Annabella

Who was Annabella?

Annabella was a French cinema actress who appeared in 46 films between 1927 and 1952, including some Hollywood films during the late 1930s and 1940s.

Born Suzanne Georgette Charpentier in La Varenne Saint Hilaire, Val-de-Marne, France. Annabella's chance to enter films came when her father entertained a film producer who gave her a small part in Napoléon in 1927. It was not until she starred in Le Million that she was acclaimed and over the following decade established herself as one of France's most popular cinema actresses. In 1936 she won the Volpi Cup for Best Actress at the Venice Film Festival for Veille d'armes.

She was cast as the female lead in the British-made film Wings of the Morning opposite Henry Fonda. Under contract to 20th Century Fox, she traveled to America and appeared in Suez with Loretta Young and Tyrone Power. Her romance with Power was widely reported by movie magazines of the day. Darryl Zanuck, movie mogul at 20th Century-Fox, did not want his matinee idol married. He offered Annabella a multi-movie deal that would take her overseas. She refused to leave Power, and on completion of Suez, she returned to France to obtain a divorce from her then-husband, Jean Murat. She and Power married on April 23, 1939. The two honeymooned in Rome. Within a few months, Annabella and Power had again flown to Europe to bring Annabella's mother back to live in their home, while her father and brother remained behind. Her brother was ultimately shot and killed by the Nazis. Annabella made a return trip to bring her daughter, Anne, back from France to live with them. Power adopted Anne before leaving for the service. Anne Power later married actor Oskar Werner.