Musidora

(Jeanne Roques / February 23, 1889, Paris, France - December 7, 1957, Paris, France)

   She borrowed her pseudonym from Théophile Gau-tier's novel Fortunio. A former dancer, she notably played in a revue, Ça grise, with future writer Colette. She entered films in 1909 performing in Le Troisième Larron. Her portrayals of such mysterious characters as Irma Vep and the adventuress Diana Monti in Louis Feuillade's serials Les Vampires (1915-1916) and Judex (1916), respectively, earned her international fame and the admiration of poets and writers (Louis Aragon called her the "tenth muse" in an article pub­lished in 1918 and co-authored with André Breton a play for her, Le Trésor des Jésuites). After starring in about fifty movies, including those she directed, she retired in 1926 and made a last film appearance in a documentary she filmed (1951 La Magique Image). Dedicating the last years of her life to the Cinémath­èque Française, she authored many articles on films in the magazines Comoedia, L'Eclaireur, Masques et Visages, and Fantasio; an autobiography (La Vie d'une Vamp); two novels (1934 Paroxysmes: De l'Amour à la mort; En Amour tout est possible); a collection of poems (1939 Auréoles: Poésies scandées); and a play (1946 La Vie sentimentale de George Sand).

 Filmography

        ◘ Le Maillot noir (also co-screenwriter, actor as herself)

        ◘ La Flamme cachée (co-director with Roger Lion; also adapter, actor)

        ◘ La vagabonda (co-director with Eugenio Per-ego; also screenwriter, adapter, actor; Italy)

        ◘ Vincenta (also screenwriter, producer, actor)

        ◘ Pour Don Carlos (co-director with Jacques Lasseyne; also screenwriter, adapter, producer, actor)

1922 ◘ Sol y sombre / Soleil et Ombre (co-director with Jacques Lasseyne; also screenwriter, adapter, producer, actor; Spain / France)

1924 ◘ Tierra de los toros / Terre des Taureaux (also screenwriter, producer; Spain / France)

1951 ◘ La magique Image (16-mm compilation documentary; also actor as herself)