The Austrian-born German-French actress won the hearts of millions as Empress “Sissi” (from 1955). She was never able to shed the image of the young empress, especially in front of the German public. From the 1960s she changed her image, shot with Orson Welles and Luchino Visconti and rose to become one of the few German-speaking world stars. In the 1970s, Schneider lived and worked primarily in France. She has twice been awarded the French film prize “César”. Her personal life has been marked by seeking recognition of her unhappy love affair with French film star Alain Delon and the death of her 14-year-old son…
Romy Schneider, whose real name was Rosemarie Magdalena Albach, was born on September 23, 1938 in Vienna to mother Magda Schneider and father Wolf Albach-Retty.
Romy Schneider grew up with her grandmother in Schönau (Berchtesgaden). In 1940 her brother Wolf-Dieter was born. Her parents separated three years later. In September 1944 Romy Schneider started school in Berchtesgaden. At the end of the war in 1945, Romy Schneider went to the Goldstein boarding school and her parents divorced. Romy Schneider got her first role in 1953 in the film “When the white lilac blooms again” alongside her mother. The film was a success and in the same year she was able to play the main role in the film “Fireworks” together with Lilli Palmer. Romy Schneider celebrated her big breakthrough in 1955 with the historical film “Sissi”, in which she played Empress Elizabeth of Austria-Hungary. In 1956 the sequel followed under the title “Sissi, the young empress”. Magda Schneider also played in all three Sissi films. These productions hit the zeitgeist of the mid-1950s, and Romy Schneider conquered the hearts of cinema audiences; especially in Germany, the role helped her to become enormously popular.
But even the shooting of the last Sissi film she was reluctant to do; she wanted to escape the image of sweet daughter and teenage lover. This was followed by works in which she found it difficult to shake off the “Sissi” cliché. In 1958 Romy Schneider met the French actor Alain Delon, to whom she became engaged on March 22, 1959. In the following years she took part in numerous productions with well-known actors and directors. She shot, among others, under the direction of Luchino Visconti, Orson Welles, Otto Preminger, Claude Chabrol and Constantin Costa-Gavras. In 1961 she performed the play “It’s a shame that you’re a whore” together with Alain Delon under Luchino Visconti at the Théâtre de Paris. In 1963 she appeared in the Kafka film “The Trial” directed by Osron Welles. For her acting achievements she received the “Étoile de Cristal” award from the Académie du Cinema. In the same year she signed a contract with the film company Columbia in Hollywood. Meanwhile, Romy Schneider had advanced to become an internationally recognized actress. In 1964, Romy Schneider separated from Alain Delon, which was painful for Romy Schneider and prompted her to attempt suicide.
In the same year, 1964, she was honored with the “Victoire du Cinéma Francais” award for best foreign actress. She later married the theater director Harry Meyen on June 15, 1966, with whom she moved to Berlin-Grünewald. Son David-Christopher was born in the same year. Romy Schneider made big headlines in 1970 when she admitted to the magazine “Stern” that she had had an abortion. In addition, she revealed herself as an opponent of paragraph 218. Further productions followed until 1980, including with Ives Montand. In 1975 the marriage with Harry Meyen was divorced, she paid him a severance payment of 1.5 million DM and retained custody of her son. In 1979, Harry Meyen committed suicide in Hamburg. In 1975 Romy Schneider married her secretary Daniel Biasini. The following year she was awarded her first “César”, the most important French film prize, for her role in the title “The Aftershine”. From the connection with Biasini came daughter Sarah, who was born on July 21, 1977 in St. Tropez.
Two years later, in 1979, she was awarded her second “César” for her role in the film “A Simple Story”. This strip, as well as the sensitive actress’s complete works, were honored with the Italian prize “David di Donatello” in 1980. In 1981 Romy Schneider divorced her second husband Biasini. That same year, 1981, her son had a tragic accident trying to climb over a wrought-iron gate in front of his grandparents’ house in Paris. Only 14-year-old Daniel slipped and died through the tips of the gate.
Romy Schneider died of heart failure on May 29, 1982 at the age of 44 in her Paris apartment.
How Romy Schneider son died?
The couple had a son, David Christopher (1966–1981). In July 1981, David died at the age of 14 after attempting to climb the spiked fence at his stepfather’s parents’ home and puncturing his femoral artery in the process.
Who was the love of Alain Delon’s life?
After Romy’s death in 1982, he confessed that Romy Schneider was the love of his life. In 1963, Delon met young divorcée Francine Canovas (a model known professionally as Nathalie Barthélémy). In January 1964, Barthélémy became pregnant by Delon. On August 13, 1964, they married, and she took the name Nathalie Delon.
Where is Romy Schneider buried?
Romy Schneider was buried in the cemetery of the small village of Boissy-sans-Avoir, her last place of residence. Alain Delon had organised her funeral.
Why did Alain break up with Romy?
They could not get along, get accustomed to each other. During summer of 1963 reporters photographed Alain Delon in an embrace with some blonde. Month later Alain told Romy, through a friend, that he was going to part with her and that he had another woman. Romy found out that Allain was married and had a son.
