Michele Morgan

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Actress Born Simone Renee Roussel on Feb. 29, 1920 in Hauts-de-Seine, France

Born Simone Renee Roussel in a western suburb of Paris, Morgan has been one of France’s enduring leading ladies for more than 50 years. Acting has been her passion since she was a teenager. Morgan left home for Paris at the age of 15 to pursue her career, paying for drama lessons with actor Rene Simon by working as an extra. Soon, her beauty captured the attention of French screenwriter and director Marc Allegret, who cast her in "Gribouille" (1937), which helped propel her to stardom.

She moved to the United States in 1940 as France was being invaded by Germany and gave Hollywood a try. She appeared in such films as “Joan of Paris” with Paul Henreid (1942) and “Higher and Higher” with Frank Sinatra (1943). Her Hollywood turn proved less fruitful than she had hoped.

After World War II ended, Morgan returned home to France and her career quickly picked up again. She received the Legion of Honor from the French government in 1969 and an honorary Cesar Award from the French motion picture industry in 1992. She also received a lifetime achievement award, the Career Golden Lion, at the Venice Film Festival in 1996.

— Los Angeles Times