Arletty facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Arletty
Arletty in 1942.
Born	Léonie Marie Julie Bathiat (1898-05-15)15 May 1898 Courbevoie, France
Died	23 July 1992(1992-07-23) (aged 94) Paris, France
Occupation	Actress, singer, fashion model
Years active	1930–1963

Léonie Marie Julie Bathiat (born May 15, 1898 – died July 23, 1992), known as Arletty, was a famous French actress, singer, and fashion model. She is best known for her roles in classic films directed by Marcel Carné. These include Hotel du Nord (1938), Le jour se lève (1939), and Children of Paradise (1945). During World War II, she had a relationship with a German officer. Because of this, she was later found guilty of a serious offense against her country.

Early Life and Career

Arletty was born in Courbevoie, a town near Paris, France. Her family was working-class. After her father passed away, she left home. She started a career as a model. She chose the stage name "Arlette" from a character in a story.

At first, she was not interested in acting. But then she met Paul Guillaume, an art dealer. He suggested she try theater. At 21, she was hired for her first acting job.

Her early career was mostly in music hall shows. These were popular entertainment shows with singing and dancing. She also performed in plays and cabaret shows. In 1928, she starred in an operetta called Yes. This show was written especially for her.

Arletty performed on stage for ten years. Then, in 1930, she made her first film appearance. Her film career really took off around 1936. She became a leading lady in plays like Les Joies du Capitole and Fric-Frac. In Fric-Frac, she starred alongside Michel Simon. Later, she played the character Blanche in the French version of A Streetcar Named Desire.

Marcel Carné was a famous director. He was known for his "poetic realism" style of filmmaking. Arletty's role as Raymonde in his film Hotel du Nord became very famous. People loved her line, "Atmosphere! Atmosphere!"

In 1945, Arletty played her most famous film role. This was the main part of Garance in Les Enfants du Paradis. This was her fourth film with director Marcel Carné. For this role, she earned one of the highest salaries in French cinema history.

Wartime Actions

In 1945, Arletty was put in prison. This was because she had a relationship with a German officer. This happened during the occupation of France in World War II. Many French people felt this was wrong. She was charged with a serious offense related to her actions during the war. She was sentenced to eighteen months in prison. Most of this time was spent in a private chateau.

Later Years

After the war, Arletty continued acting on stage. She had some success. However, she later had to stop acting. This was because she began to lose her eyesight.

One of her last film roles was a small part. She played an elderly French woman in the movie The Longest Day (1962).

Arletty passed away in 1992. Her ashes were buried in her hometown. This was at the Nouveau Cimetière de Courbevoie.

Legacy

In 1995, the French government honored Arletty. They released special limited edition coins. These coins celebrated 100 years of film. One of these coins, a 100 Franc coin, had Arletty's image on it.

Filmography

See also

In Spanish: Arletty para niños