Berthe Bovy (6 January 1887 – 26 February 1977), sometimes known as Betty Bovy, was a Belgian actress who appeared in theatre, films and television programmes for over 60 years.
Biography
Born Berthe Marguerite Jeanne Bovy, she was the daughter of poet and journalist Théophile Bovy, she was born in Cheratte, now part of the commune of Visé, in the province of Liège. Seemingly interested in acting from an early age, an interest which her father encouraged, she enrolled in the Koninklijk Conservatorium in Brussels following a meeting with Sarah Bernhardt. From 1904 to 1906 she studied at the CNSAD in Paris. She joined the Comédie-Française in 1907.
She was married and divorced three times, first to Charles Gribouval, secretary of the Comédie-Française, secondly with artist Ion Anton Ion-Don, and thirdly, in 1929, with Pierre Jules Louis Laudenbach, better known by his stage name Pierre Fresnay. She died at Montgeron in France and is buried in the city of Liège.
Filmography
1908: The Assassination of the Duke of Guise (Short) - Le page
1910: On ne badine pas avec l'amour (Short) - Camille
1911: Le roman d'une pauvre fille
1912: La conquête du bonheur - Suzette Robert
1913: Coeur de femme - Marie-Claire de la Salette
1913: Le fils de Lagardère - Bathilde de Wendel
1913: Le baiser suprême
1913: Le Roman de Carpentier (Short) 1921: The Earth - La Trouille 1938: Le Joueur - Babouchka 1939: Je t'attendrai - Mme Marchand - La mère de Paul 1942: The Beautiful Adventure - Madame de Trévillac 1945: Boule de Suif - Madame Bonnet 1948: The Last Vacation - Tante Délie 1948: The Shadow - Mme Fournier 1948: D'homme à hommes - La mère de Dunant 1948: The Cupboard Was Bare - Madame Lea Lobligeois 1949: Fantomas Against Fantomas - La vieille dame 1950: La Souricière - Mlle Germaine 1951: La Maison Bonnadieu - Madame Ramadin - la grand-mère 1954: On Trial - La grand-mère 1956: Le Secret de sœur Angèle - La supérieure de Paris 1957: Bonjour Toubib - Madame Cohen 1962: Mon oncle du Texas - La grand-mère Elisa 1967: Le dimanche de la vie - Nanette 1971: Aussi loin que l'amour - Une invitée (final film role)
References
Pasleau, Suzy, BOVY, Berthe, in Éliane Gubin, Catherine Jacques, Valérie Piette & Jean Puissant (eds), Dictionnaire des femmes belges: XIXe et XXe siècles. Bruxelles: Éditions Racine, 2006.