Simone Signoret facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Simone Signoret
Signoret in 1947
Born	Simone Henriette Charlotte Kaminker (1921-03-25)25 March 1921 Wiesbaden, Germany
Died	30 September 1985(1985-09-30) (aged 64) Autheuil-Authouillet, France
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1942–1985
Spouse(s)	Yves Allégret ​ ​ (m. 1944; div. 1949)​ Yves Montand ​ ​ (m. 1951)​
Children	Catherine Allégret

Simone Signoret (born Simone Henriette Charlotte Kaminker; March 25, 1921 – September 30, 1985) was a famous French actress. She won many important awards for her acting. These include an Academy Award (also known as an Oscar), three BAFTA Awards, a César Award, and a Primetime Emmy Award. She also won the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actress.

Early Life and Family

Simone Signoret was born in Wiesbaden, Germany. Her birth name was Simone Henriette Charlotte Kaminker. Her mother was Georgette Signoret, and her father was André Kaminker. Simone was the oldest of three children.

Her father was a very early interpreter, someone who translates spoken words between people. He worked for the League of Nations, which was an international organization that aimed to promote peace. He was a French army officer from a Polish Jewish family. He moved his family to Neuilly-sur-Seine, a town near Paris, France. Simone's mother, Georgette, was French and Catholic. Simone later used her mother's maiden name, Signoret, as her stage name.

Simone grew up in Paris and learned English, German, and Latin. During World War II, when the Nazis occupied France, Simone had to support her family. She worked as a typist for a French newspaper. Her father, who was a French patriot, had left the country to join General De Gaulle in England.

Acting Career

During the time France was occupied, Simone Signoret spent time with a group of writers and actors. They met at the Café de Flore in Paris. She became very interested in acting, and her friends encouraged her.

In 1942, she started getting small acting roles. She earned enough money to help her mother and two brothers. She used her mother's maiden name, Signoret, to help hide her Jewish background.

Early Film Success

Simone Signoret became well-known for her roles. Her natural and strong acting style made her stand out. She gained a lot of attention in the film La Ronde (1950). She also won an acting award from the British Film Academy for her role in Casque d'or (1951).

During the 1950s, she appeared in many French films. Some of these include Thérèse Raquin (1953), Les Diaboliques (1954), and The Crucible (1956). The film The Crucible was based on a famous play by Arthur Miller.

Simone Signoret with Laurence Harvey in Room at the Top; this film made her an international star.

Becoming an International Star

In 1958, Signoret starred in the English film Room at the Top (1959). Her powerful performance in this movie won her many awards. She received the Best Female Performance Prize at the Cannes Film Festival. She also won the Academy Award for Best Actress, which is one of the highest honors in film. It was almost 40 years before another French actress won an Oscar for a leading role.

After this success, she was offered roles in Hollywood. However, she chose to keep working in France and England for several years. For example, she acted with Laurence Olivier in Term of Trial (1962). She later received another Oscar nomination for her work in Ship of Fools (1965). She appeared in a few more Hollywood films before returning to France in 1969.

Later Career and Recognition

In 1962, Simone Signoret translated a play called The Little Foxes into French. She also acted in the play in Paris.

She was not afraid to take on challenging roles. She continued to give strong performances throughout her career. She received more praise for her role as a tired madam in Madame Rosa (1977). She also played an unmarried sister who falls in love through letters in I Sent a Letter to my Love [fr] (1980). Simone Signoret continued to act in many movies until her death in 1985.

Personal Life

Simone Signoret wrote her life story, called Nostalgia Isn't What It Used To Be, which was published in 1978. She also wrote a novel, Adieu Volodya, which came out in 1985, the year she passed away.

Signoret was married twice. Her first marriage was to filmmaker Yves Allégret from 1944 to 1949. They had a daughter named Catherine Allégret, who also became an actress. Her second marriage was to the French actor Yves Montand in 1951. This marriage lasted until her death. They did not have any children together.

Simone Signoret died from pancreatic cancer in Autheuil-Authouillet, France, when she was 64 years old. She was buried in Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris. Later, Yves Montand was buried next to her.

Filmography

Awards and Nominations

Popular Culture

• A play called Marilyn (2011) was about the difficult relationship between Simone Signoret and Marilyn Monroe.
• The famous singer Nina Simone (born Eunice Waymon) chose her last name from Simone Signoret.

See Also

In Spanish: Simone Signoret para niños

• Cinema of France
• César Award for Best Actress
• List of actors with two or more Academy Award nominations in acting categories
• List of French Academy Award winners and nominees