Lucie Pacitti
Comédienne (Actress)
1887-1978

Lucie was born on 1st March 1887 in Paris, the youngest daughter of Agostino Pacitti and Raffaela Franchitti, who had emigrated from Cerasuolo in Southern Italy in the early 1880s.





Lucie became an actress (commédienne) at the Théâtre du Gymnase in Paris.

The Théâtre du Gymnase was first opened by Dalestre-Poirson in 1820 and it is still located at 38 Boulevard Bonne-Nouvelle in the 10th Arrondissement in Paris.

The Théâtre du Gymnase served as a training theatre for students of the conservatoire where they could perform solo acts in short plays or appear in adaptations of longer plays.

The theatre's playwrights included Balzac, Émile Augier, Georges Sand, Edmond About, Victorien Sardou, Octave Feuillet, Meilhac and Halévy, and Alexandre Dumas (both father and son).

Although she appeared mostly in theatrical works, Lucie also starred as a film actress in a number of 'silent' movies.

Lucie (also known as Lucia) has an entry in the global IMBD database where she is credited with appearing in five films:

• 1910 La fête à mère-grand (Short comedy) as Lucie Pacitti
• 1909 Trois jeunes filles pour un fiancé (Short comedy) as Lucie Pacitti
• 1911 Jacintha la cabaretière (Short drama) as Jacintha
• 1911 The Fille du Clown (Short drama) as Thelès
• 1911 L'aigle des roches (Short drama)

The British Film Institute (BFI) also credits her with a further two films:

• 1910 Don Carlos as Elizabeth
• 1911 La Louve as Angela (Isilda)


Some publicity photos of Lucie performing in a number of these films:













Alongside is an extract from a theatrical review magazine of 1909 showing Lucie on stage at the "Théâtre du Gymnase" in the play entitled ....?





In a book written by Ernest La Jeunesse and entitled "Des soirs, des gens, des choses... (1909-1911)", Ernest includes an article on the play "La Rampe, pièce en quatre actes, de M. Henri de Rothschild. In the piece he writes:

"Il est inutile, je crois, de dire combien Marthe Brandès a été admirable dans le personnage de Madeleine qui était fait pour elle. Elle y a des abandons, des déchirements, une tendresse souriante et charmante, une foi et une horreur qui espère encore, une harmonie secrète dans la joie et le sacrifice qui dépassent l’art et la vie même: c’est à crier. A ses côtés, Mme Frévalles est la plus sympathique des duchesses, et Mlle Pacitti une Chouquette mal embouchée, juvénilement sûre de soi, d’une fantaisie délicieuse."

"It is unnecessary, I think, to say how admirable Marthe Brandès was in the character of Madeleine, which was made for her. There are abandonments, heartbreaks, a smiling and charming tenderness, a faith and a horror which still hopes, a secret harmony in the joy and the sacrifice which exceeds art and life itself: it is to cry out. At her side, Mme Frévalles is the most sympathetic of duchesses, and Mlle Pacitti a badly mouthed Chouquette, youthfully sure of herself, a delicious fantasy."

In another theatrical review, published in Le Figaro (Paris) dated December 12 1911 (Numèro 43), the art critic writes about the play "Papa" :

“ ..., et Mlle Lucie Pacitti, qui a composé spirituellement le personnage dé Jeanne Aubrun, la fille du fermier avec laquelle Jean Bernard se consolera de toutes ses désillusions”

“….and Miss Lucie Pacitti, who spiritually portrayed the character of Jeanne Aubrun, the farmer's daughter with whom Jean Bernard will console himself for all his disappointments.

After her theatrical career, Lucie continued to live in Paris until the ripe old age of 90. This is a picture of her in later life enjoying a chat with her sister Marie (wearing the hat):