Sarah Bernhardt (October 22, 1844 – March 26, 1923) was a legendary French stage actress, and has been referred to as "the most famous actress in the history of the world". Bernhardt made her fame on the stages of Europe in the 1870s, and was soon in demand in Europe and the Americas. She developed a reputation as a serious dramatic actress, earning the nickname "The Divine Sarah."
She was born in Paris on October 22, 1844 as Sara-Marie-Henriette...
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Sarah Bernhardt (October 22, 1844 – March 26, 1923) was a legendary French stage actress, and has been referred to as "the most famous actress in the history of the world". Bernhardt made her fame on the stages of Europe in the 1870s, and was soon in demand in Europe and the Americas. She developed a reputation as a serious dramatic actress, earning the nickname "The Divine Sarah."
She was born in Paris on October 22, 1844 as Sara-Marie-Henriette Rosine Bernardt, the illegitimate daughter of Judith Van Hard, a notorious Dutch courtesan who had established herself in Paris, and Edouard Bernard, a law student. She added the letter "H" to both her first and last name, and used the name of Édouard Bernardt, her mother's brother, as the name of her father. This was probably done to hide the fact that her father was unknown. Her grandfather, Moritz Bernardt, was a Jewish merchant in Amsterdam. Most likely, her Jewish mother was also born in Amsterdam.
As the presence of a baby interfered...
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