Barbara Laage (30 July 1920 – 21 May 1988) was a French film actress who flourished in the 1950s. After fleeing Paris with her family during the

German occupation German-occupied Europe refers to the sovereign countries of Europe which were wholly or partly occupied and civil-occupied (including puppet governments) by the military forces and the government of Nazi Germany at various times between 1939 an ...

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

, Laage returned to the city after the war and commenced her acting career in the Paris theatre district of

Montparnasse Montparnasse () is an area in the south of Paris, France, on the left bank of the river Seine, centred at the crossroads of the Boulevard du Montparnasse and the Rue de Rennes, between the Rue de Rennes and boulevard Raspail. Montparnasse has bee ...

. Her first move to Hollywood was arranged by theatrical agent

William Morris William Morris (24 March 1834 – 3 October 1896) was a British textile designer, poet, artist, novelist, architectural conservationist, printer, translator and socialist activist associated with the British Arts and Crafts Movement. He ...

, founder of the

William Morris Agency The William Morris Agency (WMA) was a Hollywood-based talent agency. It represented some of the best known 20th-century entertainers in film, television, and music. During its 109-year tenure it came to be regarded as the "first great talent ag ...

. She is one of several Hollywood stars of the era that would frequent the

Chateau Marmont The Chateau Marmont is a hotel located at 8221 Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles, California. The hotel was designed by architects Arnold A. Weitzman and William Douglas Lee and completed in 1929. It was modeled loosely after the Château d'Am ...

. She was the first choice for the lead role in the

Orson Welles George Orson Welles (May 6, 1915 – October 10, 1985) was an American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter, known for his innovative work in film, radio and theatre. He is considered to be among the greatest and most influential f ...

film ''

The Lady from Shanghai ''The Lady from Shanghai'' is a 1947 American film noir directed by Orson Welles (uncredited) and starring Welles, his estranged wife Rita Hayworth, and Everett Sloane. It is based on the novel ''If I Die Before I Wake'' by Sherwood King. Altho ...

'', though the part was eventually awarded to

Rita Hayworth Rita Hayworth (born Margarita Carmen Cansino; October 17, 1918May 14, 1987) was an American actress, dancer and producer. She achieved fame during the 1940s as one of the era's top stars, appearing in 61 films over 37 years. The press coined th ...

Partial filmography

* ''Signé illisible'' (1942) * '' B.F.'s Daughter'' (1948) - Eugenia Taris * '' The Red Rose'' (1951) - Claire Claris - la photographe * ''

La Putain respectueuse ''La Putain respectueuse'' (''The Respectful Prostitute'') is a French drama film from 1952, directed by Marcello Pagliero and Charles Brabant, written by Alexandre Astruc, starring Barbara Laage and Louis de Funès. It is an adaptation of Jean- ...

'' (1952) - Lizzie Mac-Kay - chanteuse entraîneuse * '' The Slave'' (1953) - Anne-Marie 'Fétiche' * ''Traviata '53'' (1953) - Rita * '' Act of Love'' (1953) - Nina * ''Zoé'' (1954) - Zoé * ''

Quay of Blondes ''Quay of Blondes'' (French: ''Quai des blondes'') is a 1954 French crime film directed by Paul Cadéac and starring Michel Auclair, Barbara Laage and Madeleine Lebeau.Kermabon p.461 It was produced and distributed by Pathé and shot in Gevacol ...

'' (1954) - Barbara * '' A Parisian in Rome'' (1954) - Germaine, la Parigina * ''Nagana'' (1955) - Geneviève Larguillière * ''

The Adventures of Gil Blas ''The Adventures of Gil Blas'' (French: ''Les Aventures de Gil Blas de Santillane'', Spanish: ''Una aventura de Gil Blas'') is a 1956 French–Spanish adventure film directed by René Jolivet and Ricardo Muñoz Suay and starring Georges Marchal, B ...

'' (1956) - Antonia Caldera * ''Guilty?'' (1956) - Jaqueline Delbois * ''

Les Assassins du dimanche ''Les Assassins du dimanche'' () is a French drama film made in 1956. It is directed by Alex Joffé, written by Alex Joffé and stars Barbara Laage. Cast * Barbara Laage : Simone Simonet * Dominique Wilms : Ginette Garcet * Jean-Marc Thibault ...

'' (1956) - Simone Simonet * ''

The Happy Road ''The Happy Road'' is a 1957 French-American comedy film starring Gene Kelly, Barbara Laage, Michael Redgrave and Bobby Clark. Its plot involves two students (a boy and girl) who escape from their Swiss private school and make for Paris. Their ...

'' (1957) - Suzanne Duval * ''Action immédiate'' (1957) - Hiedi Effen * ''Deuxième Bureau contre inconnu'' (1957) - Mariana * ''Miss Pigalle'' (1958) - Yvonne Pigalle * ''Un mundo para mí'' (1959) - Isabelle * ''Ce soir on tue'' (1959) - Nelly * ''Orientalische Nächte'' (1960) - Arlette * '' Bombs on Monte Carlo'' (1960) - Olga * ''Le caïd'' (1960) - Rita * ''Ça va être ta fête'' (1960) - Michèle Laurent * ''

Paris Blues ''Paris Blues'' is a 1961 American musical romantic drama film directed by Martin Ritt, starring Sidney Poitier as expatriate jazz saxophonist Eddie Cook, and Paul Newman as trombone-playing Ram Bowen. The two men romance two vacationing America ...

'' (1961) (with Paul Newman) - Marie Séoul * ''Le captif'' (1962) - Sylvie Hamelin * ''

Portuguese Vacation ''Portuguese Vacation'' (French: ''Vacances portugaises'') is a 1963 French-Portuguese drama film directed by Pierre Kast and starring Françoise Arnoul, Michel Auclair and Jean-Pierre Aumont.Oscherwitz & Higgins p.26 Cast * Françoise Arnoul as ...

'' (1963) - Barbara * ''

The Crime of Aldeia Velha ''The Crime of Aldeia Velha'' (Portuguese: ''O Crime da Aldeia Velha'') is a 1964 Portuguese drama film directed by Manuel Guimarães.Torgal p.204 Cast * Clara D'Ovar * Alma Flora * Lídia Franco * Miguel Franco * Cremilda Gil as (voice ...

'' (1964) - Joana * ''O Corpo Ardente'' (1966) - Marcia * ''Drôle de jeu'' (1968) - Mathilde * ''

Therese and Isabelle ''Thérèse and Isabelle'' (french: Thérèse et Isabelle) is a 1968 erotic drama film directed by Radley Metzger from a screenplay by Jesse Vogel, based on the 1966 novel ''Thérèse et Isabelle'' by Violette Leduc. Plot Two young girls grow ...

'' (1968) - Thérèse's mother * '' Bed and Board'' (1970) - Monique, la secrétaire * ''Défense de savoir'' (1973) - Mme Christiani * ''Projection privée'' (1973) - Madeleine

References

External links

* French film actresses 1920 births 1988 deaths 20th-century French actresses {{France-film-actor-stub