Claude Godard(1931-1981)
- Actress
This beautiful girl with auburn hair, long eyelashes and blue-green
eyes was born in Casteljaloux, in Gascony. She studied in a Bordeaux
high school, graduating at the age of seventeen. She then went to the
Conservatoire de Bordeaux, where she was taught music by Marthe
Despoulos and drama by Kléber Halpin. She debuted on stage by a mere
chance. Indeed Fernand Ledoux was unable to come to Bordeaux to play
George Feydeau's "Boubouroche" unless a replacement of his female
partner (who had got ill) could be found locally. Spurred by Harpin she
embarked on the adventure and came out of it with flying colors. It was
not long before she got another part, this time at the Trianon Theater,
in André Barde's operetta "Le Comte Obligado". After which she started
singing in nightclubs and galas. Encouraged by such a good start,
Claude Godard decided to make it in Paris and she immediately enrolled
at the famous Cours René Simon. While she was studying she was
contacted to represent Gascony at the Miss France beauty contest and
she won the title. Selected for the Miss Universe contest she went to
the USA in 1952. Although she was not elected this time she decided to
stay in the States and work there. She soon appeared on the stage of
the only theater of Hollywood and was also in a TV program titled
"Bachelors' Paradise". To be sure to obtain a green card she even
contracted an unconsummated marriage with a complaisant American
citizen. Back in France in 1954 she started a film career which would
happen to be rather disappointing. She played in twelve movies in five
years before disappearing from the screen, none of these films being of
any interest.
