Ludmilla Hols (COMEDIENNES)
141 Rue de Crussol, 75011 Paris, France

Ludmilla Hols made her film debut in the dark, lyrical, and poetic film The Sinners in 1949. The film famously featured a cast of 28 young actresses, many of whom would later achieve great success. Although she didn’t achieve the heights of fellow cast member Juliette Gréco, the young Ludmilla Hols went on to a career playing roles in police procedural dramas, such as Allô Police, and the legendary Les cinq dernières minutes. On the stage she joined the troupe of the Théâtre Hébertot (Paris), where the critics noted her captivating and voluptuous Lucrezia, in Alexandre Métaxas’ Les Demons in 1952. Perhaps her greatest claim to fame is that she was the first actress to play Julie in Le Défunt (Théâtre de Lutèc, 1957). This darkly humorous double-hander was the Parisian stage debut of René de Obaldia, the French playwright. Obaldia would become one of the most performed French playwrights in the world, and one of the most internationally renowned. Later in her career Ludmilla Hols was a stage manager and prompter at the Comédie-Française, from 1974 until her retirement in 1994.

The Sinners (Au royaume des cieux)

Julien Duvivier has just begun filming his movie Au royaume des cieux on location in Nantes. The film is based on a screenplay he wrote, with dialogue by Henri Jeanson. Subtitled Les Filles de Haute- Mère, the film is set in a reformatory for young girls. The cast includes numerous roles, most of which are played by young newcomers alongside Suzy Prim, Paule Andral, Monique Mélinand, Jane Morlet, Lily Mounet, Georgine Tisel, Mathilde Casadesus, Eve Morlot, Andrée Tainsy, and three men: Jean Davy, Max Dalban, and Serge Reggiani.

Of the twenty-eight bad angels, nine have significant roles. Two others have previous screen experience. These are Jeannette Batti, who needs no introduction to our readers, and Jeanne Moreau, who has just made her debut in Jean Stelli’s latest film.
Besides the twenty-eight “bad angels” we present here, there are twenty extras also portraying inmates of the reformatory. Julien Duvivier’s technical team includes Louis de Masure, assistant; Arménise, director of photography; René Moulaert, set designer; and Georges Costard, production manager.

1. – Christiane LENIER
Eighteen years old, born in Paris, studied decorative arts at the École des Beaux-Arts, painted and designed theater sets, and created the sets for Agnès Copri’s Victor ou les enfants au pouvoir (Victor or Children Take Over). As a role remained vacant in this play, she agreed to take it. She performed in Switzerland in La Putain respecteuse (The Respectful Prostitute) and at the Avignon Festival with Jean Vilar. She designed the set for Escurial at the Studio des Champs-Elysées. She approached Duvivier on her own and auditioned for La Sauvage and La Putain recommandé. She plays Dédée la Balafrée, a tough woman. She will fight with wet sheets with Nadine Basile.

2. – Nadine BASILE
Eighteen years old, born in Paris, studied for two years under René Simon, auditioned for a fragment of Jany Holt’s death rattle in Les Anges du Péché, and would like to play Maria Casarès’s roles on screen. She has never acted in a film or a play. She plays Gaby, a cynical, sharp-tongued, tough woman.

3. – Ketty ALBERTINI

4. – Renée COSIMA
Twenty-four years old, born in Neuilly-sur-Seine, worked for a year and a half with René Simon and Annick Roussel, acted in the play Une belle histoire, auditioned for Antigone, and would like to play the roles of Bette Davis and Katharine Hepburn. Plays Camille, an anarchist.

5. – Jacqueline BROUCKER (the existentialist muse).

6. – Juliette GRECO

7. – Joëlle ROBIN

8. – Nicole BESNARD

9. – Monique LENIER

10. – Noëlle ANNIE

11. – Colette DERCAL

12. – Monique GERARD

13. – Jeanne DAURY

14. – Florence LUCHAIRE (Corinne’s sister).

15. Suzanne CLOUTIER
Twenty years old, born in Ottawa, Canada, daughter of the Canadian Minister of Information. Has six brothers and sisters. She went to America where director George Stevens signed her to a contract after she had studied under Charles Laughton and performed with him in his Shakespearean company. She appeared in Temptation alongside Merle Oberon under George Stevens’ direction. Having been in France for six months, she was recommended by Louis Jouvet to Jean Dasté, who hired her for his company to play the role of Marianne in The Caprices of Marianne. She returned specially from Saint-Étienne for her screen test. She plays Maria, a pure girl who transforms others.

16. – Liliane Leroger
Twenty-one years old, born in Stains (Seine), sang in a cabaret in a comedy act and toured the provinces in Maître Bolbec et son Mari. She had a small role in the film Fausse Identité. She introduced herself by telephone, was summoned, and auditioned for Madame Sans-Gêne. Her parents opposed her becoming an artist, so she waited until she was of age to try her luck. She took Greer Garson as her role model. She plays Rosa, a sad country girl.

17. – Janine VILLARS

18. – Liliane MAIGNE

19. – Violette SALVA

20. – Ludmilla HOLS

21. – Sylvie SEHLIAC
Twenty-three years old, born in Saint-Vincent-de-Cosse (Dordogne), has a degree in literature. Attended René Simon’s classes for a year and a half. Auditioned for the role of Gladys in Un homme comme les autres (A Man Like Any Other). Would like to play dramatic roles. Plays Henriette, a girl who gave away her mother and wants to suffer.

22. – Françoise ADAM

23. – Irène DANIEL

24. – Caroline CARLOTTI
Nineteen years old, born in Marseille. Passed her baccalaureate exams and prepared for a degree in literature. A student of Dullin, she went on tour with Habib Benglia in Germany where she performed in Les Mouches by Jean-Paul Sartre. Then in Paris in La Parisienne by Becque, then with Vera Korène in Le Caprice (The Caprice). Was introduced to Duvivier by Jeanson and auditioned in The Taming of the Shrew and Fric-Frac. Would like to play character roles in films, similar to those of Betty Hutton. Plays Fernande, a girl with unusual morals.

25. – Mireille COLUSSI

26. – Thérèse FLORE

27. Line CARREL

28. – Marie-Hélène BAILLY

Also: Jeanne MOREAU, twenty-one years old, born in Paris. Studied under Denis d’Inès and for six months at the Conservatoire. Has been with the Comédie-Française for a year. Made her film debut in “Dernier Amour” alongside Georges Marchai and Annabella. Her role is yet to be determined.