Jean-Henri Gourgaud (15 November 1746 – 19 October 1809) was a

French actor This is a list of notable actors and actresses from France. ''(Persons are listed alphabetically according to their surname.)'' A * Kev Adams * Isabelle Adjani * Fatima Adoum * Renée Adorée * Anouk Aimée * Madame Albert * Catherine All ...

under the stage name Dugazon, the son of Pierre-Antoine Gourgaud, the director of military hospitals there and also an actor. He began his career in the provinces, making his debut in 1770 at the '' Comédie Française'', where he aspired to leading comedy roles. He pleased the public at once and was made ''sociétaire'' in 1772. Dugazon was an ardent

revolutionist A revolutionary is a person who either participates in, or advocates a revolution. The term ''revolutionary'' can also be used as an adjective, to refer to something that has a major, sudden impact on society or on some aspect of human endeavor. ...

, helped the schism which divided the company, and went with Talma and the others to what became the Théâtre de la République. After the closing of this theatre and the dissolution of the Comédie Française, he took refuge at the Théâtre Feydeau until he returned to the restored ''Comédie'' in 1799. He retired in 1805, and died insane at Sandillon. Dugazon wrote three comedies of a political character, performed at the Théâtre de la République. He married, in 1776,

Louise-Rosalie Lefebvre Louise-Rosalie Lefebvre (18 June 1755 – 22 September 1821), also known as Madame Dugazon, was a French operatic mezzo-soprano, actress and dancer. Born in Berlin as the daughter of a dancing master at the court of Frederick II of Prussia, she ...

, but was soon divorced and then married again. Together they had a child, composer

Gustave Dugazon Gustave Dugazon (real name Alexandre Louis Gustave Gourgaud, 1 February 1781 – 12 September 1829) was a French classical composer. A contemporary of François-Adrien Boieldieu, Boieldieu, Étienne Nicolas Méhul, Méhul, Rodolphe Kreutzer, ...

. Dugazon's sister, Marie Rose Gourgaud (1743–1804), was an actress who first played at

Stuttgart Stuttgart (; Swabian: ; ) is the capital and largest city of the German state of Baden-Württemberg. It is located on the Neckar river in a fertile valley known as the ''Stuttgarter Kessel'' (Stuttgart Cauldron) and lies an hour from the Sw ...

, where she married Angelo Vestris, brother of Gaétano Vestris, the dancer. Under the protection of the dukes of Choiseul and Duras, she was commanded to make her debut at the Comédie Française in 1768, where she created important parts in a number of tragedies.

See also