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Leslie Caron Biography (1931-)

Full name, Leslie Claire Margaret Caron; born November 4 (some sources say July 1), 1931, in Boulogne-Billancourt, Paris, France; daughter of Claude (a chemist) and Margaret (maiden name, Petit) Caron; married George Hormel (a meatpacker), May, 1953 (divorced, 1954); married Peter Hall (a producer and director), August 6, 1956 (divorced, 1966); married Michael Laughlin (a producer,director, and writer), January 1, 1969 (divorced, 1980); married Paul Magwood (marriage ended); children: (second marriage) Christopher, Jennifer. Addresses: Agent: The Blake Agency, 1333 Ocean Ave., Santa Monica, CA 90401;Artmedia, 10 avenue George-V, 75008 Paris, France.; Contact: Camden Artists,2121 Avenue of the Stars, No. 410, Los Angeles, CA 90067-5010.

Leslie Caron was a sixteen-year old dancer with the Ballet des Champs-Elyseesin Paris when actor-dancer Gene Kelly first saw her perform and chose her tostar opposite him in the movie An American in Paris. The hit film, particularly the young dancer's performance in its climactic ballet, launched Caron's early career as the ingenue lead in a number of fifties musicals, including the popular Lili and Gigi. Caron's "elfin charm," according to some critics, lent itself well to playing adolescents or young women learning to deal with love and the adult world. Later in her motionpicture career, Caron gave up musicals to concentrate on straight dramatic roles. She has since won acclaim for her work in such films as The L-ShapedRoom.

Nationality

French

Gender

Female

Occupation

Actress, dancer, singer, writer

Birth Details

November 4, 1931

Paris, France

Famous Works

• CREDITS
• Stage Appearances
• Orvet, Paris, 1955
• Gigi, London, 1956
• Ondine, 1961
• One for the Tango, 1985
• Jeux De Femmes, 1986
• Made stage debut as a dancer, Paris.
• Major Tours
• On Your Toes, U.S. cities, 1985
• Film Appearances
• (Film debut) Lise Bouvier, An American in Paris, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1951
• Madeline Minot, The Man with a Cloak, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1951
• (Uncredited) Herself, The Million Dollar Nickel, 1952
• Angela, Glory Alley, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1952
• Mademoiselle, "Mademoiselle," The Story of Three Loves (also knownas Equilibrium and Three Stories of Love), Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1953
• Lili Daurier (title role), Lili, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1953
• Julie Andre, Daddy Long Legs, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1955
• Ella, The Glass Slipper, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1955
• Title role, Gaby, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1956
• Title role, Gigi, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1958
• Mrs. Jennifer Dubedat, The Doctor's Dilemma, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1958
• Ann Garantier, The Man Who Understood Women, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1959
• Mardou Fox, The Subterraneans, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1960
• Mademoiselle de Vaudey, Austerlitz (also known as La Battagliadi Austerlitz, The Battle of Austerlitz, and Napoleone ad Austerlitz), 1960
• Title role, Fanny, Warner Bros., 1961
• Claire Jordan, Guns of Darkness, Warner Bros., 1962
• Annie, "Les Deux Pigeons" (also known as "Two Pigeons"), Les Quatre Verites (also known as Las cuatro verdades, Le quattro verita, and Three Fables of Love), 1962
• Jane Fosset, The L-Shaped Room, Columbia, 1963
• Catherine Freneau, Father Goose, Universal-International, 1964
• Lauren Boullard, A Very Special Favor, Universal, 1965
• Michelle O'Brien, Promise Her Anything, Paramount, 1966
• Francoise Labe, Is Paris Burning? (also known as Paris brule-t-il?), Paramount, 1966
• Paola, la moglie di Marco, Il padre di famiglia (also known as The Head of the Family), 1968
• Sister Mary, the nun, Madron (also known as His Name Was Madron), Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/Four Star Excelsior Films, 1970
• Katherine Creighton, Chandler, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1971
• Purple Night, 1972
• (Archive footage) That's Entertainment!, 1974
• Narrator, James Dean, the First American Teenager, 1975
• Celeste, Serail (also known as Surreal Estate), 1976
• Alla Nazimova, Valentino, United Artists, 1977
• Vera, L'Homme qui aimait les femmes (also known as The ManWho Loved Women), 1977
• Alla Nazimova, Valentino, 1977
• Nicole, 1978
• Dr. Sammy Lee, Goldengirl, 1979
• Tous vedettes, 1979
• Penelope, Kontrakt (also known as The Contract), 1980
• Chanel Solitaire, 1981
• Mother, Imperativ (also known as Imperative, Imperatyw, and L'Imperatif), 1982
• Henia Liebskind, La Diagonale du fou (also known as Dangerous Moves), 1984
• (Archive footage) That's Dancing!, 1985
• Reel Horror, 1985
• Yvonne, Guerriers et captives (also known as Warriors and Prisoners), 1989
• Jane Hillary, Courage Mountain (also known as Heidi--Le Sentierdu courage), 1989
• Blue Notte, 1990
• Elizabeth Prideaux, Fatale (also known as Damage), 1992
• Jean Renoir, 1993
• The Genius, 1993
• (Archive footage) That's Entertainment! III, 1994
• Katie Parker, Funny Bones, 1995
• Herself, From Russia to Hollywood: The 100-Year Odyssey of Chekhov andShdanoff (documentary), 1999
• Madame Audel, Chocolat, Miramax, 2000
• Also appeared in The Beginners.
• Television Appearances
• Movies
• Carola, 1975
• Klaudia, Die Unerreichbare (also known as The Unapproachable), 1982
• Annette Duvall, The Love Boat: The Christmas Cruise, ABC, 1986
• Nadeshda Krupskaya, Lenin: The Train, 1988
• Marguerite, Let It Be Me, Starz!, 1998
• Regine De Chantelle, The Reef (also known as Passion's Way), CBS, 1999
• Madeleine, The Last of the Blonde Bombshells, HBO, 2000
• Miniseries
• Angela Kelno, QB VII, ABC, 1974
• Solange, Master of the Game, CBS, 1984
• Coco Chanel, The Man Who Lived at the Ritz, syndicated, 1988
• Voice of Czarina Aleksandra Romanov and Mademoiselle Camille Drumont, The Great War (also known as The Great War and the Shaping of the 20thCentury), PBS, 1996
• Madame de Saint Marne, The Ring (also known as Danielle Steel's "The Ring"), NBC, 1996
• Specials
• An Hour with Robert Goulet, 1964
• The American Film Institute Salute to Gene Kelly, ABC, 1985
• Host, International TV, PBS, 1986
• Cary Grant: The Leading Man, CBS, 1988
• Voice of Marie-Louise Osmont, Normandy: The Great Crusade, Discovery Channel, 1994
• Musicals Great Musicals: The Arthur Freed Unit at MGM, PBS, 1996
• Ira Gershwin: A Centenary Celebration--Who Could Ask for Anything More?, 1997
• Oscar Levant: Brilliant Shadow, Arts and Entertainment, 1997
• Private Screenings: Leslie Caron, TCM, 1999
• Episodic
• Evening at Pops, PBS, 1970
• Nicole Sauguet, "Obsession Possession Redemption," Falcon Crest, 1987
• RECORDINGS
• Albums
• Recorded original soundtrack recording, An American in Paris, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer; original soundtrack recording, Gigi, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
• Singles
• Recorded "Hi Lili Hi Lo," from Lili, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
• Taped Readings
• Colette's Earthly Paradise, 1997
• WRITINGS
• Short Stories
• Vengeance, Doubleday (New York), 1982

Recent Updates

August 8, 2003: Caron starred in the James Ivory release Le Divorce. Source: New York Times, movies2.nytimes.com/gst/movies/movie.html?v_id=281050, August 20, 2003.

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

Periodicals:

• Gourmet, June, 1996, p. 72.
• The Independent, January 26, 1993, p. 13; June 14, 1997, p. S3.
• New York Times, March 12, 1995, p. H4; March 7, 1996, p. B3.
• People Weekly, February 13, 1985, p. 51.