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She was born Simone-Henriette-Charlotte Kaminker
in Wiesbaden, Germany to Andre and Georgette
(Signoret) Kaminker. She was the oldest child of
three, with two younger brothers. Her father was a
French army officer and a linguist who later
worked in the United Nations. She grew up in Paris
in an intellectual atmosphere and studied the
English language in school, earning a teaching
certificate. She tutored in English and Latin and
worked part-time as a typist for a French
newspaper. 

During the German occupation of France, Signoret
formed close bonds with an artistic group of
writers and actors who met at a local cafe. By
this time, she had developed an interest in acting
and was encouraged by her friends to follow her
ambition. In 1942, she began appearing in bit
parts and was able to earn enough money to support
her mother and two brothers as her father, who was
Jewish, fled the country. She took her mother's
maiden name for the screen to help hide her Jewish
roots.

Signoret's sensual features and earthy nature led
to type-casting and she was often seen in
prostitute roles. She won considerable attention
in La Ronde (1950), a film which was banned
briefly in New York state as being immoral. She
won further raves, including an acting award from
the British Film Academy, for her portrayal of yet
another prostiute in Jacque Becker's Casque d'Or
(1951). She went on to appear in many  notable
films in France during the 1950s including Therese
Raquin (1953), Diabolique (1954), and The Crucible
(1957).

In 1958, Signoret went to England to film Room at
the Top (1959), which won her numerous awards
including the Academy Award for Best Actress. She
was the first woman to win the award appearing in
a foreign film. She was offered films in Hollywood
but turned them down and continued to work in
France and England. She did return to America for
Ship of Fools (1965) which earned her another
Oscar nomination and she went on to appear in
several Hollywood films before returning to France
in 1969.

In her later years, she was often criticized for
gaining weight and letting her looks go but
Signoret, who was never concerned with glamour,
ignored the insults and continued giving finely
etched performances. She won more acclaim for her
portrayal of a weary madam in Madame Rosa (1977)
and as an unmarried sister who unknowingly falls
in love with her paralyzed brother via anonymous
correspondence in I Sent a Letter to my Love
(1980). 

Her memoirs, Nostalgia Isn't What It Used To Be,
were published in 1978. She also wrote a novel,
Adieu Volodya, published in 1985, the year of her
death.

First married to the filmmaker Yves Allégret from
1947 to 1949, with whom she had a daughter
Catherine Allégret, herself an actress. Her
second marriage was to the Italy|Italian-born
actor Yves Montand in 1950, a union which lasted
until her death. 

She died of pancreatic cancer in
Auteuil-Anthouillet, France, and is buried in Le
Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris, France.

The late United States|American singer, pianist
and composer Nina Simone took her stage name from
Signoret.

==Filmography, as actress, includes==

*Guy de Maupassant (film)|Guy de Maupassant (1982)
*L'Étoile du Nord (1982)
*Chère inconnue (1980)
*L'Adolescente (1979)
*Judith Therpauve (1978)
*La Vie devant soi (1977)
*Police Python 357 (1976)
*La Chair de l'orchidée (1975)
*Rude journée pour la reine (1973)
*Les Granges brulées (1973)
*La Veuve Couderc (1971)
*Le Chat (1971)
*Comptes Ă  rebours (1971)
*L'Aveu (1970)
*L'Américain (1969)
*L'Armée des ombres (1969)
*Mr. Freedom (1969)
*The Sea Gull (1968)
*Games (film)|Games (1967)
*The Deadly Affair (1966)
*Paris brûle-t-il? (1966)
*Compartiment tueurs (1965)
*Ship of Fools (film)|Ship of Fools (1965)
*Dragées au poivre (1963)
*Le Jour et l'heure (1963)
*Il Giorno piĂą corto (1962)
*Term of Trial (1962)
*Barabbas (movie)|Barabbas (1962) 
*Amours célèbres (1961)
*Adua e le compagne (1960)
*Les Mauvais coups (1960)
*Room at the Top (1959)
*Les Les Sorcières de Salem (1957)
*Die Windrose (1957)  
*Un matin comme les autres (1956)
*La Mort en ce jardin (1956)
*Mutter Courage und ihre Kinder (1955) 
*Diabolique|Les Diaboliques (1955) (Diabolique)
*Thérèse Raquin (1953)
*Casque d'or (1952)
*Ombre et lumière (1951)
*Sans laisser d'adresse (1951)
*Gunman in the Streets (1950)
*Le Traqué (1950)
*La Ronde (1950)
*Swiss Tour (1950)
*Manèges (1949)
*Impasse des deux anges (1948)
*Dédée d'Anvers (1948)
*Against the Wind (movie)|Against the Wind (1948)
*FantĂ´mas (1947)
*Macadam (1946)
*Le Couple idéal (1946)
*Les DĂ©mons de l'aube (1946)
*La Boîte aux rêves (1945) 
*Le Mort ne reçoit plus (1944)
*Service de nuit (1944)
*Béatrice devant le désir (1944) 
*L'Ange de la nuit (1944)
*Adieu LĂ©onard (1943)
*Le Voyageur de la Toussaint (1943)
*Les Visiteurs du soir (1942)
*Le Prince charmant (1942) 
*Boléro (1942)

==References==

Signoret, Simone. Nostalgia Isn't What It Used To
Be. Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 1978. ISBN 0297774174

Monush, Barry (ed.) The Encyclopedia of Hollywood
Film Actors From the Silent Era to 1965. New York:
Applause Books, 2003. ISBN 1-55783-551-9


See also: Cinema of France





 
 

	Web Quotableonline.com Frasescelebres.org Greatbookscollection.org

She was born Simone-Henriette-Charlotte Kaminker
in Wiesbaden, Germany to Andre and Georgette
(Signoret) Kaminker. She was the oldest child of
three, with two younger brothers. Her father was a
French army officer and a linguist who later
worked in the United Nations. She grew up in Paris
in an intellectual atmosphere and studied the
English language in school, earning a teaching
certificate. She tutored in English and Latin and
worked part-time as a typist for a French
newspaper. 

During the German occupation of France, Signoret
formed close bonds with an artistic group of
writers and actors who met at a local cafe. By
this time, she had developed an interest in acting
and was encouraged by her friends to follow her
ambition. In 1942, she began appearing in bit
parts and was able to earn enough money to support
her mother and two brothers as her father, who was
Jewish, fled the country. She took her mother's
maiden name for the screen to help hide her Jewish
roots.

Signoret's sensual features and earthy nature led
to type-casting and she was often seen in
prostitute roles. She won considerable attention
in La Ronde (1950), a film which was banned
briefly in New York state as being immoral. She
won further raves, including an acting award from
the British Film Academy, for her portrayal of yet
another prostiute in Jacque Becker's Casque d'Or
(1951). She went on to appear in many  notable
films in France during the 1950s including Therese
Raquin (1953), Diabolique (1954), and The Crucible
(1957).

In 1958, Signoret went to England to film Room at
the Top (1959), which won her numerous awards
including the Academy Award for Best Actress. She
was the first woman to win the award appearing in
a foreign film. She was offered films in Hollywood
but turned them down and continued to work in
France and England. She did return to America for
Ship of Fools (1965) which earned her another
Oscar nomination and she went on to appear in
several Hollywood films before returning to France
in 1969.

In her later years, she was often criticized for
gaining weight and letting her looks go but
Signoret, who was never concerned with glamour,
ignored the insults and continued giving finely
etched performances. She won more acclaim for her
portrayal of a weary madam in Madame Rosa (1977)
and as an unmarried sister who unknowingly falls
in love with her paralyzed brother via anonymous
correspondence in I Sent a Letter to my Love
(1980). 

Her memoirs, Nostalgia Isn't What It Used To Be,
were published in 1978. She also wrote a novel,
Adieu Volodya, published in 1985, the year of her
death.

First married to the filmmaker Yves Allégret from
1947 to 1949, with whom she had a daughter
Catherine Allégret, herself an actress. Her
second marriage was to the Italy|Italian-born
actor Yves Montand in 1950, a union which lasted
until her death. 

She died of pancreatic cancer in
Auteuil-Anthouillet, France, and is buried in Le
Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris, France.

The late United States|American singer, pianist
and composer Nina Simone took her stage name from
Signoret.

==Filmography, as actress, includes==

*Guy de Maupassant (film)|Guy de Maupassant (1982)
*L'Étoile du Nord (1982)
*Chère inconnue (1980)
*L'Adolescente (1979)
*Judith Therpauve (1978)
*La Vie devant soi (1977)
*Police Python 357 (1976)
*La Chair de l'orchidée (1975)
*Rude journée pour la reine (1973)
*Les Granges brulées (1973)
*La Veuve Couderc (1971)
*Le Chat (1971)
*Comptes Ă  rebours (1971)
*L'Aveu (1970)
*L'Américain (1969)
*L'Armée des ombres (1969)
*Mr. Freedom (1969)
*The Sea Gull (1968)
*Games (film)|Games (1967)
*The Deadly Affair (1966)
*Paris brûle-t-il? (1966)
*Compartiment tueurs (1965)
*Ship of Fools (film)|Ship of Fools (1965)
*Dragées au poivre (1963)
*Le Jour et l'heure (1963)
*Il Giorno piĂą corto (1962)
*Term of Trial (1962)
*Barabbas (movie)|Barabbas (1962) 
*Amours célèbres (1961)
*Adua e le compagne (1960)
*Les Mauvais coups (1960)
*Room at the Top (1959)
*Les Les Sorcières de Salem (1957)
*Die Windrose (1957)  
*Un matin comme les autres (1956)
*La Mort en ce jardin (1956)
*Mutter Courage und ihre Kinder (1955) 
*Diabolique|Les Diaboliques (1955) (Diabolique)
*Thérèse Raquin (1953)
*Casque d'or (1952)
*Ombre et lumière (1951)
*Sans laisser d'adresse (1951)
*Gunman in the Streets (1950)
*Le Traqué (1950)
*La Ronde (1950)
*Swiss Tour (1950)
*Manèges (1949)
*Impasse des deux anges (1948)
*Dédée d'Anvers (1948)
*Against the Wind (movie)|Against the Wind (1948)
*FantĂ´mas (1947)
*Macadam (1946)
*Le Couple idéal (1946)
*Les DĂ©mons de l'aube (1946)
*La Boîte aux rêves (1945) 
*Le Mort ne reçoit plus (1944)
*Service de nuit (1944)
*Béatrice devant le désir (1944) 
*L'Ange de la nuit (1944)
*Adieu LĂ©onard (1943)
*Le Voyageur de la Toussaint (1943)
*Les Visiteurs du soir (1942)
*Le Prince charmant (1942) 
*Boléro (1942)

==References==

Signoret, Simone. Nostalgia Isn't What It Used To
Be. Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 1978. ISBN 0297774174

Monush, Barry (ed.) The Encyclopedia of Hollywood
Film Actors From the Silent Era to 1965. New York:
Applause Books, 2003. ISBN 1-55783-551-9


See also: Cinema of France