Jeanne Delvair (1877-1943) was an acclaimed French stage actress of the Comédie-Française, but she also had a rich career in French silent cinema, mainly at Pathé Frères. She is the sister of actress Germaine Dermoz (1888-1966) and of animal painter Henri Deluermoz (1876-1943).
French postcard by S.I.P. no. 1239. Photo: Reutlinger, Paris.
French postcard by Ed. C. Jeangette, Paris for the Comédie Française. Photo: Oricelly.
French postcard by Edition Pathé Frères. Photo: Félix.
French postcard by FC & Cie, no. 413. Photo: A. Bert. Jeanne Delvair in 'La robe rouge'.
Jeanne Delvair was born Jeanne Louise Deluermoz in 1877 in Paris, as the daughter of a former gendarme of the Imperial Guard who became a wine merchant. She entered the Conservatoire where she won the first comedy prize in 1898. In 1899 she entered the Comédie-Françoise, where most of her stage career revolved and where she was Sociétaire between 1910 and 1937.
In 1908 she debuted on film in the title role of the Film d'Art short Marie Stuart/Mary Stuart (Albert Capellani, 1908), also with Henry Krauss, Paul Cappellani and Véra Sergine. The film, focusing on the highlights of the life of Mary Queen of Scots, was well-received internationally for its staging, acting and colouring.
Ciné-Ressources suggests she also had a minor part in L'Arlésienne in 1908 but the Seydoux Pathé site does not confirm this. Delvair then played Lady Macbeth in the William Shakespeare adaptation Macbeth (André Calmettes, 1909), with Paul Mounet in the title role. IMDb claims Delvair had the title role in Capellani's Françoise de Rimini (Albert Capellani, 1910), adapted from Gabriele D'Annunzio, but Ciné-Ressources and Seydoux Pathé indicate this was a film by Film d'Arte Italiana with Francesca Bertini.
Next, Delvair had the title role opposite Edouard De Max in the Jean Racine adaptation Athalie (Michel Carré, Albert Capellani, 1910). Ciné-Ressources also mentions the SCAGL film Un clair de lune sous Richelieu/A moonlight under Richelieu (Albert Capellani, 1910), scripted by Abel Gance, but the Pathe website lacks this film in its filmography. Likewise, Ciné-Ressources mentions the film Hernani as being with Delvair, but this was a Film d'Arte Italiana film with Bertini.
From 1910, Jeanne Delvair started to mingle historical dramas with modern dramas as Le Cœur pardonne/L’Amour qui aime (Georges Monca, 1910) opposite Georges Grand, Deux petits Jésus/Les Deux Jésus (Georges Denola, 1910), and Paillasse (Camille de Morlhon, 1910) with Louis Ravet in the title role. In the latter film, art and life mix when an enraged, deceived Paillasse avenges his unfaithful wife on stage. Slowly, the spectators realise the staged death is a real one.
French postcard by L.H., Paris. Jeanne Delvair as Sarah Mathison in the play 'Patrie!' by Victorien Sardou, first performed in Paris in 1901 at the Comédie-Française.
French postcard for the Comédie Française, C. 1900. Jeanne Delvair as Leonor in the classic tragicomedy 'Le Cid' (1636) by Corneille. Delvair's name is misspelled as Delvaire.
French postcard by SIP, no. not legible. Photo: Reutlinger, Paris. Handwritten date: 3/6/1908.
Jeanne Delvair was Baucis opposite Romuald Joubé as Philémon in the Greek mythological tale (updated by La Fontaine) Philémon et Baucis (Georges Denola, 1911). In Les Mains vengeresses (Georges Monca, 1911) a vagabond kills his lookalike and takes his place in a friendly home. The murdered man's wife (Delvair) more and more suspects her supposed man, and when she discovers that he killed her husband, she strangles him with her own hands (hence the film's title). Georges Grand played both men. After that, it was time for another adaptation of a classic play, this time Pierre Corneille's Polyeucte (Camille De Morlhon, 1911).
In 1912 Delvair played Miss Sarah MacGrégor in the Eugène Sue adaptation Les Mystères de Paris/Mysteries of Paris (Albert Capellani, 1912), produced by SCAGL. Delvair was part of an all-star cast. Grand Duke Rodolphe (Paul Capellani) secretly has a child with Lady Sarah (Delvair). When his father tries to break up their union, Sarah suggests a patricide. When this is revealed, she flees to the US and leaves her child with a farmer's wife near Paris. When Rodolphe searches for his child, the house she is in is burned to the ground. Rodolphe swears revenge against the criminals. He meets the evil Schoolmaster (Henri Etiévant) and his accomplice La Chouette (Eugénie Nau) and discovers his daughter is not dead but works as a beggar for them under the name of Fleur-de-Marie (Andrée Pascal). After many dangers, Rodolphe finds his daughter back and pardons Sarah. Les Mystères de Paris was often filmed, in 1922 (see our blogpost), 1935, 1943, 1957, and 1962.
In 1912, Jeanne Delvair also played Jocaste in the Eclipse production Oedipe-roi (Gaston Roudès, 1912) with Jean Hervé as the young Oedipus, Mounet-Sully as King Oedipus and his father, and Paul Mounet as Tiresias. That year, she also played in the François Coppée adaptation Pour la Couronne, directed by Henri Pouctal for Film d'Art. Pouctal also directed Delvair in the Eugène Brieux adaptation La Robe rouge (Henri Pouctal, 1912), again for Film d'Art.
IMDb attributes Pathé's Anna Karénine/Anna Karenina also to Delvair and Paul Capellani, but this was a Russian production with Russian actors, made for Pathé's Moscow studio. In 1913 Delvair worked for the company Cosmograph in the film, playing Queen Elisabeth in Les Enfants d'Edouard/Edward's Children (Henri Andréani, 1913), and Miss Ketty in Jacques l'Honneur (Henri Andréani, 1913). At Pathé, she had he lead in Le Baiser suprême (Edmond Floury, 1913). In 1914 she acted in the title role of Marie Tudor/Mary Tudor (Albert Capellani, 1914), but the film was only released in 1917. Again Delvair was surrounded by famous faces: Paul Capellani, Romuald Joubé, Léon Bernard, and Andrée Pascal.
After years of absence from the sets during WWI, Delvair returned in 1917 for the modern crime drama Blessée au coeur/Wounded in the Heart, for whom the director is unknown. Jean Ayme, René Rocher and Georges Tréville were her co-actors, but the press focused on her presence. After another gap, she returned in 1920 with La Double existence du docteur Morart/The Double Life of Doctor Morart by Jacques Grétillat, with the director in the male lead as a surgeon whose wife (Delvair) suspects him of infidelity, but whose son (Jean Debucourt) discovers instead he is an alcoholic. Delvair's last parts were in the Émile Zola adaptation Le Rêve/The Dream (Jacques de Baroncelli, 1921) with Gabriel Signoret, and in Le loup-garou/The Werewolf (Jacques Roullet, Pierre Bressol, 1923). Delvair stopped film acting after that but continued her stage career. Jeanne Delvair died in Levallois-Perret in 1949. She was 71. Delvair was buried with her husband Georges Le Roy (1885-1965), who was also a member of the Comédie-Française, in the cemetery of Marly-le-Roi (Yvelines).
Spanish postcard for Chocolate Pi, Barcelona, by Ed. Auber y Pla, Barcelona, no. 2 (of 6 cards). Photo: Pathé Frères / Vilaseca y Ledesma. Jeanne Delvair and René Rocher in Blessée au coeur (N.N., 1917). The Spanish release title of the film was Herida del corazon.
Spanish postcard for Chocolate Pi, Barcelona, by Ed. Auber y Pla, Barcelona, no. 3 (of 6 cards). Photo: Pathé Frères / Vilaseca y Ledesma. Jeanne Delvair and Jeam Ayme in Blessée au coeur (N.N., 1917). The Spanish release title of the film was Herida del corazon.
Spanish postcard for Chocolate Pi, Barcelona, by Ed. Auber y Pla, Barcelona, no. 6 (of 6 cards). Photo: Pathé Frères / Vilaseca y Ledesma. Georges Tréville, René Rocher and Jeanne Delvair in Blessée au coeur (N.N., 1917). The Spanish release title of the film was Herida del corazon.
Sources: Fondation Seydoux Pathé (French), Ciné-Ressources (French), Gallica (French), Wikipedia (French) and IMDb.
This post was last updated on 19 December 2023.
French postcard by S.I.P. no. 1239. Photo: Reutlinger, Paris.
French postcard by Ed. C. Jeangette, Paris for the Comédie Française. Photo: Oricelly.
French postcard by Edition Pathé Frères. Photo: Félix.
French postcard by FC & Cie, no. 413. Photo: A. Bert. Jeanne Delvair in 'La robe rouge'.
Mingling historical and modern dramas
Jeanne Delvair was born Jeanne Louise Deluermoz in 1877 in Paris, as the daughter of a former gendarme of the Imperial Guard who became a wine merchant. She entered the Conservatoire where she won the first comedy prize in 1898. In 1899 she entered the Comédie-Françoise, where most of her stage career revolved and where she was Sociétaire between 1910 and 1937.
In 1908 she debuted on film in the title role of the Film d'Art short Marie Stuart/Mary Stuart (Albert Capellani, 1908), also with Henry Krauss, Paul Cappellani and Véra Sergine. The film, focusing on the highlights of the life of Mary Queen of Scots, was well-received internationally for its staging, acting and colouring.
Ciné-Ressources suggests she also had a minor part in L'Arlésienne in 1908 but the Seydoux Pathé site does not confirm this. Delvair then played Lady Macbeth in the William Shakespeare adaptation Macbeth (André Calmettes, 1909), with Paul Mounet in the title role. IMDb claims Delvair had the title role in Capellani's Françoise de Rimini (Albert Capellani, 1910), adapted from Gabriele D'Annunzio, but Ciné-Ressources and Seydoux Pathé indicate this was a film by Film d'Arte Italiana with Francesca Bertini.
Next, Delvair had the title role opposite Edouard De Max in the Jean Racine adaptation Athalie (Michel Carré, Albert Capellani, 1910). Ciné-Ressources also mentions the SCAGL film Un clair de lune sous Richelieu/A moonlight under Richelieu (Albert Capellani, 1910), scripted by Abel Gance, but the Pathe website lacks this film in its filmography. Likewise, Ciné-Ressources mentions the film Hernani as being with Delvair, but this was a Film d'Arte Italiana film with Bertini.
From 1910, Jeanne Delvair started to mingle historical dramas with modern dramas as Le Cœur pardonne/L’Amour qui aime (Georges Monca, 1910) opposite Georges Grand, Deux petits Jésus/Les Deux Jésus (Georges Denola, 1910), and Paillasse (Camille de Morlhon, 1910) with Louis Ravet in the title role. In the latter film, art and life mix when an enraged, deceived Paillasse avenges his unfaithful wife on stage. Slowly, the spectators realise the staged death is a real one.
French postcard by L.H., Paris. Jeanne Delvair as Sarah Mathison in the play 'Patrie!' by Victorien Sardou, first performed in Paris in 1901 at the Comédie-Française.
French postcard for the Comédie Française, C. 1900. Jeanne Delvair as Leonor in the classic tragicomedy 'Le Cid' (1636) by Corneille. Delvair's name is misspelled as Delvaire.
French postcard by SIP, no. not legible. Photo: Reutlinger, Paris. Handwritten date: 3/6/1908.
The Mysteries of Paris
Jeanne Delvair was Baucis opposite Romuald Joubé as Philémon in the Greek mythological tale (updated by La Fontaine) Philémon et Baucis (Georges Denola, 1911). In Les Mains vengeresses (Georges Monca, 1911) a vagabond kills his lookalike and takes his place in a friendly home. The murdered man's wife (Delvair) more and more suspects her supposed man, and when she discovers that he killed her husband, she strangles him with her own hands (hence the film's title). Georges Grand played both men. After that, it was time for another adaptation of a classic play, this time Pierre Corneille's Polyeucte (Camille De Morlhon, 1911).
In 1912 Delvair played Miss Sarah MacGrégor in the Eugène Sue adaptation Les Mystères de Paris/Mysteries of Paris (Albert Capellani, 1912), produced by SCAGL. Delvair was part of an all-star cast. Grand Duke Rodolphe (Paul Capellani) secretly has a child with Lady Sarah (Delvair). When his father tries to break up their union, Sarah suggests a patricide. When this is revealed, she flees to the US and leaves her child with a farmer's wife near Paris. When Rodolphe searches for his child, the house she is in is burned to the ground. Rodolphe swears revenge against the criminals. He meets the evil Schoolmaster (Henri Etiévant) and his accomplice La Chouette (Eugénie Nau) and discovers his daughter is not dead but works as a beggar for them under the name of Fleur-de-Marie (Andrée Pascal). After many dangers, Rodolphe finds his daughter back and pardons Sarah. Les Mystères de Paris was often filmed, in 1922 (see our blogpost), 1935, 1943, 1957, and 1962.
In 1912, Jeanne Delvair also played Jocaste in the Eclipse production Oedipe-roi (Gaston Roudès, 1912) with Jean Hervé as the young Oedipus, Mounet-Sully as King Oedipus and his father, and Paul Mounet as Tiresias. That year, she also played in the François Coppée adaptation Pour la Couronne, directed by Henri Pouctal for Film d'Art. Pouctal also directed Delvair in the Eugène Brieux adaptation La Robe rouge (Henri Pouctal, 1912), again for Film d'Art.
IMDb attributes Pathé's Anna Karénine/Anna Karenina also to Delvair and Paul Capellani, but this was a Russian production with Russian actors, made for Pathé's Moscow studio. In 1913 Delvair worked for the company Cosmograph in the film, playing Queen Elisabeth in Les Enfants d'Edouard/Edward's Children (Henri Andréani, 1913), and Miss Ketty in Jacques l'Honneur (Henri Andréani, 1913). At Pathé, she had he lead in Le Baiser suprême (Edmond Floury, 1913). In 1914 she acted in the title role of Marie Tudor/Mary Tudor (Albert Capellani, 1914), but the film was only released in 1917. Again Delvair was surrounded by famous faces: Paul Capellani, Romuald Joubé, Léon Bernard, and Andrée Pascal.
After years of absence from the sets during WWI, Delvair returned in 1917 for the modern crime drama Blessée au coeur/Wounded in the Heart, for whom the director is unknown. Jean Ayme, René Rocher and Georges Tréville were her co-actors, but the press focused on her presence. After another gap, she returned in 1920 with La Double existence du docteur Morart/The Double Life of Doctor Morart by Jacques Grétillat, with the director in the male lead as a surgeon whose wife (Delvair) suspects him of infidelity, but whose son (Jean Debucourt) discovers instead he is an alcoholic. Delvair's last parts were in the Émile Zola adaptation Le Rêve/The Dream (Jacques de Baroncelli, 1921) with Gabriel Signoret, and in Le loup-garou/The Werewolf (Jacques Roullet, Pierre Bressol, 1923). Delvair stopped film acting after that but continued her stage career. Jeanne Delvair died in Levallois-Perret in 1949. She was 71. Delvair was buried with her husband Georges Le Roy (1885-1965), who was also a member of the Comédie-Française, in the cemetery of Marly-le-Roi (Yvelines).
Spanish postcard for Chocolate Pi, Barcelona, by Ed. Auber y Pla, Barcelona, no. 2 (of 6 cards). Photo: Pathé Frères / Vilaseca y Ledesma. Jeanne Delvair and René Rocher in Blessée au coeur (N.N., 1917). The Spanish release title of the film was Herida del corazon.
Spanish postcard for Chocolate Pi, Barcelona, by Ed. Auber y Pla, Barcelona, no. 3 (of 6 cards). Photo: Pathé Frères / Vilaseca y Ledesma. Jeanne Delvair and Jeam Ayme in Blessée au coeur (N.N., 1917). The Spanish release title of the film was Herida del corazon.
Spanish postcard for Chocolate Pi, Barcelona, by Ed. Auber y Pla, Barcelona, no. 6 (of 6 cards). Photo: Pathé Frères / Vilaseca y Ledesma. Georges Tréville, René Rocher and Jeanne Delvair in Blessée au coeur (N.N., 1917). The Spanish release title of the film was Herida del corazon.
Sources: Fondation Seydoux Pathé (French), Ciné-Ressources (French), Gallica (French), Wikipedia (French) and IMDb.
This post was last updated on 19 December 2023.