Jehanne d'Alcy

Jehanne d'Alcy, born Fanny Manieux, was a prominent performer at the Théâtre Robert-Houdin starting in 1888, following its revival by Georges Méliès. She became Méliès's lover and featured in several of his cinematic works, including his early risqué film, Après le bal - le tub (1897). After the passing of Méliès's first wife, Eugenie, in May 1913, he wed d'Alcy in 1925. The couple relied on the modest income from a toy stall at Gare Montparnasse in Paris, which was operated by Georges for several years. In 1932, they relocated to an apartment in a residence designed for aging film professionals. Following Méliès's death, d'Alcy had a role in the evocative framing sequences of Georges Franju's short film, Le Grand Méliès (1952), where she appeared alongside Méliès's son, André, who portrayed his father. Jehanne d'Alcy passed away on October 14, 1956, in Versailles, at the age of ninety-two. Her legacy as a significant figure in early cinema continues to be remembered through her contributions to Méliès's imaginative world.