Marcheline Bertrand facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Marcheline Bertrand
Bertrand in 2001
Born	Marcia Lynne Bertrand (1950-05-09)May 9, 1950 Blue Island, Illinois, U.S.
Died	January 27, 2007(2007-01-27) (aged 56) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actress, producer, humanitarian
Years active	1971–2007
Spouse(s)	Jon Voight ​ ​ (m. 1971; div. 1980)​
Partner(s)	Bill Day (1978–1980, 1982–1989) John Trudell (?–2007)
Children	James Haven Angelina Jolie

Marcia Lynne "Marcheline" Bertrand (May 9, 1950 – January 27, 2007) was an American actress and producer. She was also a dedicated humanitarian. She was married to actor Jon Voight. Marcheline was the mother of famous actress Angelina Jolie and actor James Haven.

Early Life

Marcheline Bertrand was born in Blue Island, Illinois. She grew up in a small town nearby called Riverdale, Illinois. Her parents were Lois June and Rolland F. Bertrand. She had two younger siblings, Debbie and Raleigh.

In 1965, her family moved to Beverly Hills, California. Marcheline went to Beverly Hills High School. Her father's family had French-Canadian roots. Her mother's family came from Dutch and German backgrounds. Marcheline also believed she had some Native American heritage. Her daughter, Angelina Jolie, once said that Marcheline was often mistaken for a French actress. However, she was "as far from French Parisian as you can get."

Film Career

Acting Roles

When she started acting, Marcheline Bertrand studied with a famous teacher, Lee Strasberg. In 1971, she appeared in a TV show called Ironside. She played a character named Connie in one episode.

Later, in 1982, she had a small part in the movie Lookin' to Get Out. Her former husband, Jon Voight, helped write and star in this film. Her last acting role was in the 1983 comedy The Man Who Loved Women. This movie was a remake of an older French film.

Becoming a Producer

After her acting roles, Marcheline started working as a producer. In 1983, she created Woods Road Productions. She started this company with her partner at the time, Bill Day.

In 2005, Marcheline was the executive producer for a documentary called Trudell. This film was about the life of her partner, John Trudell. He was a musician and activist from the Santee Sioux tribe. Trudell was shown at important film festivals. It won an award for Best Documentary at the Seattle International Film Festival.

Humanitarian Work

Marcheline Bertrand was very passionate about helping others. She worked to support Native American communities.

All Tribes Foundation

Marcheline and her partner, John Trudell, started the All Tribes Foundation. This group helped Native peoples keep their culture alive. It also supported their economic survival. By 2007, the foundation had given over $800,000 to programs. These programs helped tribal ways of life and secured a future for Native communities.

Helping Women Refugees

In 2003, on International Women's Day, Marcheline and John organized a special concert. This concert raised money for Afghan women refugees. They worked with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to make this event happen.

Give Love Give Life

Marcheline was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 1999. Because of this, she and John Trudell started the Give Love Give Life organization. Their goal was to teach people about ovarian and other gynecological cancers. They used music to spread awareness.

The first Give Love Give Life concert was in February 2004. It was held at The Roxy in West Hollywood, California. Marcheline and John also worked to get support for Johanna's Law. This law helps fund education about the signs of gynecological cancers. It became a law in January 2007.

A second Give Love Give Life concert was held in February 2007. This concert raised money for cancer research at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Marcheline passed away from cancer a month before this concert.

Personal Life

Marcheline Bertrand married actor Jon Voight on December 12, 1971. They had two children together: James Haven and Angelina Jolie. Both of their children grew up to become actors. Marcheline and Jon Voight divorced in 1980.

After her divorce, Marcheline was in a relationship with filmmaker Bill Day. They lived together for eleven years. Later in her life, she was in a relationship with activist and musician John Trudell.

Marcheline was a Roman Catholic. At the time of her death, she had three grandchildren from her daughter. Another granddaughter was born the next year. She was given the middle name "Marcheline" to honor her grandmother.

Death

Marcheline Bertrand valued her privacy. She did not give interviews later in her life. She fought a long battle with ovarian and breast cancer for nearly eight years. She passed away at age 56 on January 27, 2007. She died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center with her children by her side. Marcheline's mother and sister also died from cancer. Her daughter, Angelina, shared that Marcheline always thought cancer could happen to her too.

Filmography