User:Ingenuity/Suzanne Cloutier
Suzanne Cloutier | |
|---|---|
 Cloutier with Peter Ustinov and daughter | |
| Born | July 10, 1923 Ottawa, Canada |
| Died | December 2, 2003 (aged 80) Montreal, Quebec |
| Occupation | Actress |
Suzanne Cloutier (10 July 1923 – 2 December 2003)[1][a] was a Canadian actress, best known for her role as Desdemona in the 1951 film Othello.
Early life
[edit]Suzanne was born on 10 July 1923 in Ottawa to Edward and Helene Cloutier (née Saint-Denis), the oldest of six children.[4][5] Her father was the King's Printer.[6] Cloutier was educated at Catholic schools in Ottawa, Montreal, and Trois-Rivières. In 1946, she married doctor François LaFlèche, who served in the Royal 22nd Regiment; shortly after their marriage, Cloutier travelled to New York, where she become a model for Vogue.[7][8] Her marriage to LaFlèche was never consummated and was later annulled.[2]
Career
[edit]Cloutier began modelling in 1946, after she was discovered by an agent at New York City's Grand Central Station.[9] Her first acting role was in the film Temptation, released the same year. She worked for Charles Laughton's theatre company, before moving to France to join Jean Dasté's Comedie Francaise.[1] Cloutier acted in two French films: Au royaume des cieux in 1949, and Juliette, or Key of Dreams in 1950.[2] When Orson Welles saw Au royaume des cieux at the Venice Film Festival, he offered her a role in his film based on Shakespeare's tragedy Othello.[8] The film, released in 1951, was received with acclaim by critics, winning the Palme d'Or at the 1952 Cannes Film Festival, though it was a commercial failure.[5] She starred in the 1952 British film Derby Day, where she was described by journalist Leonard Mosley as "smart as a tic-tac man, as wide-eyed as the punter who picks the winner with a pin, as lovely to look at as Tulyar."[10]
By 1952, Cloutier was well-known throughout Europe, though still relatively unknown in Canada.[11] She signed a six-month contract with Paramount Pictures to star in a film titled Persian Gulf alongside Alan Ladd, but after Ladd broke his contract the film was postponed indefinitely.[12]
Later life and death
[edit]Cloutier died on 2 December 2003 of cancer.[2]
Filmography
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1946 | Temptation | Yvonne Dupont | [13] |
| 1949 | Au royaume des cieux | Maria Lambert | [1] |
| 1951 | Juliette, or Key of Dreams | Juliette | [5] |
| 1951 | Othello | Desdemona | [2] |
| 1952 | Derby Day | Michele Jolivet | [9] |
| 1954 | Doctor in the House | Stella | [8] |
Notes
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c Williams, Kimberly (19 December 2003). "Suzanne Cloutier". Variety. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
- ^ a b c d e Bergan, Ronald (11 December 2003). "Suzanne Cloutier". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
- ^ "Suzanne Cloutier, Canada Census, 1931". FamilySearch. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
- ^ "Cloutier, Mrs. Helene". Ottawa Journal. 16 January 1978. p. 30.
- ^ a b c Hustak, Alan (9 May 1993). "Desdemona Revived". The Gazette. p. 43.
- ^ Wilson, Phyllis (28 February 1952). "In Movies With Wilding And Welles, But "It's Wonderful To Be Home"". Ottawa Citizen. p. 34.
- ^ "Miss Suzanne Cloutier Weds Lieut. Francois LaFleche". Ottawa Journal. 31 August 1946. p. 13.
- ^ a b c Hustak, Alan (5 December 2003). "Canadian actress starred in Othello by Orson Welles". The Gazette. p. 5.
- ^ a b Johnson, Erskine (25 June 1952). "Suzanne Cloutier Is A Rising Star". Akron Beacon Journal. p. 10.
- ^ "Canadian Actress Wins U.K. Acclaim". Vancouver Sun. 30 May 1952. p. 49.
- ^ Nielson, Robert (24 May 1952). "Suzanne Cloutier: Star from Ottawa". Star Weekly. p. 16.
- ^ "Suzanne Ends $500 Per Week Film "Holiday"". Ottawa Citizen. 7 August 1952. p. 1.
- ^ "Ottawa Girl Plays First Screen Role". Ottawa Citizen. 29 May 1946. p. 1.