Alexandre Bisson

Who was Alexandre Bisson?

Alexandre Charles Auguste Bisson was a French playwright, vaudeville creator, and novelist. Born in Briouze, Orne in Lower Normandy, he was successful in his native France as well as in the United States. Remembered as a significant creator of Parisian vaudeville, in collaboration with Edmond Gondinet, Bisson's 1881 three-act comedy "Un Voyage d'agrément" was performed at the Théâtre du Vaudeville in Paris.

In 1892, the first of a Bisson's dozen plays came to New York City's Broadway stage. Of his works, Bisson is best remembered for his play "Madame X" that was performed in 1910 both in Paris and on Broadway with Sarah Bernhardt in the leading role. Over the years, the play would be revived for Broadway three times and nine Madame X motion pictures in several languages have been filmed. The first silent screen adaptation was in 1916 and the latest in 2000. Better-known versions include a 1929 "talkie" production starring Ruth Chatterton and directed by Lionel Barrymore plus the 1966 production starring Lana Turner. In 2006 a musical has been produced in Chicago, IL based on the original play "Madame X".