Elvira Popescu

Infobox actor
name = Elvira Popescu


imagesize =
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birthname = Elvira Popescu
birthdate = May 10, 1894
location = Bucharest, Romania
deathdate = death date and age|1993|12|11|1894|05|10
deathplace = Paris, France
othername = Elvire Popesco
yearsactive = 1910–1978
spouse = Aurel Athanasescu
Ion Manolescu-Strunga
Maximilien Sébastien Foy
homepage =
notable role =
academyawards =
emmyawards =
tonyawards =

Elvira Popescu or, in French, Elvire Popesco (May 10, 1894 – December 11, 1993) was a Romanian-born French stage and movie actress and theatre director.

Biography

Born in Bucharest, Popescu studied drama at the Conservatorul de Artă Dramatică, under the guidance of Constantin Nottara and Aristizza Romanescu. She made her debut at the National Theatre Bucharest at age 16. [Mari Români] In 1912, she played herself in the movie "Independenţa României", directed by Aristide Demetriade. In 1919 she became artistic director of the Excelsior Theatre. [Ciobanu] In 1921, Popescu started Teatrul Mic, which she managed in parallel with the Excelsior. [Ciobanu, Mari Români] In 1923, she starred in the movie "Ţigăncuşa de la iatac", directed by Alfred Halm.

At the urging of Louis Verneuil, the French playwright, Popescu moved in 1924 to Paris. Under Verneuil's direction, she played the leading role in "Ma Cousine de Varsovie", at the Théâtre de la Michodière. She also played in "Tovaritch" (1933), "La Machine infernale" (1954), "Nina" (1949), and "La Mamma" (1957). Later on, she was director of Théâtre de Paris (1956-1965), and Théâtre Marigny (1965-1978). ["Marigny - Salle Popesco"] At age 84, she played again in "La Mamma".

Elvira Popescu also played in movies, such as "La Présidente" (Fernand Rivers, 1938), "Tricoche et Cacolet" (Pierre Colombier, 1938), "Ils étaient neuf célibataires" (Sacha Guitry, 1939), "Paradis perdu" (Abel Gance, 1940), "Austerlitz" (Abel Gance, 1960), and "Plein soleil" (René Clément, 1960).

Shortly after her debut in 1910, Popescu married comedian Aurel Athanasescu; they had a daughter, Tatiana. [Mari Români, CinéArtistes] After a few years, she divorced, and married Ion Manolescu-Strunga, Minister of Industry and Commerce [Ciobanu] (who was to die in Sighet prison in the 1950s). Her third husband was Count Maximilien Sébastien Foy (born in Paris on April 17, 1900, died in Neuilly sur Seine on November 11, 1967). ["Families of Jules and Théodore Porgès"]

She died in Paris at age 99, and was interred at Père Lachaise Cemetery.

Honors

*In 1987, Elvira Popescu received the Molière Prize for career achievements.
*In 1989, President François Mitterrand conferred upon her the Légion d’honneur.

Trivia

* While married to Manolescu-Strunga, she lived in a house not far from the University of Bucharest. The house, built on a 1,224 m² lot, has 22 rooms, spread over 500 m² of living area; it was put on the market in 2005 for about 2 million Euros. [Pop]

* From 1930 to 1985, Elvira Popescu lived in a villa in Mézy-sur-Seine, Yvelines. The villa, acquired from fashion designer Paul Poiret, and remodelled in 1932 by architect Paul Boyer, was declared a historic monument in 1984, but it has since decayed. Bought for 1.8 million French francs in 1999, it is open occasionally to the public.

* Together with Elena Văcărescu, Anna de Noailles, and Marthe Bibesco, Elvira Popescu is considered to be the inspiration for Henri Matisse's painting, "La Blouse Roumaine" (1940). [Roman]

Notes

References

* Dana Ciobanu, [http://www.jurnalul.ro/articol_6857/sinucidere_pentru_elvira_popescu.html "Sinucidere pentru Elvira Popescu"] , "Jurnalul Naţional, March 1, 2004
* Constantin Roman, [http://www.constantinroman.com/blouseroumaine/ "Blouse Roumaine"] , 2001-2002
* [http://www.mariromani.ro/personaj.php?id=35 "Elvira Popescu"] , at Mari Români
* [http://www.porges.net/FamilyTreesBiographies/JonasSimonPorges.html "Families of Jules and Théodore Porgès"]
* [http://www.cineartistes.com/index.php?page=afficher&id=Elvire+Popesco "Elvire Popesco"] , at CinéArtistes
* Lucian Pop, [http://www.museimobiliare.ro/articole/index.php?newsid=144&newscategoryid=&act=&search=&page=1&PHPSESSID=b80a0709526b52e8cb4e2d58f976fd7b "Conace boiereşti pentru cei care vor să se simtă moşieri"] , at Muse Imobiliare, July 20, 2005
* [http://www.theatreonline.com/guide/detail_theatre.asp?i_Region=0&i_Theatre=524 "Marigny - Salle Popesco"] at Theatre online

External links

*imdb name|id=0691214|name=Elvire Popesco
*Find A Grave|id=7646|name=Elvire Popesco
*fr icon [http://www.aei.ca/~anbou/popes.html Short bio] , from Salons
*fr icon [http://www.fotw.net/flags/fr-78-me.html Short bio] , from Mézy-sur-Seine Municipality

Persondata
NAME= Popescu, Elvira
ALTERNATIVE NAMES= Popesco, Elvire
SHORT DESCRIPTION=
DATE OF BIRTH= May 10, 1894
PLACE OF BIRTH= Bucharest, Romania
DATE OF DEATH= December 11, 1993
PLACE OF DEATH= Paris, France