Mary Marquet, originally named Micheline Marguerite Delphine Marquet, was born on April 14, 1895, and passed away on August 29, 1979. She was a prominent French actress, known for her work on both stage and screen.
Born into a family steeped in the arts—her parents were actors, her aunt a principal dancer at the Paris Opera, and another relative served at the Comédie-Française—Mary's artistic lineage influenced her early aspirations. In 1913, she enrolled at the National Superior Conservatory of Dramatic Art, where she trained under Paul Mounet. Although she did not pass her final exams, she quickly found success with Sarah Bernhardt's theater company, thanks to family connections.
Marquet gained popularity through her performance in Edmond Rostand's L'Aiglon, and she became his mistress from 1915 until his death in 1918. She made her film debut in 1914 with the unfinished silent movie Les Frères ennemis, and her first significant screen role came in Léonce Perret's Sappho in 1932. Following World War I, she joined the Comédie-Française in 1923, enjoying a fruitful two-decade tenure before transitioning to boulevard theater.
During World War II, she sought to protect her son from the Nazis, leading to his tragic arrest and deportation to Buchenwald, where he died at just 21. This period led to her own arrest post-war, although she was released due to insufficient evidence.
In the 1950s, Marquet expanded her artistic repertoire by reciting poetry while continuing her theatrical career. She also worked in television, featuring in various series. Alongside her acting, she was a skilled antiquarian, running a stall at the Swiss Village antique market in Paris.
Throughout her career, she appeared in over forty films, including notable roles in Claude Chabrol's Landru (1962), Gér
