Simone Simon

Simone Simon was born Simone Thérèse Fernande Simon on April 23, 1910, in Marseille, France, and began her film career in 1931. She quickly established herself as one of the country's most successful film actresses. After seeing her in the 1934 film Lac Aux Dames (USA title: "Ladies' Lake"), Darryl F. Zanuck brought her to Hollywood in 1936 with a widespread publicity campaign, but her films for 20th Century Fox were only moderately successful, and Simon returned, dissatisfied, to France. There she appeared in the film La Bete Humaine (The Human Beast) in 1938.

Related Topics:
April 23 - 1910 - Marseille, France - 1931 - Darryl F. Zanuck - Hollywood - 20th Century Fox

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With the outbreak of World War II she returned to Hollywood and RKO Studios where she achieved her greatest successes in English language cinema with The Devil and Daniel Webster (1941), and the horror films Cat People (1942) and The Curse of the Cat People (1944). These films, however, did not lead to greater success and she languished in mediocre films until the end of the war.

Related Topics:
World War II - RKO Studios - The Devil and Daniel Webster - Horror - Cat People (1942) - The Curse of the Cat People

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She returned to France to act, and appeared in La Ronde (1950). Her film roles were few after this and she made her final film appearance in 1973. She died in Paris, France on February 22, 2005, at age 94 (although BBC news reports mistakenly reported her age as 93) of natural causes.

Related Topics:
La Ronde - 1950 - 1973 - Paris, France - February 22 - 2005 - BBC

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She never married but had numerous intimate relationships with fellow actors or musicians, among others. Her maid revealed that she gave a gold key to her boudoir to any man she was interested in, including George Gershwin.

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