- Nicole Germain
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Nicole Germain, C.M. (Nov. 29, 1917 - Feb. 11, 1994) was a Canadian actress in Quebec radio and film in the 40s and 50s and later as a journalist. In 1974, she was named a member of the Order of Canada.
Contents
Personal life
Nicole Germain's father was George Landrau, director of the Montreal Conservatory. Germain's real name was Marcelle Landreau.[1] She was also niece to Chief Justice Rinfret.[2] She studied at the Lassalle conservatory.[1]
Career
Germain began acting in radio in 1939 and became so popular she was voted the French Canadian "Miss Radio 1946".[1][3][4]
Success in radio led Germain to a role starring in the French version, La Fortresse, of the 1947 film Whispering City which is notable as one of the earliest attempts of a Canadian film to break into the U.S. market. The film, popular in Quebec, the English version failed to find an audience, either in the United States or Canada.[5] In 1949, she played Donalda in the film adaptation of Claude-Henri Grignon’s novel Un homme et son péché, followed by the film Séraphin a year later.[1] In 1952, she played a concert pianist in Le rossignol et les cloches.
She then had a long career as a television journalist and moderator. She was a panelist on the 1950s Quebec version of What's My Line?, Chacun son Metier. In 1955 she appeared as a contestant on the American What's My Line? (Episode #242), first as a contestant, then joining the panel next to Bennet Cerf.[6]
She was co-chairman of the 1960 Christmas Gift Campaign for the Quebec Division of the Canadian Mental Health Association which raised gifts for Quebec's hospitalized mentally ill.[7]
At a conference on the French language held at the Menton, France in 1971, Germain urged the creation of an organization to find substitute French words when new English words are created.[8]
In 1974 Nicole Germain was named a Member of the Order of Canada for her efforts to promote the French language.[9]
References
- ^ a b c d "NICOLE GERMAIN(1917-1974". cinemaparlantquebec.ca. http://www.cinemaparlantquebec.ca/Cinema1930-52/pages/textbio/Textbio.jsp?textBioId=29&lang=en. Retrieved July 8, 2010.
- ^ "Miss Radio 1946 Visiting Ottawa". The Evening Citizen (Ottawa): p. 3. Feb.7,1946.
- ^ White, Jerry (2006). The Cinema of Canada. Wallflower. p. 37. ISBN 1-904-76460-6.
- ^ Selinger, Jack (Sept. 8, 1946). "Quebec Radio Stars Shine Alone". The Milwaukee Journal/Screen and Radio: p. 11. Caption to photo of Germain calls her "French Canadian Miss Radio 1946"
- ^ Wise, Wyndham (2001). Take One's essential guide to Canadian film. University of Toronto Press Incorporated. p. 221. ISBN 0-8020-3512-4.
- ^ "What's My Line Ep.242 summary". CBS Interactive. http://www.tv.com/What%27s+My+Line%253F/EPISODE+%23242/episode/95199/summary.html. Retrieved 2009-06-20.
- ^ "Christmas Gift Campaign For Mental Patients Gratifying". The Shawinigan Standard (Shawinigan, Que.): p. 6. Jan.4,1961.
- ^ Reuters News Service (Oct.6,1971). "Anglicisms threat to purity of French". The Miami News: p. 13A.
- ^ "Order of Canada page". Gg.ca. 2009-04-30. http://www.gg.ca/honours/search-recherche/honours-desc.asp?lang=e&TypeID=orc&id=626. Retrieved 2009-06-20.
External links
- Nicole Germain at the Internet Movie Database
- (French) Video of 1958 TV interview by Germain with NHL player Butch Bouchard.
Categories:- 1917 births
- 1994 deaths
- Actors from Quebec
- Quebec journalists
- Members of the Order of Canada
- Canadian women journalists
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