Louis-Arsène Delaunay

Louis-Arsène Delaunay (1826–1903), French actor, was born in Paris, the son of a wine-seller.

He studied at the Conservatoire, and made his first formal appearance on the stage in 1845, in Molière's Tartuffe at the Odéon,[1] where he was engaged for two years as a lead juvenile.

[2] In 1848, he made his debut at the Comédie-Française as Dorante in Pierre Corneille's Le Menteur, and began a long and brilliant career in young lover parts.

[2] He continued to act as jeune premier until he was sixty, his grace, marvellous diction and passion enchanting his audiences.

It was especially in the plays of Alfred de Musset that his gifts found their happiest expression.