RIP, continued ...

Michele Morgan  (1920 – 2016) aged 96. Glamorous French film actress, who was a leading lady for three decades in both French cinema and Hollywood features. She was the inaugural winner of the Best Actress Award at the Cannes Film Festival. In 1992, she was given an Honorary Cesar Award or her contributions to French cinema. 

I recently reviewed her as FABIOLA, one of the first peplums in 1949, with her then husband Henri Vidal, left, a favourite of ours, see label, who died in 1959. Morgan's best films include LE QUAI DES BRUMES in 1939 with Gabin, and THE FALLEN IDOL.She did PASSAGE TO MARSEILLES with Bogart. She certainly made a raincoat and beret the essence of French chic. 

Other venerable French legends include Danielle Darrieux now 99 (100 next May) and Micheline Presle, 94. Even Jeanne Moreau is 88, and Emmanuelle Riva 89.

Zsa Zsa Gabor (1917-2016), aged 99. The last of the legendary Hungarian Gabor sisters, Zsa Zsa (Miss Hungary in 1936) became one of the first celebrities famous for being famous, but she was a witty, funny lady with all those quips about husbands (she had nine, including George Sanders) and jewels. She was the QUEEN OF OUTER SPACE, and also effective in Huston's MOULIN ROUGE in 1953. She was deliciously funny too in WE'RE NOT MARRIED in 1952. She also pops up in Orson's TOUCH OF EVIL, one of her many cameo roles. RIP dahling.

Jean Dawnay (1925 - 2016), aged 91. Another lady of style and elegance, Dawnay was one of the original British supermodels of the 1950s and 60s. Princess George Galitzine, who has died aged 91, was prominent in many charitable enterprises, most notably the Prince George Galitzine Library in St Petersburg, the Terence Rattigan Society and UK Youth, having been world-famous as Jean Dawnay, a top model for Christian Dior and the last remaining “supermodel” from the 1950s.

She epitomised style and elegance and was both quick-witted and clear-thinking, as evidenced by her performances as a panellist on the popular television series What’s My Line? She was an optimist, and everything she did was conducted with not only wisdom but also sparkle and zest.

I knew the name and the photos, but did not realise what a fascinating life. She was working at Bletchley Park during the war years, then became one of the first air hostesses, and acted as hostess for Terence Rattigan (he based the character of Anne Shankland in SEPARATE TABLES on her). She tried acting as well, with Frankie Vaughan in the enjoyable 1958 WONDERFUL THINGS, and then married a Russian prince.