Jeanne Dortzal
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
January 24, 1878
Jeanne Dortzal | |
|---|---|
 in 1908 | |
| Born | Jeanne-Françoise Thomasset January 24, 1878 |
| Died | 1943 (aged 64–65) |
| Occupations | actor, poet, playwright |
| Known for | acting |
| Partner | Pierre Guédy |
| Children | Pierre |
| Signature | |
 | |
Jeanne Dortzal born Jeanne-Françoise Thomasset (January 24, 1878 – 1943) was a French actor, poet and playwright who was born in Algeria.
Dortzal was born in Ghazaouet in Algeria in 1878. Ghazaouet was then called Nemours and she was called Jeanne-Françoise Thomasset. She said that she had fallen in love with a sheikh but her father objected and the sheikh died in a duel. Her father would not let her become an actress, but her mother left him and took her to Paris.[1] She studied at the Conservatory and also at the Odéon.[citation needed]
Career
François Guermonprez took photos of her and they were used to illustrate Pierre Guédy's 1899 book, The Blue Hour. The illustrations were coloured.[2]
She won the Gil Blas beauty contest in Paris in 1899 beating Elise de Vere. Dortzal was scheduled to appear in vaudeville the following year.[1]
Her partner, Pierre Guédy, died after becoming insane in 1903 leaving her with a son who was also called Pierre. She took to publishing poetry.[3]
Jules Massenet set some of her work to music[3] including a version she had created of the Snow White story after the Brothers Grimm (Perce-Neige et les sept gnomes).[4] It was staged at the Théâtre Fémina in Paris.[5]
In 1921 she published "Les Versets du soleil".[6]
Researchers report that they can find no evidence of her skills after 1930. It is only the discovery of part of a monument to her that confirms that she was alive until 1943.[3]
Personal life
At some point she met Pierre Guédy,[7] with whom she had a son named Pierre.
