CARL, RENÉE

(1875-1954)

Actress and director. Renée Carl was one of the first major leading ladies of the cinema. She began her career, like most silent-film stars, in the theater. Carl was one of those stars of the stage lured to the screen in order to elevate the status of cinema from spectacle to art. She went toGaumontin 1907, where she acted inRoméoBosetti's celebrated silent film,Une dame vraiment bien(1908). She also appeared in a number of the films in theBébéseries, which was directed byLouis Feuilladeand which ran from 1911 to 1913. She was also the heroine of Feuillade'sFantômasfilms.She starred in many other of Feuillade's films as well, includingLe Roman de soeur Louise(1908),Le Collier de la reine(1909),La Cigale et la fourmi(1909),Judith et Holopherne(1909),La Fille de Jephté(1910),Esther(1910),Mater Dolorosa(1910),André Chénier(1911),Aux lions les chrétiens(1911),Les Vipères(1911),Androclès(1912),La Maison des lions(1912),Le Proscrit(1912),Le Revenant(1913),Severo Torelli(1914), theHeuresseries, which ran in 1909, and Feuillade's celebrated seriesLes Vampires(1915).

During her career Carl also worked withLéonce PerretandMarcel L'Herbierand was the leading lady in Robert Peguy'sL'Aviateurseries (1921-1922). She also appeared as Madame Thenardier inHenri Fescourt'sLes Misérables(1925). Carl managed, briefly, to transition into talking films. She had a role inJulien Duvivier's film noir classic,Pépé le Moko(1937). That role would be her last.

In addition to acting, Carl tried her hand at directing. She directed herself inUn cri dans l'abîme(1923), at a period when female directors were still a rarity. What stands out about her work onscreen, apart from her sheer longevity during a time when the names of film actors, much less actresses, were rarely known, and when actresses disappeared forever after only a few roles, is her breadth. She performed in burlesque just as well as she did in biblical histories, and was as compelling inFantômasas she was inAndroclès(1912). All in all, Carl appeared in more than 160 films.

See alsoWomen.