Romy Schneider facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Romy Schneider
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Schneider in 1973
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| Born |
Rosemarie Magdalena Albach
23 September 1938 Vienna, German Reich
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| Died | 29 May 1982 (aged 43) Paris, France
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| Burial place | Boissy-sans-Avoir, Yvelines, France |
| Other names | Romy Schneider-Albach |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1953–1982 |
| Spouse(s) |
Harry Meyen
(m. 1966; div. 1975)Daniel Biasini
(m. 1975; div. 1981) |
| Partner(s) | Alain Delon (1958–1963) Laurent Pétin (1981–1982; her death) |
| Children | 2, including Sarah Biasini |
| Parent(s) | Wolf Albach-Retty (father) Magda Schneider (mother) |
| Relatives | Rosa Albach-Retty (grandmother) |
Romy Schneider (born Rosemarie Magdalena Albach; 23 September 1938 – 29 May 1982) was a famous German-French actress. She started her acting career in Germany when she was just 15 years old in the early 1950s.
From 1955 to 1957, Romy became very well-known for playing the main character, Empress Elisabeth of Austria, in the Austrian Sissi movie series. Later, she played the same role again in a more grown-up way in the film Ludwig (1973). Romy then moved to France. There, she made many successful and highly praised movies with some of the best film directors of her time.
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Early Life and Acting Dreams
Romy Schneider was born Rosemarie Magdalena Albach in Vienna. Her parents, Magda Schneider and Wolf Albach-Retty, were both actors. Her grandmother, Rosa Albach-Retty, was also an actress.
When Romy was very young, she moved to Germany to live with her grandparents. Her parents were often away working as actors. In 1943, her parents separated, and they divorced in 1945.
In 1949, Romy went to a girls' boarding school near Salzburg. While at school, she discovered how much she loved acting. She often performed in plays at the school. She even wrote in her diary that she really wanted to become an actress. After finishing school in 1953, she moved to Cologne to live with her mother.
After her parents' divorce, Romy's mother, Magda, helped guide Romy's acting career. Her stepfather also helped manage her career.
Starting Her Film Career
Romy Schneider's first movie was When the White Lilacs Bloom Again (1953). She was only 15 years old at the time. In 1954, she played a royal character for the first time, acting as a young Queen Victoria in the film Mädchenjahre einer Königin.
Romy became a big star when she played Empress Elisabeth of Austria in the popular Sissi movies. These included Sissi (1955), Sissi – The Young Empress (1956), and Sissi – Fateful Years of an Empress (1957). She starred alongside Karlheinz Böhm, who became a good friend.
Romy then starred in Christine (1958). During the filming of Christine, Romy met French actor Alain Delon. They became engaged in 1959. Romy decided to move to Paris, France, to live and work.
In France, she started working with famous film directors. She worked with Orson Welles in The Trial (1962). She also worked with Luchino Visconti in the film Boccaccio '70. She even acted in a play called The Seagull.
Romy also spent a short time in Hollywood. She starred in the comedy Good Neighbor Sam (1964) with Jack Lemmon. She also appeared in What's New Pussycat? (1965).
Romy and Alain Delon ended their engagement in 1963. However, they remained close friends throughout their lives. They even continued to work together in movies like La Piscine (1968).
Later Career Highlights
Romy Schneider continued to make many movies in France during the 1970s. She worked often with director Claude Sautet. Their first movie together, The Things of Life (1970), made Romy a very popular star in France. They also worked on Max et les ferrailleurs (1971) and César et Rosalie (1972).
A magazine wrote in 1971 that Romy was a "great star" on screen.
Romy played Empress Elisabeth of Austria again in Ludwig (1973). This time, the movie showed a more serious and realistic side of the Empress. Romy once said that the "Sissi" role "stuck to her" like oatmeal.
Other successful movies from this time include Le Train (1973) and Le vieux fusil (1975). She won her first César Award (which is like France's Oscar) for her role in That Most Important Thing: Love (1974). She won another César Award five years later for A Simple Story (1978).
Romy also acted in Garde à vue (1981). Her last film was La Passante du Sans-Souci (1982).
Personal Life and Family
After her relationship with Alain Delon ended, Romy Schneider married German director and actor Harry Meyen in 1966. They later divorced in 1975. They had a son named David Christopher. Sadly, David passed away in 1981 at the age of 14.
In 1975, Romy married Daniel Biasini, who was her private secretary. They divorced in 1981. They had a daughter named Sarah Biasini, who also became an actress. Romy's last romantic partner was film producer Laurent Pétin.
Passing Away
Romy Schneider was found passed away in her Paris apartment on May 29, 1982. Officials stated that she died from a heart issue. Her tombstone in Boissy-sans-Avoir, France, shows her birth name, Rosemarie Albach. Her son David was later buried in the same grave.
Lasting Legacy
Romy Schneider is still remembered and honored today. In 1984, the Prix Romy Schneider was created. It is an important award for new actresses in French films. In 1990, an Austrian newspaper created the Romy TV Award in her honor.
In 2003, she was voted 78th on a list of the greatest Germans. She was the second-highest ranked actress on that list. For a time, a train service in Austria was named "Romy Schneider."
Movies and musicals have been made about Romy Schneider's life. In 2018, the film 3 Days in Quiberon showed a part of her life in France. In 2020, Google celebrated her 82nd birthday with a special Google Doodle. A documentary about Romy Schneider and Alain Delon was also made in 2022.
Filmography
Awards and Recognition
Romy Schneider received many awards for her acting:
- Bambi: 1957 (nominated)
- Bravo Otto
- 1957: Bronze
- 1958: Gold
- 1959: Silver
- 1971: Silver
- 1972: Bronze
- 1977: Bronze
- Étoile de Cristal: 1963 for The Trial
- Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama: 1963 (nominated)
- César Award for Best Actress
- 1975: Won for L'important c'est d'aimer
- 1976: (nominated)
- 1978: Won for Une histoire simple
- 1979: (nominated)
- 1982: (nominated)
- Deutscher Filmpreis Best Actress: 1977 for Group Portrait with a Lady
- Premio David di Donatello: 1979 Lifetime Achievement
- 2008: Honorary César
Awards Named After Romy Schneider
- Prix Romy Schneider, a French film award started in 1984.
- Romy, an Austrian award started in 1990.
See also
In Spanish: Romy Schneider para niños
