Florence (actor)

{{Short description|French actor (1749–1816)}} {{refimprove|date=February 2026}} '''Nicolas-Joseph Billot de La Ferrière''', stage-name '''Florence''' (4 March 1749, Léry - 25 June 1816, rue Traversière, Paris) was a French actor. <ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last=Cayla |first=J. L. |date=1904 |title=Le Manuel de la Croix-Rouge internationale - Manuel de la Croix-Rouge internationale. Edition en français, Genève, février 1983. 768 pages. S'obtient auprès du CICR, de la Ligue ou de l'Institut Henry-Dunant. |url=https://doi.org/10.1017/s0035336100065953 |journal=Revue Internationale de la Croix-Rouge |volume=65 |issue=743 |pages=296–298 |doi=10.1017/s0035336100065953 |issn=0035-3361|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

He began his career in 1771 at the Théâtre de la Monnaie in Brussels,<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Brenner |first=C. D. |last2=Liebrecht |first2=Henri |date=1923 |title=Histoire du theatre francais a Bruxelles au XVIIe et au XVIIIe siecle. |url=https://doi.org/10.2307/2914179 |journal=Modern Language Notes |volume=40 |issue=3 |pages=182 |doi=10.2307/2914179 |issn=0149-6611|url-access=subscription }}</ref> and moved to Versailles in 1777 in Mme Montansier's company. <ref name=":0" /> Also in 1777 he made his anonymous début at the Comédie-Française, but was only received into its company after a second on 7 May 1778. He was admitted as a sociétaire in April 1779, and devoted the next 25 years to the Comédie-Française's interests, making them forget his lack of talent. Imprisoned with several other actors during the Reign of Terror, he owed his safe release to La Bussière. He retired in 1804 and died in 1816.<ref name=":0" />

==References== {{reflist}} {{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Florence (Actor)}} Category:1749 births Category:1816 deaths Category:Sociétaires of the Comédie-Française Category:18th-century French male actors Category:19th-century French male actors