Danièle Delorme facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Danièle Delorme
Delorme in 1953
Born	Gabrielle Danièle Marguerite Andrée Girard (1926-10-09)9 October 1926 Levallois-Perret, Hauts-de-Seine, France
Died	17 October 2015(2015-10-17) (aged 89) Paris, France
Occupation	Actress, film producer
Years active	1942–2001
Spouse(s)	Daniel Gélin (1945–1955) (divorced) Yves Robert (1956–2002; his death)
Children	Xavier (1946–1999)

Gabrielle Danièle Marguerite Andrée Girard (born October 9, 1926 – died October 17, 2015) was a French actress and film producer. She was known by her stage name, Danièle Delorme. She became famous for her roles in movies directed by Marc Allégret, Julien Duvivier, and Yves Robert.

Early Life and First Roles

Danièle Delorme was born on October 9, 1926, in Levallois-Perret, France. She was one of four children. Her father, André Girard, was a well-known painter and theater designer.

During World War II, her father helped the French Resistance. This group secretly fought against the German occupation of France. It was during this time that Danièle began her acting career.

In 1940, when she was 14, Danièle started acting in small parts. Two years later, at age 16, she got a small role in the movie The Beautiful Adventure (1942). At this time, she used her birth name, Danièle Girard.

Becoming Danièle Delorme

A few years later, director Marc Allégret gave Danièle a bigger role. For this movie, she started using her famous stage name: Danièle Delorme.

Some people thought she changed her name to hide from the Gestapo (the German secret police). This was because of her father's work with the Resistance.

However, the idea for her new name came from actor Bernard Blier. He suggested she take the name from a character in a play by Victor Hugo, called Marion Delorme.

Her Acting Style

In the early part of her career, Danièle Delorme often played sweet and innocent young women. She looked perfect for these roles.

Her first husband, Daniel Gélin, once said she had "the face of a little girl" and "the body of a woman." A writer from the New York Times described her as "a winsome wisp of an actress, with her soft smile and grey eyes."

These qualities helped her get a breakthrough role in Miquette et sa mère (1949). In the same year, she also played the main character in Gigi (1949 film). This was before Leslie Caron became famous for the same role in the American musical version.

Danièle also showed her range by playing a "femme fatale" (a charming but dangerous woman) in the movie Deadlier Than the Male (1956). She starred alongside the famous actor Jean Gabin in this film.

Standing Up for What's Right

In 1960, Danièle Delorme joined many other famous people in signing a statement. This statement supported French soldiers who refused to fight in Algeria.

Because of this, the French government banned all who signed from appearing on state-run TV or radio. They also said that movies with these actors would not get government funding. This shows Danièle's courage to stand up for her beliefs.

Personal Life

In 1945, Danièle married actor Daniel Gélin. They had a son named Xavier, who also became an actor. Danièle and Daniel divorced in 1954.

In 1956, Danièle married actor and filmmaker Yves Robert. They were partners in a film production company. They stayed married until Yves Robert passed away in 2002.

Danièle Delorme was also part of the jury for the Caméra d'Or award at the 1988 Cannes Film Festival. This award is given to the best first film shown at the festival.

Later Years and Death

Danièle Delorme passed away in Paris on October 17, 2015, at the age of 89. Her death was announced a few days later. She died peacefully in her sleep after being ill for some years.

She had created an art gallery in Paris called An Girard. This gallery showed the works of her father, André Girard.

Selected Filmography