Annabella

Annabella (born Suzanne Georgette Charpentier, 14 July 1907 – 18 September 1996) was a French cinema actress who appeared in 46 films between 1927 and 1952, including some Hollywood films during the late 1930s and 1940s. Life and career Annabella was born in Paris, France. Annabella's chance to enter films came when her father entertained a film producer, who gave her a small part in Abel Gance's great classic Napoléon (1927). She was not critically acclaimed until she starred in René Clair's Le Million (1931), and over the following decade established herself as one of France's most popular cinema actresses. For Veille d'armes (1935), she won the Volpi Cup for Best Actress at the Venice Film Festival in 1936. She was cast as the female lead in the British-made film Wings of the Morning (1937) with Henry Fonda. Under contract to 20th Century Fox, she traveled to America and appeared in Suez (1938) with Loretta Young and Tyrone Power. Her romance with Power was widely reported by movie magazines of the day. Darryl F. Zanuck, movie mogul at 20th Century Fox, did not want his matinee idol married. He offered Annabella a multi-movie deal that would take her overseas. She refused to leave Power, and on completion of Suez, she returned to France to obtain a divorce from her then-husband, Jean Murat. Power and she married on 23 April 1939. The two honeymooned in Rome. Within a few months, Annabella and Power had again flown to Europe to bring Annabella's mother back to live in their home, while her father and brother stayed behind. Her brother was ultimately shot and killed by the Nazis. Annabella made a return trip to bring her daughter, Anne, back from France to live with them. Power adopted Anne before leaving for service in the United States Marine Corps in August 1942. Anne Power later married actor Oskar Werner. Darryl F. Zanuck, angry with her for marrying his top box-office star, did not cast her in movies despite Annabella's contract with 20th Century-Fox. Annabella was also not lent to other studios. Power and she appeared together in the play Liliom in New Haven, Connecticut. While Power was away during his war service, Annabella appeared in Blithe Spirit in Chicago. On Broadway, she received excellent notices for her work in the play Jacobowsky and the Colonel, directed by Elia Kazan, in 1944. Annabella also embarked on an affair with author Roald Dahl; she had refused to give Power a divorce, and her marriage was strained.