Sarah Bernhardt
1844 - 1923.
French actress.

"For the theatre one needs long arms; it is better to have them too long than too short.  An artist with short arms can never, never make a fine gesture." French actress Sarah Bernhardt became a legendary stage performer because of her unusual beauty, grace of movement and splendid speaking voice. Audiences flocked to see "The Divine Sarah", as she was nicknamed and critics praised her almost unanimously. She triumphed in 1872 as the queen in a revival of Victor Hugo's Ruy Blas and won critical acclaim for her role in Hernani.  She also had great success in America, where she made her debut in La Dame aux Camelias in 1880. In 1905 Bernhardt, who had an illegitimate son, suffered a knee injury, which crippled her for the rest of her life.