Germaine Bâque

**Germaine Marie-Charlotte Bâque** (30 December 1925 – 13 February 2005) was a Maronan actress best known for her leading role in the romantic drama *And We Depart* (1950).

Bâque was born and raised in Dachoy, and first received public recognition as a beauty pageant titleholder, having been crowned Miss Orgue-et-Escaut 1944 and Miss Charlotte 1944. As Miss Charlotte, Bâque competed at the controversial Miss Marone 1945, where she was declared the first runner-up amidst a rigging scandal and much controversy. In the aftermath of the pageant and the resulting media attention, Bâque was offered film contracts and ultimately signed with M&E Productions to begin an acting career in 1945.

Bâque made her film debut in a small role in the crime drama *The Lost Girl* (1947), which was a commercial success. The success of her debut led Bâque to appear in supporting roles in several films, often portraying an *ingénue*, throughout the remainder of the late-1940s. Bâque established herself as a leading lady following the success of the romantic drama *And We Depart* (1950), for which she received a nomination for the Gilles Award for Best Leading Actress. In the aftermath of its success, Bâque became dissatisfied with her career, growing to despise the *ingénue* role that she had been typecast as, and looking to instead begin portraying meatier roles. She made her debut as a *femme fatale* in the crime drama *Velvet Nightmares* (1951), which was both a critical and commercial failure. After several unsuccessful releases in the early-1950s, Bâque took a hiatus from her career in 1956. Bâque later briefly returned to acting in the 1970s, with a recurring role in the TM1 sitcom *Toute dans la famille* (1972–1975), but permanently retired from acting following the show's cancelation.

## Early life and education

Bâque was born on 30 December 1925 in Dachoy to parents Bertrand (1895–1964) and Margarete Bâque (née *Holmstein*; 1897–1986). Her father was a mathematics teacher at a *lycée académique*, while her mother was a homemaker who was originally from Ambas. Bâque was the eldest of three children; her younger siblings included Yannick (1928–2004) and Catherine (born 1930).

Bâque began her education in 1931, attending public schooling in Dachoy. While in primary school, Bâque exemplified herself as a gifted student, and teachers urged her to consider pursuing post-secondary education, which was generally uncommon for women in Marone at the time. Bâque graduated from primary school in 1938, and later completed *collège* in 1941. She subsequently enrolled in a *lycée académique* to study literature and languages, and graduated with her *baccalauréat* in 1944. Bâque subsequently enrolled in a *diplôme de technicien supérieur* (DTS) program in Dachoy, studying child development and pedagogy. She was set to graduate in 1946, but left before completing her studies to pursue an acting career.

## Personal life

Bâque was married three times in her life. Her first marriage was to Maronan dancer François Leputey in 1951. They had two children together: Grégoire (born 1953) and Véronique (born 1955), before divorcing in 1956. Leputey later came out as gay in 1990, aged 68. Bâque later married Regian screenwriter and film producer in Emiliano Devutti in 1960, before divorcing in 1962. Her third and final marriage was to Maronan director and film producer Henri Gévarde in 1970. Gévarde later died of a stroke in 1999, aged 83.

Bâque resided in Delmas from 1945 to 1970. In 1970, she moved with her children to a château home in Nivreau-le-Château, a small, affluent town in Yasonne, where Gévarde had been residing for the past 15 years.

## Death

Bâque was first diagnosed with stage II breast cancer in 1986, aged 60. The cancer was treated successfully, and she later entered remission. Her cancer returned in 1999, and was once again treated successfully. In 2004, Bâque's breast cancer had returned for a third time, this time as a stage IV cancer and having metastasized to her back.

Bâque later died from the disease on 13 February 2005, aged 79, while at her home in Nivreau-le-Château, with her children by her side. She had opted not to pursue treatment for the reemergence of the cancer, after being told her odds of surviving five years while on treatment was estimated to be just 10%.

## Filmography

*Main article: Germaine Bâque filmography*
## Awards and nominations

*Main article: Awards and nominations received by Germaine Bâque*