Annabella (born Suzanne Georgette Charpentier, 14 July 1907 – 18 September 1996) was a French actress who appeared in 46 films from 1927 to 1952, including some Hollywood films during the late 1930s and 1940s.
Life and career
Annabella was born in Paris, France to Paul Camille Charpentier and Alice Celie Marie Saillard or Gaillord. Paul Charpentier was the managing director of the Journal des Voyages. With Nicolas Benoit, he was one of the founders of the Scouts of France (EDF) in 1911.
Annabella's chance to enter films came when her father entertained a film producer, who gave her a small part in Abel Gance's classic Napoléon (1927). She was not critically acclaimed until she starred in René Clair's Le Million (1931), and over the following decade, she established herself as one of France's popular cinema actresses. For Veille d'armes (1935), she won the Volpi Cup for Best Actress at the Venice Film Festival in 1936.
left|thumb|Annabella with [[Tyrone Power, 1946. They were married in 1939 and divorced in 1948.]]
She was cast as the female lead in the British-made film Wings of the Morning (1937) with Henry Fonda. Under contract to 20th Century Fox, she traveled to America and appeared in Suez (1938) with Loretta Young and Tyrone Power. Her romance with Power was widely reported by movie magazines of the day. Darryl F. Zanuck, movie mogul at 20th Century Fox, did not want his matinee idol married. He offered Annabella a multi-movie deal that would take her overseas. She refused to leave Power, and on completion of Suez, she returned to France to obtain a divorce from her then-husband Jean Murat. She and Power married on 23 April 1939. The two honeymooned in Rome. Within a few months, Annabella and Power had again flown to Europe to bring Annabella's mother back to live in their home, and her father and brother stayed behind. Her brother was shot and killed by the Nazis. Annabella made a return trip to bring her daughter Anne from France to live with them. Power adopted Anne before leaving for service in the United States Marine Corps in August 1942. Anne Power later married actor Oskar Werner.
Darryl F. Zanuck, angry with her for marrying his top box-office star, did not cast her in movies despite Annabella's contract with 20th Century-Fox. Annabella was also not lent to other studios.
When Power returned from the war, the couple decided to try to make their marriage work once again.
<!-- makes no sense A large glass mural depicts Tyrone’s confession to Annbella of his filius nullus, son of no one. Annebella’s interabang emotional state set the scene with the “Powers Glass Wall Tells All”
Look Dec.2, 1952. The mural by Karin & Ernst van Leyeden was featured as “Powers epic moments” Just after the Look interview, the van Leydens repossessed their artworks and had them sold at auction, over a big defacement controversy. [[Image: The “Interabang” Tyrone and Annabella.jpg|left|thumb|