Mary Marquet(1895-1979)

Mary Marquet studied acting at the Conservatoire and was encouraged by Sarah Bernhardt to become an actress. She made her stage debut in "La cathédrale" by the dramatist Eugène Morand. Her real triumph soon followed with "L'aiglon" by Edmond Rostand. She joined the Comédie Française in 1923 and was one of its most revered actress for over twenty years before being fired. In 1944, she was arrested and sent to Fresne prison, near Paris: she was accused of collaborating with the Germans during the war as well as being instrumental to her son's arrest by the Gestapo. During her trial, she admitted contacting the Vichy police in 1943 and asking them to prevent her son François from joining the Resistance. Despite a severe warning by the police, he still managed to flee to Spain but was arrested and deported to Buchenwald where he died in January 1944. Mary Marquet was acquitted in January 1945 but was not allowed to return to the Comédie Française. She resumed her career on stage and appeared in light comedies, or 'comédies de boulevard' as they are called in French. She had to wait until 1949 to appear on screen again in the very mediocre 'Le 84 prend des vacances (1950). After the mid-sixties, she almost exclusively appeared in TV movies or series. Mary Marquet died in August 1979 and was buried in Montmartre cemetery.