Sarah Bernhardt

Sarah Bernhardt (October 22, 1844 – March 26, 1923) was a French stage actress, and has been referred to as "the most famous actress in the history of the world". Bernhardt made her fame on the stages of Europe in the 1870s, and was soon in demand in Europeand the United States. She developed a reputation as a serious dramatic actress, earning the nickname "The Divine Sarah."

She was born in Paris as Sarah-Marie-Henriette Rosine Bernard, the daughter of Julie Bernardt and a father of Dutch nationality. She added the letter "H" to both her first and last name, and used the name of Édouard Bernardt, her mother's brother, as the name of her father. This was probably done to hide the fact that her father was unknown. Her grandfather, Moritz Bernardt, was a Jewish merchant in Amsterdam. Most likely, her Jewish mother was also born in Amsterdam.

Much of the uncertainty about Bernhardt's life arises because of her tendency to exaggerate and distort. Some claim she was born in Iowa and ran away to Paris, where she assumed a new identity as a French citizen to begin a stage career. Alexandre Dumas, described her as a notorious liar.

To support herself, it is assumed that she combined the career of an actress and that of a courtesan. At the time, the two were considered scandalous to some degree.

Bernhardt's stage career started in 1862 when she was a student at the Comédie-Française, France's most prestigious theater. However, she was not entirely successful at the conservatory and left to become a courtesan by 1865. It was during this time that she acquired her famous coffin, which she often slept in in lieu of a bed, claiming it helped her understand her many tragic roles. She made her fame on the stages of Europe in the 1870s, and was soon in demand all over Europe and in New York. She soon developed a reputation as a serious dramatic actress, earning the title "The Divine Sarah".  Arguably, she may have been the most famous actress of the 19th century.