Michèle Alfa (born Joséphine Blanche Alfreda Bassignot; August 20, 1911 – August 24, 1987) was a French

stage Stage, stages, or staging may refer to: Arts and media Acting * Stage (theatre), a space for the performance of theatrical productions * Theatre, a branch of the performing arts, often referred to as "the stage" * ''The Stage'', a weekly Brit ...

and

film actress An actor (masculine/gender-neutral), or actress (feminine), is a person who portrays a character in a production. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. ...

. After appearing mainly in

supporting role A supporting character is a character in a narrative that is not the focus of the primary storyline, but is important to the plot/protagonist, and appears or is mentioned in the story enough to be more than just a minor character or a cameo a ...

s during the 1930s she starred in a number of films during the 1940s. During the

German occupation of France The Military Administration in France (; ) was an interim occupation authority established by Nazi Germany during World War II to administer the occupied zone in areas of northern and western France. This so-called ' was established in June 19 ...

she became the lover of a German

propaganda Propaganda is communication that is primarily used to influence or persuade an audience to further an agenda, which may not be objective and may be selectively presenting facts to encourage a particular synthesis or perception, or using loaded l ...

officer stationed in

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

. She used her influence to secure the release of fellow actor Charles de Rochefort from an

internment Internment is the imprisonment of people, commonly in large groups, without Criminal charge, charges or Indictment, intent to file charges. The term is especially used for the confinement "of enemy citizens in wartime or of terrorism suspects ...

camp. She also hid leaders of the

French Resistance The French Resistance ( ) was a collection of groups that fought the German military administration in occupied France during World War II, Nazi occupation and the Collaboration with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy#France, collaborationist Vic ...

.Riding

Selected filmography

* '' The Beautiful Adventure'' (1932) * ''

Ramuntcho ''Ramuntcho'' (1897) is a novel by French author Pierre Loti. It is a love and adventure story about contraband runners in the Basque province of France. It is one of Loti's most popular stories—"love, loss and faith remain eternal themes"—wi ...

'' (1938) * '' Lights of Paris'' (1938) * ''

Peace on the Rhine ''Peace on the Rhine'' (French: ''Paix sur le Rhin'') is a 1938 French comedy drama film directed by Jean Choux and starring Françoise Rosay, Dita Parlo and John Loder. Rège p.893 The film's sets were designed by the art director Émile Duqu ...

'' (1938) * ''

Adrienne Lecouvreur Adrienne Lecouvreur (5 April 1692 – 20 March 1730), born Adrienne Couvreur, was a French actress, considered by many as the greatest of her time. Born in Damery, she first appeared professionally on the stage in Lille. After her Paris debut ...

'' (1938) * ''

Le Corsaire ''Le Corsaire'' is a ballet typically presented in three acts, with a libretto originally created by Jules-Henri Vernoy de Saint-Georges loosely based on the poem '' The Corsair'' by Lord Byron. Originally choreographed by Joseph Mazilier to ...

'' (1939) * ''

Prince Bouboule ''Prince Bouboule'' (French: ''Le prince Bouboule'') is a 1939 French comedy film directed by Jacques Houssin and starring Georges Milton, Irén Zilahy and Michèle Alfa. It was one of several films featuring Milton in the role of Bouboule.Cri ...

'' (1939) * ''

The Pavilion Burns ''The Pavilion Burns'' (French: ''Le Pavillon brûle'') is a 1941 French comedy drama directed by Jacques de Baroncelli, written by Solange Térac, and starring Pierre Renoir and Jean Marais. It was based on the 1935 play of the same title by ...

'' (1941) * ''

The Last of the Six ''The Last of the Six'' (French: ''Le dernier des six'') is a 1941 French mystery thriller film directed by Georges Lacombe and starring Pierre Fresnay, Michèle Alfa and Suzy Delair. It was shot at the Billancourt Studios in Paris. The film's ...

'' (1941) * ''

The Woman I Loved Most ''The Woman I Loved Most'' (French: ''La femme que j'ai le plus aimée'') is a 1942 French drama film directed by Robert Vernay and starring Arletty, Mireille Balin and Lucien Baroux. https://www.unifrance.org/film/2824/la-femme-que-j-ai-le-pl ...

'' (1942) * ''

Le Lit à colonnes ''Le Lit à colonnes'' () is a French drama film from 1942, directed by Roland Tual, written by Charles Spaak, starring Fernand Ledoux and Jean Marais. The scenario was based on a novel of Louise de Vilmorin. In Finland the film was distribute ...

'' (1942) * '' The Snow on the Footsteps'' (1942) * ''

Home Port A vessel's home port is the port at which it is based, which may not be the same as its port of registry shown on its registration documents and lettered on the stern of the ship's hull. In the cruise industry the term "home port" is also oft ...

'' (1943) * ''

The Secret of Madame Clapain ''The Secret of Madame Clapain'' (French: ''Le secret de Madame Clapain'') is a 1943 French crime film directed by André Berthomieu and starring Raymond Rouleau, Line Noro and Michèle Alfa.Rège p.227 The film's sets were designed by the art d ...

'' (1943) * '' Jeannou '' (1943) * ''

The Man Who Sold His Soul ''The Man Who Sold His Soul'' (French: ''L'homme qui vendit son âme'') is a 1943 French drama film directed by Jean-Paul Paulin and starring Michèle Alfa, André Luguet and Mona Goya.Rège p.799 The film's sets were designed by the art director ...

'' (1943) * ''

The Count of Monte Cristo ''The Count of Monte Cristo'' () is an adventure novel by the French writer Alexandre Dumas. It was serialised from 1844 to 1846, and published in book form in 1846. It is one of his most popular works, along with ''The Three Musketeers'' (184 ...

'' (1943) * ''

'' (1944) * ''

Chinese Quarter Birmingham Chinatown in Birmingham, England is located in the city centre's Southside, Birmingham, Southside. It is an area with a predominantly China, Chinese influence as a result of a concentration of Chinese owned businesses, organisations and ...

'' (1947) * '' Dark Sunday'' (1948) *''

Judicial Error ''Judicial Error'' (French: ''Erreur judiciaire'') is a 1948 French drama film directed by Maurice de Canonge and starring Michèle Alfa, Jimmy Gaillard and Lucienne Le Marchand.Bessy, Maurice & Chirat, Raymond. ''Histoire du cinéma français ...

'' (1948) * '' The Winner's Circle'' (1950) * '' Matrimonial Agency'' (1952)

References

Bibliography

* Riding, Alan. ''And the Show Went On''. Gerald Duckworth, 2011.

External links

* 1911 births 1987 deaths French film actresses French stage actresses 20th-century French women {{France-film-actor-1910s-stub