COQUELIN, BENOT-CONSTANT

born Jan. 23, 1841, Boulogne, Fr. died Jan. 27, 1909 French actor of unusual range and versatility. Coquelin studied acting at the Conservatoire in 1859 and in 1860 made his debut at the Comdie-Franaise. At the age of 23 he was a full member of the company. Mascarille in Molire's tourdi and Figaro, comic valets of brilliant exuberancy, were his greatest parts in the classical repertory, but he was also successful as a romantic lover or an old schoolmaster. In 1886 he resigned his position to tour in Europe and the United States, rejoining the Comdie-Franaise in 1890. Two years later he left it for good and toured the European capitals with a company of his own. He was a member of the Renaissance Theatre in Paris from 1895 until 1897, becoming in the latter year director of the Thtre de la Porte-Saint-Martin, where he created Rostand's Cyrano (1897). In 1900 he toured in America with Sarah Bernhardt. During his last years he acted at the Thtre Sarah Bernhardt. He died while rehearsing for Rostand's Chantecler. Coquelin was the author of three treatises on the craft of the actor: L'Art et le comdien (1880), Les Comdiens par un comdien (1882), and L'Art du comdien (1894). His son Jean (18651944) also became an actor. His brother, Ernest-Alexandre-Honor Coquelin (18481909), called Coquelin cadet, was a member of the Comdie-Franaise from 1879 until his death. He specialized in supporting comedy parts.