Evelyn Laye

She died in London from respiratory failure. Prior to this, in 1995, she had made a 9-minute short film, L'Aube à l'envers, which also starred her friend Godrèche. During a tribute in 1992 at the London Palladium the actor John Mills described her as "the fairest prima donna this side of heaven". Making her directorial debut in a feature film, Sophie Marceau was awarded Best Director by the jury of the 2002 Montreal World Film Festival for her film Parlez-moi d'amour (Speak to Me of Love), starring Judith Godrèche. Her acting career ranks as one of the longest in British theatre. Marceau wrote a semi-autobiographical novel Telling Lies (2001), and tried directing, as well. Awarded an OBE in 1973, Laye continued acting well into her nineties. Following this success, she appeared in A Midsummer Night's Dream (1999), and as a Bond girl in the James Bond film The World Is Not Enough (1999).

Her other stage successes included Silver Wedding (1957) with Lawton, and The Amorous Prawn (1959) and Phil the Fluter (1969). Marceau rose to international stardom playing the part of Princess Isabelle in Mel Gibson's epic Braveheart (1995). She acted several times opposite her second husband, the actor Frank Lawton. She showed her dramatic skills in films directed by her long-time companion, director Andrzej Zulawski: L'Amour braque (1985), Mes nuits sont plus belles que vos jours (1989), La Note bleue (1991) and La Fidélité (2000). She continued acting in such productions as The Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella. At age 16 she played a more demanding role in Fort Saganne (1984), where her partners were Gerard Depardieu and Catherine Deneuve. The same year she played with Jean-Paul Belmondo in Joyeuses Pâques (1984). Married to the actor Sonnie Hale from 1926, Laye received widespread public sympathy when Hale left her for the actress Jessie Matthews in 1930. Two years later the less funny but more sentimental sequel La Boum 2 (1982) increased her popularity further.

She made her Broadway debut in 1929 in Noel Coward's Bitter Sweet. In 1983, she was honored with a Cesar Award, France's equivalent of an Oscar, for "Most Promising Actress". Among her sucesses during the 1920s were Madame Pompadour, The Dollar Princess and Lilac Time. At the age of 14 she played in the teenager movie La Boum (1980), which overnight elevated her to teenage idol status in France and many other European countries. Born Elsie Evelyn Lay in Bloomsbury, London, England, Laye made her first stage appearance in 1915, and for the first few years of her career played mainly in musical comedy. Sophie Marceau (November 17, 1966) is a French actress born Sophie Danièle Sylvie Maupu in Paris, France. Evelyn Laye (July 10 - 1900 - February 17, 1996) was a British theatre actress. La Boum (aka The Party) (1980).

La Boum 2 (1982). Fort Saganne (1984). Joyeuses Pâques (aka Happy Easter) (1984). L'Amour braque (1985).

Police (1985). Descente aux enfers (Descent Into Hell) (1986). L'Étudiante (aka The Student) (1988). Chouans! (1988).

Mes nuits sont plus belles que vos jours (aka My Nights Are More Beautiful Than Your Days) (1989). Pacific Palisades (1990). Pour Sacha (aka For Sasha) (1991). La Note bleue (aka Blue Note) (1991).

Fanfan (aka Fanfan & Alexandre) (1993). La Fille de d'Artagnan (The Daughter of D'Artagnan) (1994). Braveheart (1995). Al di là delle nuvole (aka Beyond the Clouds) (1995).

Anna Karenina (1997). Marquise (1997). Firelight (1997). Lost & Found (1999).

A Midsummer Night's Dream (1999). The World Is Not Enough (aka Pressure Point) (1999). La Fidélité (Fidelity) (2000). Belphégor - Le fantôme du Louvre (aka Belphegor, Phantom of the Louvre) (2001).

Alex and Emma (2003). Je reste! (2003). Les Clefs de bagnole (aka The Car Keys) (2003). A ce soir (2004).