Gabrielle Colonna-Romano

Gabrielle Colonna-Romano (January 17, 1888 – February 2, 1981) or Colanna Romano (name as a cinema actress), born Gabrielle Dreyfus, was a French actress, famous as a tragedian, sociétaire of the Comédie-Française from 1913 to 1936, and as a student of Sarah Bernhardt. She appeared in several plays and poetry readings (notably of works by the Symbolist poet Saint-Pol-Roux). She had an affair with Pierre Renoir, and modeled for several paintings by his father Auguste Renoir, notably Jeune femme à la rose. In England, she met and became friends with Marie Bell, on whose advice she decided to present herself to the Conservatoire.

She was the sixth and final wife of the millionaire press-magnate Alfred Edwards, and after his death married the actor Pierre Alcover. She and Alcover are buried together in the Rueil-Malmaison cemetery.

She gives her name to the "Prix Colonna-Romano de tragédie classique" at the Conservatoire national supérieur d'art dramatique in Paris.

Filmography 1908 : Hamlet, directed by Henri Desfontaines (Gertrude) 1910 : Le Scarabée d'or, directed by Henri Desfontaines 1910 : Hop-Frog, directed by Henri Desfontaines 1911 : Le Roman de la momie (film), directed by Henri Desfontaines 1912 : Antar, directed by Chékri Ganem 1913 : L'Honneur, directed by Henri Pouctal