Winning the 1960 Academy Award for Best Actress, Simone Signoret established herself as a formidable presence in international cinema. Born in Wiesbaden in 1921, she built a career that spanned decades and continents, transitioning from Parisian bit parts during the Nazi occupation to leading roles in acclaimed British and American productions while maintaining a prolific output as a writer and translator.
Early Career and Occupation
Born Simone Henriette Charlotte Kaminker, she grew up in Paris in an intellectual environment. During the Nazi occupation, she worked as a typist to support her family after her father, a French army officer, joined General De Gaulle in England. Influenced by an artistic circle at the Café de Flore, she began acting in 1942. She adopted her mother's maiden name, Signoret, for the screen to conceal her Jewish ancestry.
Twenty questions, eight minutes on the clock, and a percentile measured against everyone who has taken it. No sign-up.
Take the IQ test →Rise to International Prominence
Signoret gained significant notice in the 1950 film La Ronde. Her performance as Amélie Élie in the 1951 production Casque d'or earned her a BAFTA award and solidified her status in French cinema. She followed this with roles in Thérèse Raquin, Les Diaboliques, and The Crucible. Her career reached a global peak with the 1959 film Room at the Top, which secured her the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actress and an Academy Award.
Literary and Stage Endeavours
Beyond film, Signoret engaged in theatre and literature. She translated Lillian Hellman’s play The Little Foxes into French and performed the lead role in Paris in 1962. In 1966, she performed as Lady Macbeth at the Royal Court Theatre in London. She was also a successful author; her memoir, Nostalgia Isn't What It Used to Be, was published in 1976, and her autobiographical novel, Adieu Volodya, was released in 1985.
Personal Life and Final Years
Signoret was married to filmmaker Yves Allégret from 1944 to 1949, with whom she had a daughter, Catherine Allégret, and a son, Patrick, who died in infancy. In 1951, she married actor Yves Montand, remaining with him until her death. She was active in political causes and vocal about antisemitism within the French Communist Party. She died of colon cancer in 1985 at Autheuil-Authouillet and is buried at Père Lachaise Cemetery.
Fast facts
- Born: 1921, Wiesbaden
- Died: 1985, Autheuil-Authouillet
- Citizenship: France
- Academy Award for Best Actress: 1960
- First marriage: Yves Allégret
- Second marriage: Yves Montand
- Burial site: Père Lachaise Cemetery
- Languages: French, Italian
Questions readers ask
What major awards did Signoret receive for her acting?
She received an Academy Award, three BAFTA Awards, a César Award, the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actress, and a Primetime Emmy Award.
Did Signoret have a religious funeral?
No, because she was of patrilineal Jewish ancestry and was not considered Jewish under traditional halakha, there was no religious ceremony.
Achievements
- Academy Award for Best Actress — 1960
- César Award for Best Actress — 1978
- Silver Bear for Best Actress — 1971
- Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie — 1966
- BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role — 1953
- Worked as film actor, writer and tutor
