Madeleine Béjart

She debuted with her elder brother Joseph at the Theatre du Marais and in the provinces in the late 1630s.

She was described as a skillful administrator with the ability to avoid conflicts among the staff.

She could freely choose to perform any of the roles in the plays by Molière.

A contemporary, Georges de Scudery, described her:"She was beautiful, she was gallant, she was very intelligent, she sang, she danced well, she played all kinds of instruments, she wrote very nicely in verse and prose and her conversation was very entertaining.

She was over all one of the best actresses of her age and her acting had so much charm, that it really inspired all the feigned passion of the plays one saw her represent at the Theatre."