Actress, born Eugenie Marie Fenoglio in Toulon, France. Her father, a tailor, was an abusive alcoholic, who after years violence murdered her mother, then killed himself. Her love of theater led to a serendipitous encounter and an invitation to join a theater troupe.
The sudden death of one of the troupe's leading actresses proved to be her "big break." Fellow actress, Sarah Bernhardt, once told her, "What you do is innate: you create - you do not copy the characters. You give birth to them from within yourself. It is very beautiful." During this time, she became the mistress of a marquis, who changed her name to Eve Lavallière, because she often sported a tie which, at that time, was known as the "Lavallière". She was the delight of French musical comedy theater and was known as the "Belle Dame" of the Paris stage, often appearing before the crowned heads of Europe. Despite the fame, money and praise her life spiraled out-of-control. During the summer of 1915, while on holiday, she met a priest who invited her to attend his church. She went to his Mass, but later told the priest that she had made a pact with the devil in exchange for 20 more years of youthfulness. Outraged, the priest immediately demanded her apology. This exchange proved to be an epiphany for the troubled actress and began her return to the church of her childhood. She abandoned acting to join the Carmelite order of nuns. However, the nuns did not allow the actress to enter their order. Returning to Paris, she sold all her possessions and gave the money to the poor. Cloistering herself in the hamlet of Vosges, she devoted herself to prayer. She later joined the Third Order of St. Francis and became part of a lay mission that nursed children from Tunisia. It was during this time; she contracted a disease peculiar to north Africa and spent the next 18 months trying to overcome the illness. At her death, she was quietly buried at the base of the wall, of the church, in the town where she was born.
The sudden death of one of the troupe's leading actresses proved to be her "big break." Fellow actress, Sarah Bernhardt, once told her, "What you do is innate: you create - you do not copy the characters. You give birth to them from within yourself. It is very beautiful." During this time, she became the mistress of a marquis, who changed her name to Eve Lavallière, because she often sported a tie which, at that time, was known as the "Lavallière". She was the delight of French musical comedy theater and was known as the "Belle Dame" of the Paris stage, often appearing before the crowned heads of Europe. Despite the fame, money and praise her life spiraled out-of-control. During the summer of 1915, while on holiday, she met a priest who invited her to attend his church. She went to his Mass, but later told the priest that she had made a pact with the devil in exchange for 20 more years of youthfulness. Outraged, the priest immediately demanded her apology. This exchange proved to be an epiphany for the troubled actress and began her return to the church of her childhood. She abandoned acting to join the Carmelite order of nuns. However, the nuns did not allow the actress to enter their order. Returning to Paris, she sold all her possessions and gave the money to the poor. Cloistering herself in the hamlet of Vosges, she devoted herself to prayer. She later joined the Third Order of St. Francis and became part of a lay mission that nursed children from Tunisia. It was during this time; she contracted a disease peculiar to north Africa and spent the next 18 months trying to overcome the illness. At her death, she was quietly buried at the base of the wall, of the church, in the town where she was born.
Actress, born Eugenie Marie Fenoglio in Toulon, France. Her father, a tailor, was an abusive alcoholic, who after years violence murdered her mother, then killed himself. Her love of theater led to a serendipitous encounter and an invitation to join a theater troupe.
The sudden death of one of the troupe's leading actresses proved to be her "big break." Fellow actress, Sarah Bernhardt, once told her, "What you do is innate: you create - you do not copy the characters. You give birth to them from within yourself. It is very beautiful." During this time, she became the mistress of a marquis, who changed her name to Eve Lavallière, because she often sported a tie which, at that time, was known as the "Lavallière". She was the delight of French musical comedy theater and was known as the "Belle Dame" of the Paris stage, often appearing before the crowned heads of Europe. Despite the fame, money and praise her life spiraled out-of-control. During the summer of 1915, while on holiday, she met a priest who invited her to attend his church. She went to his Mass, but later told the priest that she had made a pact with the devil in exchange for 20 more years of youthfulness. Outraged, the priest immediately demanded her apology. This exchange proved to be an epiphany for the troubled actress and began her return to the church of her childhood. She abandoned acting to join the Carmelite order of nuns. However, the nuns did not allow the actress to enter their order. Returning to Paris, she sold all her possessions and gave the money to the poor. Cloistering herself in the hamlet of Vosges, she devoted herself to prayer. She later joined the Third Order of St. Francis and became part of a lay mission that nursed children from Tunisia. It was during this time; she contracted a disease peculiar to north Africa and spent the next 18 months trying to overcome the illness. At her death, she was quietly buried at the base of the wall, of the church, in the town where she was born.
The sudden death of one of the troupe's leading actresses proved to be her "big break." Fellow actress, Sarah Bernhardt, once told her, "What you do is innate: you create - you do not copy the characters. You give birth to them from within yourself. It is very beautiful." During this time, she became the mistress of a marquis, who changed her name to Eve Lavallière, because she often sported a tie which, at that time, was known as the "Lavallière". She was the delight of French musical comedy theater and was known as the "Belle Dame" of the Paris stage, often appearing before the crowned heads of Europe. Despite the fame, money and praise her life spiraled out-of-control. During the summer of 1915, while on holiday, she met a priest who invited her to attend his church. She went to his Mass, but later told the priest that she had made a pact with the devil in exchange for 20 more years of youthfulness. Outraged, the priest immediately demanded her apology. This exchange proved to be an epiphany for the troubled actress and began her return to the church of her childhood. She abandoned acting to join the Carmelite order of nuns. However, the nuns did not allow the actress to enter their order. Returning to Paris, she sold all her possessions and gave the money to the poor. Cloistering herself in the hamlet of Vosges, she devoted herself to prayer. She later joined the Third Order of St. Francis and became part of a lay mission that nursed children from Tunisia. It was during this time; she contracted a disease peculiar to north Africa and spent the next 18 months trying to overcome the illness. At her death, she was quietly buried at the base of the wall, of the church, in the town where she was born.
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