was married to Lucien Coulond, a playwright and journalist at Gil Blas, Comœdia and LeJournal.

She is buried at Père Lachaise cemetery (95th division).

Theatre[]

Comédie-Française[]

Béatrix Dussane's grave at Père Lachaise Cemetery.

• Admission at the Comédie-Française in 1903
• Sociétaire from 1922 to 1941
• 363th sociétaire
• Honorary sociétaire in 1942

Hors Comédie-Française[]

• 1947 : Richard II by William Shakespeare, directed by Jean Vilar, 1st festival d'Avignon
• 1947 : L'Histoire de Tobie et de Sara by Paul Claudel, directed by , 1st festival d'Avignon
• 1951 : Jedermann by Hugo von Hofmannsthal, directed by , parvise of the Saint-Jean cathedral of Lyon

Cinema[]

• 1968 : by Claude Autant-Lara : The elegant lady

Bibliography[]

• La Comédie-Française, Paris, La Renaissance du livre, 1921 (rééd. Hachette, 1960)
• Le Comédien sans paradoxe, Paris, Plon, 1933
• Un comédien nommé Molière, Paris, Plon, 1936 (rééd. Plon, 1956)
• Sophie Arnould, la plus spirituelle des bacchantes, Paris, Albin Michel, 1938
• Mes quatre Comédies-Françaises, de Claretie à Bourdet, Paris, Le Divan, 1939
• Du nouveau sur Racine, Paris, Le Divan, 1941
• Les Vers que je dis, pourquoi ne les diriez-vous pas ?, Paris, Le Divan, 1943
• Reines de théâtre (1633-1941), Lyon, H. Lardanchet, 1944
• Notes de théâtre (1940-1950), Lyon, H. Lardanchet, 1951
• Maria Casarès, Paris, Calmann-Lévy, 1953
• Au jour et aux lumières. 1 - Premiers pas dans le temple, Paris, Calmann-Lévy, 1955
• Au jour et aux lumières. 2 - Par les fenêtres, Paris, Calmann-Lévy, 1958
• Le Théâtre, Paris, Hachette, 1958
• Cas de conscience du comédien, Paris, Fleurus, 1960
• J'étais dans la salle, Paris, Mercure de France, 1963 - Recueil de chroniques publiées entre 1951 et 1962
• Dieux des planches, Paris, Flammarion, 1964

Further reading[]

• Nadine Audoubert, Dussane ou la Servante de Molière, Paris, France-Empire, 1977

References[]

External links[]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Béatrix Dussane.

• Fonds Béatrix Dussane dans le Répertoire des arts du spectacle (BNF)
• Interview de Beatrix Dussane (08/01/1961) sur le site de l'INA
• (in French) DUSSANE Béatrix (1888-1969)