Biography

Musidora was a French actress, film director, and writer. She is particularly remembered for portraying the vamp villainess Irma Vep in the crime serial film "Les Vampires" (1915-1916) and the gang leader Diana Monti/Marie Verdier in the revenge-themed film serial film "Judex" (1917). Her screen persona depicted her with "heavily kohled dark eyes, somewhat sinister make-up, pale skin and exotic wardrobes". Her characters were among the most popular femmes fatales of their era.

Musidora's real name was Jeanne Roques. She was born in a Parisian family of artists. Her father was the composer Jacques Roques, while her mother was the painter Adèle Clémence Porche. Musidora started an acting career in her teen years, and made her film debut in 1914. She took the stage name Musidora, naming herself after a character of that name in the novels of Théophile Gautier. The name means "gift of the Muses".

Early in her film career, Musidora collaborated with the film director Louis Feuillade. He was a pioneer in the development of the crime thriller as distinct genre. By playing villainesses, Musidora became one of the most famous French actresses of the 1910s. But she also found some success as a film director and a film producer. She directed 10 films between the late 1910s and the early 1920s, though only two of them have survived. Two of her films were adaptations of the novels of Colette (1873-1954). The novelist happened to be a personal friend of Musidora, and was willing to help with the screenplays for the adaptations.

Musidora's acting career ended by 1926, but she continued working as a writer and film producer until the early 1950s. In her old age, she worked in the ticket booth of the Cinémathèque Française. In 1957, Musidora died in Paris. She was buried in the Cimetière de Bois-le-Roi.
- IMDb mini biography by: Dimos I

Chiefly famous for her work under the direction of Louis Feuillade: particularly, as Diana Monti in Judex (1916), and as Irma Vep (anagram for 'Vampire') in the "Les Vampires" series. Her mystique was accentuated by large, dark eyes and a habit of wearing a black leotard, hood and tights while on the set.

During the formative years of the French Cinematheque ,the actress helped preserve the memories of the silent era and worked on public relations.

Acted and directed in 1950 a 16 mm. movie entitled "La magique image" and dedicated to the memory of Louis Feuillade.

After she retired from acting, she became a journalist and a writer on cinema.

Her husband was born in Troissy near Épernay from which Musidora's mother's family came and where she went as a child for summer vacations. Musidora was a longtime friend of Colette.

It is vital to be photogenic from head to foot. After that you are allowed to display some measure of talent.