
Benoît-Constant Coquelin (; 23 January 184127 January 1909), known as Coquelin aîné ("Coquelin the Elder"), was a French actor, "one of the greatest theatrical figures of the age."
Biography
Coquelin was born in
Boulogne-sur-Mer,
Pas-de-Calais
The Pas-de-Calais (, ' strait of Calais'; ; ) is a department in northern France named after the French designation of the Strait of Dover, which it borders. It has the most communes of all the departments of France, with 890, and is the ...
. He was originally intended to follow his father's trade of baker
(he was once called "un boulanger manqué" – "a failed baker" – by a hostile critic), but his love of acting led him to the
Conservatoire, where he entered
Régnier's class in 1859. He won the first prize for comedy within a year, and made his début on 7 December 1860 at the
Comédie-Française as the comic valet, Gros-René, in
Molière
Jean-Baptiste Poquelin (; 15 January 1622 (baptised) – 17 February 1673), known by his stage name Molière (, ; ), was a French playwright, actor, and poet, widely regarded as one of the great writers in the French language and world liter ...
's ''Le Dépit amoureux'', but his first great success was as
Figaro in ''
The Barber of Seville
''The Barber of Seville, or The Useless Precaution'' ( ) is an ''opera buffa'' (comic opera) in two acts composed by Gioachino Rossini with an Italian libretto by Cesare Sterbini. The libretto was based on Pierre Beaumarchais's French comedy ' ...
'', in the following year.
It was an honour for Coquelin to be a part of the Comédie-Française at such a young age. This company had already been in existence for around 150 years.
He was made ''sociétaire'' in 1864. There were 21 shares and they were divided among the lead actors, known as sociétaires. The sociétaires co-manage, choose plays, and share profits. When there was an opening caused by retirement, resignation, or death, it was filled by a member of the pensionnaires. And just four years after joining the Comédie-Française, Coquelin became one of the elite sociétaires. During the next twenty-two years he created the leading roles in forty-four new plays at the Comédie Française, including
Théodore de Banville's ''Gringoire'' (1867),
Paul Ferrier's ''Tabarin'' (1871),
Émile Augier's ''Paul Forestier'' (1871), ''L'Étrangère'' (1876) by
the younger Dumas,
Charles Lomon's ''Jean Dacier'' (1877),
Édouard Pailleron's ''Le Monde où l'on s'ennuie'' (1881),
Erckmann's and Chatrian's ''Les Rantzau'' (1884).
In consequence of a dispute with the authorities over the question of his right to make provincial tours in France he resigned in 1886. Three years later, however, the breach was healed; and after a successful series of tours in Europe and the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
he rejoined the Comédie-Française as ''pensionnaire'' in 1890.
During his time away from the Comédie he wrote his book ''Art and the Actor.''
It was during this period that he took the part of Labussière, in the production of
Victorien Sardou's ''
Thermidor'', which was banned by the government after three performances. In 1892 he broke definitively with the Comédie-Française, and toured for some time through the capitals of Europe with a company of his own; in
New York, for instance, he performed at
Abbey's Theatre in 1894, playing the lead in ''
Tartuffe'' (his son Jean played Orgon) and Mascarille in ''
Les Précieuses ridicules''. In 1895 he joined the
Renaissance theatre in Paris, and played there until he became director of the
Théâtre de la Porte Saint-Martin in 1897. Here he won successes in
Edmond Rostand's ''
Cyrano de Bergerac'' (1897), which he repeated in the summer of 1898 at the
Lyceum Theatre, London,
Émile Bergerat's ''Plus que reine'' (1899),
Catulle Mendès's ''Scarron'' (1905), and
Alfred Capus and
Lucien Descaves' ''L'Attentat'' (1906).
In 1900 Coquelin toured in America with
Sarah Bernhardt
Sarah Bernhardt (; born Henriette-Rosine Bernard; 22 October 1844 – 26 March 1923) was a French stage actress who starred in some of the most popular French plays of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including by Alexandre Dumas fils, ...
, appeared at
Broadway's Garden Theatre in a production of ''Cyrano de Bergerac'' (Bernhardt played Roxane). He made his only film, the duel scene from ''
Cyrano de Bergerac'' with sound recording on
phonograph cylinder (see also
Sound film/Early steps). The film is thought to be the first ever made with both color and sound. On their return to France he continued with his old colleague to appear in ''L'Aiglon'', at the
Théâtre Sarah Bernhardt. He was rehearsing for the creation of the title role in
Rostand's ''Chantecler'', which he was to produce, when he died suddenly in Paris in 1909.
''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' printed an obituary, in which it described many tributes to the dead actor, including a visit by the personal secretary of the President of the Republic,
Armand Fallières.
Coquelin was an Officier de l'Instruction Publique and of the
Legion of Honour
The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and Civil society, civil. Currently consisting of five cl ...
. He published:
* ''L'Art et le comédien'' (1880)
* ''Molière et le misanthrope'' (1881)
* essay on
Eugène Manuel (1881)
* essay on
Sully Prudhomme (1882)
* ''L'Arnolphe de Molière'' (1882)
* ''Les Comédiens'' (1882)
* ''L'Art de dire le monologue'' (with his brother, 1884)
* ''Tartuffe'' (1884)
* ''L'Art du comédien'' (1894)
His brother,
Ernest
Ernest is a given name derived from the Germanic languages, Germanic word ''ernst'', meaning "serious", often shortened to Ernie.
Notable people and fictional characters with the name include:
People
*Archduke Ernest of Austria (1553–1595), ...
, and his son,
Jean, were also actors.
In the 2019 film ''Cyrano, My Love'' (original title ''Edmond'') which is adapted from
Alexis Michalik's 2016 play ''Edmond'', based around the creation of ''Cyrano de Bergerac'', Coquelin is played by
Olivier Gourmet.
Gallery
Bemberg Fondation Toulouse - L'acteur Coquelin aîné accoudé - Jean Béraud.jpg, Portrait by Jean Béraud
Coquelin ainé.jpg, As Cyrano 1898
Cyrano de Bergerac (1900).webm, ''Cyrano de Bergerac'' (1900)
Benoit Constant Coquelin.jpg, Coquelin photographed by the American Napoleon Sarony
Napoléon Sarony (March 9, 1821 – November 9, 1896) was an American lithography, lithographer and photography, photographer. He was a highly popular portrait photographer, best known for his portraits of the stars of late-19th-century American ...
c.1888.
Benoît Constant Coquelin 1901.jpg, Benoît-Constant Coquelin.
Benoît-Constant Coquelin dressed as Cyrano de Bergerac.jpg, Coquelin dressed as Cyrano de Bergerac
Benoît-Constant Coquelin in an unknown role.png, Coquelin as Mascarille in ''Les Précieuses ridicules'', c.1888.
File:Constant Coquelin.jpg
References
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Coquelin, Benoit-Constant
1841 births
1909 deaths
People from Boulogne-sur-Mer
Male actors from Hauts-de-France
19th-century French male actors
19th-century theatre
French male stage actors
French male silent film actors
Sociétaires of the Comédie-Française
20th-century French male actors
Articles containing video clips