Pauline Virginie Déjazet (30 August 1798 – 1 December 1875) was a French

France

The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

 actress.

She was born in Paris

Paris

Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...

, and made her first appearance on the stage at the age of five. It was not until 1820, when she began her seven years' connexion with the recently founded Gymnase

Théâtre du Gymnase Marie Bell

The Théâtre du Gymnase or Théâtre du Gymnase Marie Bell, is a theatre in Paris, at 38, boulevard Bonne-Nouvelle in the 10th arrondissement .-History:...

, that she won her triumphs in soubrette

Soubrette

A soubrette is a female stock character in opera and theatre. The term arrived in English from Provençal via French, and means "conceited" or "coy".-Theater:...

 and "breeches" parts, which came to be known as "Dejazets." From 1828 she played at the Théatre des Nouveautés

Théâtre des Nouveautés

The name Théâtre des Nouveautés has been used successively to refer to several different Parisian theatre companies and their buildings, beginning in 1827...

 for three years, then at the Théâtre des Variétés

Théâtre des Variétés

The Théâtre des Variétés is a theatre and "salle de spectacles" at 7, boulevard Montmartre, 2nd arrondissement, in Paris. It was declared a monument historique in 1975.-History:...

, and finally became manager, with her son, of the Folies-Déjazet, later renamed the Théâtre Déjazet

Théâtre Déjazet

The Théâtre Dejazet is a theatre on the boulevard du Temple in the 3rd arrondissement of Paris. It was originally founded in 1770 by Comte d'Artois who later was crowned Charles X, but it was then closed down and not reopened until 1851...

. Here, even at the age of sixty-five, she had marvellous success in youthful parts, especially in a number of Sardou

Sardou

Sardou is a surname, and may refer to:* Saint Sacerdos of Limoges, also known as Saint Sardou* Victorien Sardou, French dramatist* Victorien Sardou was also the basis for naming Eggs Sardou, which is a part of Creole cuisine....

's earlier plays, previously unacted. She retired in 1868, but took a touring company to London's Opera Comique

Opera Comique

The Opera Comique was a 19th-century theatre constructed in Westminster, London, between Wych Street and Holywell Street with entrances on the East Strand. It opened in 1870 and was demolished in 1902, to make way for the construction of the Aldwych and Kingsway...

in October 1870.

She died in 1875, leaving a great name in the annals of the French stage.

See Duval's Virginie Dejazet (1876).