Arletty

Léonie Marie Julie Bathiat, popularly known as Arletty, was a French actress, singer, and fashion model, renowned for her roles in classics by Marcel Carné, including Hotel du Nord, Le jour se lève and Children of Paradise. Arletty's career took a significant turn in 1936 when she starred in plays like Les Joies du Capitole and Fric-Frac. She later notably portrayed Blanche in the French version of A Streetcar Named Desire. A key aspect of her career was Marcel Carné's poetic filmmaking style, where she shone brilliantly as Raymonde in Hotel du Nord. Her role in Les Enfants du Paradis in 1945 was her most recognized, making her one of the highest paid actors in French cinema. However, her liaison with a German Luftwaffe officer during the wartime fetched treason charges and imprisonment for 18 months. Despite the backlash, she continued a reasonably successful career in stage acting until visual impairment forced her into retirement. The French government commemorated her contributions by issuing a series of coins bearing her image in 1995.