With Simone Signoret and Jeanne Moreau, Annie Girardot was one of the major female stars in France during the 1960s and 70s. With her gamine-like sensuality, the actress first became established as a stage comedienne. In contrast, her film roles, notably those for directors Claude Lelouch and Andre Cayatte tapped a darker quality, casting her as women of dubious morality who seemed doomed to a violent end. Girardot first gained international attention with Luchino Visconti's intensely dramatic family saga, "Rocco and His Brothers" (1960). Lelouch first utilized her as Yves Montand's estranged wife in "Vivre pour vivre/Live for Life" (1967) and she went on to appear opposite Philippe Noiret in several emotionally charged role, including "La Vieille fille" (1971) and "Tendre Poulet" (1977). Girardot won a Best Actress Cesar for her portrayal of a contemporary physician facing more trials than a typical soap opera heroine in "Docteur Francoise Gailland/No Time for Breakfast" (1975). A venture to Hollywood in the Barbra Streisand vehicle "All Night Long" (1981) proved misguided. Girardot returned to her homeland where she has continued to grace features as diverse as Michel Legrand's autobiographical "Cinq jours en juin/Five Days in June" (1989) and Lelouch's contemporary riff on "Les Miserables" (1995).
Family
DAUGHTER: Guilia Salvatori.
Companion
HUSBAND: Renato Salvatori. Actor. Married in 1962.
Milestone
Raised in Normandy, France
1954 - 1957: Was a member of the Comedie-Francaise
1955: Feature film debut, "Treize a table"
1957: Co-starred in Jean Delannoy's "Inspector Maigret"
1960: Was featured in Luchino Visconti's "Rocco and His Brothers"
1964: Had title role in "The Ape Woman"
1965: Won praise for her performance as an ex-countess in Marcel Carne's "Trois Chambre a Manhattan"
1967: Played the estranged wife of Yves Montand in Claude Lelouch's "Vivre pour vire/Live for Life"; first of six films with Lelouch
1970: First of four screen roles directed by Andre Cayette, "Mourir d'amour"
1975: Won Best Actress Cesar for the title role in "Docteur Francoise Gailland"
1981: Only Hollywood feature, "All Night Long", starring Barbra Streisand; played a French teacher
1995: Appeared in Lelouch's "Les Miserables"
Education
Paris Conservatoire - Paris, France - studied four years
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