Mylène Demongeot mini-bio: Marie-Helene Demongeot was born on September 29, 1935, in Nice,
France, into a family of actors. She studied dramatic art with Marie
Ventura.
At the age of 17 Demongeot made her film debut in the supporting role of
Nicole in Les Enfants de l'amour (Children of Love 1953). Having appearances
in three or four feature films every year, Demongeot rose to international
fame in the late 1950s. She was together with Gary Cooper for the opening of
the first escalator to be installed in a cinema, at the Rex Theatre in
Paris, on June 7, 1957. She had a memorable seduction scene opposite Yves
Montand in Les Sorcieres de Salem (The Crucible 1957). Her first notable
leading role was in Be Beautiful But Shut Up (aka.. Blonde for Danger 1958),
where she played a 17-year-old jewel smuggler.
Demongeot further developed her screen image of a manipulative blond
mistress in her brilliant performance opposite David Niven in Bonjour
tristesse (1958), and became permanently locked in the cliché image of a
humorous seductress after co-starring opposite Alain Delon in the 1959
comedy 'Le Donno sono deboli' (Three Murderesses 1959). Her chance to update
her film image came in the period films. She played manipulative and
coquettish Andromeda opposite Steve Reeves in La Bataille di Marathon (The
Giant of Marathon. 1959) and the leading role of Rea opposite Roger Moore in
L'Enlevement des sabines (Romulus and the Sabines. 1961). Among her best
known film-works are the role of manipulative Milady de Winter in Les Trois
mousquetaires (The Three Musketeers 1961) and the role of Helen in all three
of the Fantomas films.
Mylene Demongeot became one of the blond sex symbols in the 50s, 60s and 70s
French cinema. She co-starred with the major French actors of the time,
including Jean Marais and Louis de Funès in the Fantômas (1964) trilogy.
Although she gradually fazed out of her stereotypical image of a beautiful
French coquette, she still looked pretty convincing in the image of a
mid-aged Madame, which she developed in the 80s and 90s. Demongeot was also
a producer during the 1980s. She has been the co-owner of the Kangarou Films
production company, which she founded with her late husband Marc Simenon.
She made a comeback in 36 Quai des Orfevres (2004). Her latest film-works
were supporting roles in 'Camping' (2006) and also in Californie, La (2006)
by director/writer Jacques Fieschi, based on a short story by Georges
Simenon.
Demongeot is currently residing in Nice, South of France. She is named
Commander in the Order of Arts and Letters for her achievements in acting.
