Sardou
VICTORIEN, French playwright; born at Paris, in 1831. He began his education as a student of medicine, abandoned medical studies for history and taught for a period period during which he made his first dramatic ventures. Later he gave up teaching and became a professional writer and journalist. Financially unsuccessful and overtaken with ill health, he met with kindness and friendship from Mademoiselle Brécourt, who later became his wife, VICTORIEN SARDOU and, through her influence, was introduced to Mademoiselle Déjazet in 1859. Through the favor of this noted actress he achieved prominence rapidly; her popularity became the vehicle for his dramatic success and he produced a series of brilliant comedies based upon the social life of the day, among them "Les Pattes de Mouches" (1861, from Poe's "Purloined Letter"). This play was revived in New York in 1914 under the title of "A Scrap of Paper." As a dramatic author Sardou was keenly responsive to the social and political complexion of the day and the subjects of his plays were chosen to attract the attention of the moment. His journalistic capacity to recognize and fill the popular demand for drama of contemporary theme may be said to account for the enduring favor which he enjoyed before the public no less than his ability to produce drama of SARGENT high literary merit. He entered the Academy in 1878. His later work was directed almost entirely toward sensational and spectacular productions in which the spoken parts were subordinated to scenic splendor and the entertainment of action. "Madame Sans- Gêne (1898), "La Sorcière" (1903), and "Divorçons" (1881), illustrate the quality and range of his gifts and also the tendencies toward artificiality which his later work possessed. In this direction his influence has been against the best dramatic standard. Among his many other plays are: "The Students' Inn" (1854); "Monsieur Garat" (1860); "Saint Gervais" (1860); "Piccolino" (1861); "The Butterfly" (1862); "The Black Devils" (1863) "Don Quixote" (1864); "The Benoîton Family" (1865); "The New House" (1866); "Seraphine" (1868); "Fernande" (1870); "Rabagas" (1872) ; "Uncle Sam" (1873) ; "Ferrèol" (1875); "Dora" (1877); "Daniel Rochat" (1880); "Odette" (1881); "Fédora" (1883); "Theodora" (1884); "Crocodile" (1886); "La Tosca" (1887); "Mama-in-law" (1889); "Cleopatra" (1890); "Thermidor" (1891); "Gismonda" (1894), etc. He died Nov. 8, 1908.