Michèle Girardon

Michèle Girardon

ACTRESS

This stunning, fragile starlet was born Henriette Michèle Leone Girardon in Lyon in August 1938. Having completed her acting studies at the local conservatoire she won a competition as "the most photogenic girl in France" by the age of twenty. Photo shoots followed and a minor career as a model with appearances on the cover of prestige magazines "Vogue" and ""Marie-Claire". She began on screen with prominent supporting roles as a deaf mute in Luis Buñuel's La mort en ce jardin (1956) and as a secretary in Louis Malle's The Lovers (1958). Her first starring role came courtesy of Éric Rohmer who cast her in the lead of Le signe du lion (1962) -- one of the first films of the French Nouvelle Vague movement, shot on location in Paris. Though not a commercial success at the time, the acting received general praise throughout and Michèle attracted attention from Hollywood. Paramount approached her with an offer to appear as the owner of a Tanzanian game farm opposite John Wayne in the African adventure Hatari! (1962). According to a Life magazine profile of July 1961 Michèle 'taught herself English' on the set. Her role did not lead to a Hollywood contract. Nevertheless, for a while she remained in demand for European productions, the pick of the bunch being leads in the Spanish-made swashbuckler La máscara de Scaramouche (1963) and the Italian comedy Il magnifico cornuto (1964). Less high profile, but decidedly decorative, was her supporting role in the Franco-Italian "Alfie'-lookalike comedy Tendre voyou (1966).
  • When was
    Michèle Girardon born?

    Michèle Girardon was born on Tuesday, August 9, 1938

  • Where was
    Michèle Girardon born?

    Michèle Girardon was born in Lyon, France

  • How old was
    Michèle Girardon when they died?

    Michèle Girardon was 36

  • When did Michèle Girardon die?

    Michèle Girardon died on
    Tuesday, March 25, 1975


Back to previous page