Bella Darvi became a 50s symbol for one of the many movie "Cinderellas" whose bright and beautiful Hollywood fairy tale would come crashing down, ending in bitterness and tragedy. A self-destructive brunette beauty, her life was full of misfortune. Of Polish/French descent, she miraculously survived the tortures of a WWII concentration camp as a youth, only to get caught up in the phony glitter and high-living style of Monaco's casinos as a young adult in Europe. An inveterate gambler and drinker, she was, by chance, "discovered" by movie mogul Darryl F. Zanuck and his wife, Virginia Fox, who thought she had a foreign cinematic allure à la Ingrid Bergman. Despite her lack of acting experience, the Zanucks paid off her gambling debts and whisked her away to Hollywood to be groomed for stardom. Her marquee name "Darvi" was derived from the combined first names of her mentors. It should have been a dream-come-true opportunity. Fate, however, would not be so kind. After three high profile roles in The Egyptian (1954), Hell and High Water (1954) and The Racers (1955) opposite three top male films stars (Victor Mature, Richard Widmark and Kirk Douglas, respectively), Darvi's limited abilities were painfully transparent. Not only was she hampered by an ever-so-slight crossed-eyed appearance, she had a trace of a lisp which, combined with a foreign accent, made her speech appear slurred and difficult to understand. It didn't take long for the actress to go off the deep end. Within a short time, a major sex scandal involving Mr. Zanuck had wife Virginia packing Darvi's bags and any "career" she once had here in America was over. She retreated back to Europe, made a few inconsequential films, and quickly returned to her adverse habits -- liquor and the gambling tables. But this time there was no one to save her. Mounting debts and despair eventually turned her thoughts to suicide. After several attempts, Darvi finally succeeded in 1971 by turning on the gas stove in her apartment. She was only 42.

France's major sex siren of the early 50s, this lesser-remembered post-war French dish pre-dated bombshell Brigitte Bardot by a few years. Martine was born Marie-Louise (Maryse) Jeanne Nicholle Mourer on May 16, 1920, but little is known of her childhood. A chance meeting with comedian André Luguet steered her towards a career in the theatre. Trained by René Simon, she made her 1940 stage debut with "Phedre" billed as Maryse Arley.

In unbilled film parts from 1941, she subsequently caught the eye of Henri-Georges Clouzot who hired her for an upcoming film with the working title of "The Cat," based on the novel by Colette, but the project was scrapped. Nevertheless, she did attract attention in the movie La ferme aux loups (1943) (Wolf Farm), which takes advantage of her photogenic beauty and ease in front of the camera despite a limited acting ability.

A pin-up goddess and support actress throughout the 40s, Martine also appeared on the stage of the Theater of the Renaissance. A torrid affair with actor Georges Marchal, who was married to actress Dany Robin at the time, ended disastrously and she attempted suicide by taking an alcohol/drug overdose and throwing herself into the Seine River. She was saved by a taxi driver who accompanied her there. Ironically, the unhappy details surrounding her suicide attempt renewed the fascination audiences had with Martine up until that time. In 1949, she married her first husband, former American actor-turned-restaurateur Stephen Crane, who was once married to Lana Turner.

Continuing on with post-war French filming, she co-starred in such movies as Bifur 3 (1945), L'extravagante mission (1945), Trente et quarante (1946), Voyage surprise (1947), Sextette (1948), Je n'aime que toi... (1949), Une nuit de noces (1950), the title role in Dear Caroline (1951) and Adorable Creatures (1952). She scored her first box office blockbuster hit with the French Revolution epic Caroline Cherie (1953). Without a doubt, the success was prompted by her semi-nude scenes and taunting, kittenish sexuality.

From there she was off and running. Her film romps were done tastefully with an erotic twinge of innocence and gentle sexuality plus an occasional bubble bath thrown in as male bait. Her array of costumed teasers included the title role in Lucrèce Borgia (1953), as Lysistrata Daughters of Destiny (1954), Riviera (1954), the title role in Madame du Barry (1954), the title role in Nana (1955), The French, They Are a Funny Race (1955), the title role in Lola Montès (1955) and Defend My Love (1956). Several of the above-mentioned films were guided and directed by her second husband Christian-Jaque, her husband from 1954 to 1959. They later divorced due to professional conflicts and long separations.

A true feast for the eyes and one of the most beautiful actresses of her time, Martine tried to branch out internationally in films in the late 1950s. Unfortunately, Bardot had already taken over the top French sex goddess pedestal and Martine's fan base diminished. She co-starred with Van Johnson in the crime drama Action of the Tiger (1957), but it was met with indifference. She immediately returned to French/Italian films The Foxiest Girl in Paris (1957), The Stowaway (1958), La prima notte (1959), Ten Seconds to Hell (1959) and Atomic Agent (1959).

Problems with substance abuse and a severe accident severely curtailed her career in the 1960's. She continued with such films as The Battle of Austerlitz (1960) (as Empress Josephine), plus Un soir sur la plage (1961), The Counterfeiters of Paris (1961) and Beach Casanova (1962). She made her last film in 1963, which was released four years later as Hell Is Empty (1967).

Depressed, Martine turned alarmingly reclusive as a third marriage to French doctor Andre Rouveix also soured by 1962. One last marriage to fourth husband Mike Eland, an English businessman and friend of first hubby Steve Crane, seemed hopeful, but on February 6, 1967, Martine died of cardiac arrest at age 46 in the bathroom of a hotel in Monaco. Her husband discovered her. Newspapers hinted at a possible drug overdose but nothing was ever proven. She was buried in the cemetery of Cannes.

Lady Colyton was born on 13 December 1915 in Brooklyn, New York, USA. Lady is known for The Addams Family (1992). Lady was married to Henry Hopkinson and Charles Addams. Lady died on 15 January 2004 in Monte Carlo, Monaco.

René Clément was one of the leading French directors of the post-World War II era. He directed what are regarded as some of the greatest films of the time, such as The Battle of the Rails (1946), Forbidden Games (1952) and The Day and the Hour (1963). He was later almost forgotten as a director. He was back in public attention briefly when his epic Is Paris Burning? (1966) (with an all-star cast of famous actors) was released in 1966, but it was much criticized.

During the 1960s and 1970s Clement directed a number of unnoticed international productions, always with his usual brio and technical virtuosity. Indeed, what characterizes most of his films is how, even to serve sometimes very unexceptional scripts, the directing is always breathtakingly original, inventive, featuring technical virtuosity and the use of special effects. When a remarkable script is associated with these qualities, a film such as Forbidden Games (1952) is the result: the masterpiece of a lifetime. I think we can say that René Clément was one of the most unlucky talented filmmakers who existed, but unfortunate career choices damaged his legacy.

He died in March 1996.

Franco Cristaldi was born on 3 October 1924 in Turin, Piedmont, Italy. He was a producer and writer, known for Cinema Paradiso (1988), The Name of the Rose (1986) and Big Deal on Madonna Street (1958). He was married to Zeudi Araya Cristaldi, Claudia Cardinale and Carla Simonetti. He died on 1 July 1992 in Monte Carlo, Monaco.

Mike Bongiorno was born on May 26th, 1924 in New York City, New York, USA as Michael Nicholas Salvatore Bongiorno. He was known as the king of the Italian Quiz show. He hosted, among others: Lascia o raddoppia? (1955), Rischiatutto (1970), Telemike (1987), Tutti x uno (1992), and 3,125 episodes of La ruota della fortuna (1987). Bongiorno was married 3 times and with his last wife, Daniela Zuccoli, had 3 children: Michele Bongiorno, Nicolò Bongiorno and Leonardo (born on September 5th, 1989). Bongiorno died on September 8th, 2009 in Monte Carlo, Monaco, at 85.

Maud Grimes, the mother-in-law from hell of television's Coronation Street, was tough, rough, domineering, embitteredly disabled and altogether not an obvious candidate for socialite of the year. The actress Elizabeth Bradley played the character for six years and 476 episodes - until she was written out in 1999 - was charming, invariably courteous, bubbly, mentally sharp and physically active to the last. Unlike the downmarket Maud, she was also the daughter of a senior civil servant, Sir John Abraham, who was deputy under-secretary at the Air Ministry from 1940 until he died in Winston Churchill's private plane when it crashed in 1945.

Bradley, who successfully played so many roles unlike herself, was trained in the hard school of repertory theatre, at Bexhill, Bradford and Tunbridge Wells. Late in life, she also took her place at the National Theatre and the Royal Court. On stage, she used her father's middle name, Bradley, and it stuck.

No one in her family had worked in show business, but Sir John, who had come to London from farming stock in Macclesfield, enjoyed the theatre, and delighted in taking his daughter to any performance remotely suitable for a child; from those trips her interest in theatre grew.

During the second world war, she served as a nurse. She studied at the Webber Douglas school of acting, and then went into repertory, where she met her future husband, the actor Gareth Adams, who appeared with her in several productions. In the 1950s, she stopped acting to raise her children, although, in the mid-1960s, she appeared in the Garrick Theatre production of the farce, Thark, with Kathleen Harrison.

When Gareth died suddenly in 1978, Elizabeth threw herself into a fulltime stage and television career. She was in the police series Z Cars and Softly Softly, and in a number of notable productions, such as Momento Mori and The Men's Room, as well as Casualty, Shine On Harvey Moon, The Nine Tailors, Dr Finlay's Casebook and Juliet Bravo.

She starred in David Storey's play Home, with John Gielgud and Ralph Richardson, when Dandy Nichols was taken ill, and she always gave distinctive and memorable life to her supporting roles. She joined Coronation Street in 1993.

That same year, after playing in Billy Liar at the National, she was nominated for an Olivier Award For Best Actress In A Supporting Role. At the Royal Court, she appeared in My Mother Said I Never Should, Women Beware Women, Restoration, and Touched. At the National for Sir Richard Eyre, who found her "a really fine actress and a witty and generous woman", she appeared in Abingdon Square, The Crucible, Black Snow and Caritas.

Her last stage role was as Alan Bennett's mother in the playwright's The Lady In The Van, which starred Dame Maggie Smith; her films included An American Werewolf In London (1981) and Dennis Potter's Brimstone And Treacle (1982).

She always put her resurgence as an actress down to a friend's remark after the death of her husband. He told her that Gareth had always said she would make it to the top.

She was survived by her three children, Brad, Johanna and Sodge.

Frank Launder, initially a civil servant and repertory actor, started as a scriptwriter in the late 1920s on such classics as The Lady Vanishes (1938) and Night Train to Munich (1940). He joined forces with Sidney Gilliat and together they wrote, directed and produced over 40 films. Frank Launder and Sidney Gilliat are well-known for their St. Trinian's films, among many others.

Lily Langtry was born on 13 October 1853 in Jersey, Channel Islands. She was an actress, known for His Neighbor's Wife (1913). She was married to Sir Hugo de Bathe, Edward Langtry and Frederick Gebhardt. She died on 12 February 1929 in Monte Carlo, Monaco.

Once one of Sweden's hardest working actors, he has descibed himself as a workaholic during the 1940s. He has played all kinds of roles, both comedy as in Fram för lilla Märta eller På livets ödesvägar: Ett biografdrama i prolog, epilog och ett antal tableauxer (1945) as well as the psychotic teacher Caligula in Alf Sjöberg's Torment (1944). And although he only did smaller roles in a lot of films, his characterizations never went unnoticed. He was also an actor on the stage, both in revues and dramas. He spent his last years in Rocquebrune at the French Riviera with his wife Aase.

Harry d'Arrast's entry into the movie industry was somewhat unusual--he was wounded while serving in the French army during WW I, and while recuperating in a military hospital met French-born American film director George Fitzmaurice, who invited him to come to Hollywood after he had recovered. He did so, and got work as a researcher and technical adviser on several films, including Charles Chaplin's A Woman of Paris: A Drama of Fate (1923), then became Chaplin's assistant on The Gold Rush (1925). He made his directorial debut in 1927 and directed seven films until he left Hollywood in 1933. Although his output was sparse, his films were universally acclaimed for their wit, sophistication, beautiful photography and smooth pacing. D'Arrast often found himself in conflict with his producers, however, for his refusal to cut corners and speed up production, and in 1933 departed Hollywood for Europe. He made one film in Spain, then returned to his home in France. He spent the rest of his life at his family estate outside of Monte Carlo, and made his living at the roulette tables in the Monte Carlo casino.

Monty M. Berman was born on 16 February 1912 in London, England, UK. Monty M. was a costume designer, known for The Guns of Navarone (1961), Dick Turpin (1934) and Prelude to Fame (1950). Monty M. was married to Maya Koumani and Sheila. Monty M. died on 15 July 2002 in Monte Carlo, Monaco.

Stella Rho was born on 29 September 1886 in St George Hanover Square, London, England, UK. She was an actress, known for The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (1936), The Naked Maja (1958) and Vagabond Violinist (1934). She died on 3 January 1975 in Monte Carlo, Monaco.

Renzo Rossellini was born on 2 February 1908 in Rome, Lazio, Italy. He was a composer and actor, known for Rome, Open City (1945), Paisan (1946) and I fratelli Karamazoff (1947). He died on 13 May 1982 in Monte Carlo, Monaco.

Gian Carlo Menotti was born on 7 July 1911 in Cadegliano-Viconago, Lombardy, Italy. He was a writer and composer, known for The Medium (1951), Great Performances (1971) and Hallmark Hall of Fame (1951). He was married to Samuel Barber. He died on 1 February 2007 in Monte Carlo, Monaco.

Chauncey Olcott was born on 21 July 1860 in Buffalo, New York, USA. He was an actor, known for The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018), Crimson Peak (2015) and The Departed (2006). He was married to Margaret O'Donovan and Cora E. James. He died on 18 March 1932 in Monte Carlo, Monaco.

Charles Pathé was born on 25 December 1863 in Chevry-Cossigny, Seine-et-Marne, France. He was a producer and director, known for À la conquête du pôle (1912), Arrivée d'un train (1896) and Débarquement d'un bateau (1896). He was married to Marie Foy. He died on 25 December 1957 in Monte Carlo, Monaco.

June Newton was born on 3 June 1923 in Melbourne, Australia. She was an actress and director, known for ITV Play of the Week (1955), Hedda Gabler (1961) and Armchair Theatre (1956). She was married to Helmut Newton. She died on 9 April 2021 in Monte Carlo, Monaco.

Italian race driver Lorenzo Bandini started out his career like so many other race drivers, that of a mechanic. From there he progressed to driving the cars and was successful as a sports car driver, rally racer and ultimately Grand Prix driver. He drove for three major Grand Prix teams, Cooper, BRM and the world famous Ferrari. It was with Ferrari he enjoyed his greatest success, winning the 1964 Austrian Grand Prix, but he also paid for it heavily, crashing on the 82nd lap of the famed Monaco Grand Prix, in 1967. His car flipped upside down in the middle of the track and burst into flames. Bandini suffered terrible burns and died three days later in the hospital. He was 31.

Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark was born on 2 February 1882 in Athens, Greece. He was married to Princess Alice of Battenberg. He died on 3 December 1944 in Monte Carlo, Monaco.

Whatever her limitations as an actress, Charlott Daudert made up for with wide-eyed effervescence and a cute, feisty personality. The bubbly blonde began working life as editor of the children's section of a newspaper (as 'Aunty Charlotte') in her home town of Königsberg, East Prussia. She also dabbled in drafting costume designs. The abandonment of her journalistic career seems to have come about all of a sudden and quite by accident: accompanying a friend to a theatrical audition as 'moral support' resulted in Charlotte, not the friend, being signed up for drama school. Her 'discovery' is generally credited to the renowned actor Max Pallenberg who took on the role of her mentor. Known by her peers as 'Charly', she made her debut in a minuscule part in Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing" and spent the next three years at Tilsit's Stadttheater under Pallenberg's direction. Following a brief stint in local radio, she then moved on to wider canvases in Berlin where she underwent further tuition by Leopold Jessner. By 1933, Charly had developed into an accomplished comedienne and come to the attention of Trude Hesterberg. She began performing comedy routines and singing in various popular cabarets, including "Musenschaukel" and "Die Katakombe". At the same time, she spiced up the screen as perpetually naive, sexy friends of the heroine. Her output was rather heavily weighted towards escapist entertainments, some of them not at all bad: April, April! (1935), Der Etappenhase (1937), Kitty und die Weltkonferenz (1939). Resuming in the same vein in the aftermath of World War II, the ever likeable, pert, dizzy Charlott warbled a popular hit song ("Ach du liebe Zeit, hat den kein Mensch mehr für die Liebe Zeit") in the ruins of Berlin in Nacht ohne Sünde (1950). There were diverse other supporting roles in box-office hits, including the caper comedies Klettermaxe (1952) and Der blaue Stern des Südens (1951). Sadly, despite her enduring popularity as a conveyor of uncomplicated happiness, genuine stardom was never to be on the cards. The decline of Charly's career was to be exacerbated by depression and alcoholism. On occasion, she would come on stage and forget or fumble her lines. By the autumn of 1960, she was making plans to retire from acting and run an artists B & B in Monaco. It never came to pass. Just four months later she was dead from a blood disorder at the age of 47.

Madge Stuart was born on 5 August 1895 in Holmesfield, Derbyshire, England, UK. She was an actress, known for The Elusive Pimpernel (1919), General John Regan (1921) and She Stoops to Conquer (1923). She was married to Dion Titheradge. She died on 10 October 1958 in Monte Carlo, Monaco.

Nicole Milinaire was born on 29 June 1920 in Paris, France. She was a producer and actress, known for Foreign Intrigue (1956), Playhouse 90 (1956) and Sherlock Holmes (1954). She was married to John Russell and Henri Milinaire. She died on 6 September 2012 in Monte Carlo, Monaco.

John Gilpin was born on 10 February 1930 in Southsea, England, UK. He was an actor, known for Theater of Blood (1973), They Were Sisters (1945) and The Years Between (1946). He was married to HSH Princess Antoinette of Monaco and Sally Gilpin. He died on 5 September 1983 in Monte Carlo, Monaco.

Alberto Erede was born on 8 November 1908 in Genoa, Liguria, Italy. He was an actor, known for Copycat (1995), New York Stories (1989) and What Rats Won't Do (1998). He died on 12 April 2001 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco.