René Berthelot

René Berthelot ( , ; died 28 October 1664), also known by his stage names Du Parc and Gros René, was a French actor and member of Molière's theatre troupe from 1647 to 1664.

Life

René Berthelot was born in Nantes, the son of a bourgeois, Pierre Berthelot, and was already a member of Charles Dufresne's provincial theatre troupe when Molière joined in 1647. In 1653 he married Marquise-Thérèse de Gorla, who was also to become a leading member of Molière's troupe and performed as Mlle. Du Parc after their marriage. The couple had two children, a daughter Catherine born in 1659 and a son Jean-Baptiste-René born in 1663. One of his last appearances was as Eté (the personification of Summer) riding atop a real elephant in one of the pageants organized by Molière as part of Plaisirs de l'Île enchantée, an extravagant 7-day festival celebrating the building of Versailles.

Berthelot died in Paris on 28 October 1664, with his funeral taking place the following day at Saint-Germain l'Auxerrois. After his death, Marquise-Thérèse de Gorla was widely rumoured to have had an affair with Racine. She died in mysterious circumstances in 1668. Her and Berthelot's son Jean-Baptiste-René had no interest in a theatrical career and joined the French merchant navy.