Simone Simon
Biography
Simone Simon, born in Marseille, was a French film actress who started making films in 1931. After going to Paris that year, she did some singing, modeling, and fashion design before a director spotted her in a restaurant and offered her a screen contract. Her debut came in Le chanteur inconnu (1931), and she became one of France's most successful actresses, gaining fame with Marc Allégret's Lac aux dames (1934). Darryl F. Zanuck took her to Hollywood in 1935. She returned to France for Jean Renoir's La Bête Humaine (1938), then went back to Hollywood during World War II, where her greatest English-language successes were The Devil and Daniel Webster (1941) and the Val Lewton horror films Cat People (1942) and the follow-up The Curse of the Cat People (1944). Later French films included La Ronde (1950) and Le Plaisir (1952). Her final film appearance came in 1973.
93years old at death
- Born Marseille
- Died 8th arrondissement of Paris
- Star sign: TaurusThe sign runs April 20 to May 20
- Simone Thérèse Fernande Simon (birth name)
Movie Career
- Films
- 8
- Career span
- 16 years1936 to 1952
First and latest
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Big break
In June 1931, after a restaurant owner noticed Simon, director Victor Tourjansky gave her a film contract. That offer put an end to her plan to work in fashion design.
First role
Simon's screen debut came in 1931 with Le chanteur inconnu, also called The Unknown Singer. She said afterward that she lacked any acting experience when she took her first screen test for that film.
A role that slipped away
Simon was set to play a Spanish girl in A Message to Garcia (1936), which would have been her first American film, but Rita Hayworth took the role instead.
A role that slipped away
Simon was cast in Danger - Love at Work but was replaced by Ann Sothern because of her heavy French accent.
Big break
Darryl F. Zanuck saw Simon in Lake of Ladies, then brought her to Hollywood in August 1935, backed by a widespread publicity campaign.
Simone Simon movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Most often with
Max Ophüls directed two of these films. Seven actors appear in two of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
John Qualen's page
Kent Smith's page
Jean Gabin's page
Danielle Darrieux's page
Daniel Gélin's page
Elizabeth Russell's page
Max OphülsDirector, 2 films, 1950 to 1952
All films by Max Ophüls
Also two films together1 more actor
- Jane RandolphThe Curse of the Cat People (1944) and Cat People (1942)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.