Biography of Hollywood actor Béjart, family of actors

 The Béjart family, also spelled Béjard, is a French family of actors historically associated with the famous playwright Molière. They began as an amateur company called Les Enfants de Famille, with Molière joining their ranks. In 1643, they made their professional debut in Paris as the Illustre-Théâtre, which initially failed in 1645, causing the company to return to the provinces. However, they achieved great success upon their return to Paris in 1658.

Joseph Béjart, born around 1616 and the eldest of the family, was part of the troupe. His sister, Madeleine Béjart (1618–1672), a talented actress and the de facto manager of the company, became Molière's mistress. Geneviève Béjart (1624–1675) and Louis Béjart (1630–1678), siblings of Joseph and Madeleine, were also actors within the company. Louis retired in 1670 and was the first of Molière's actors to receive a pension.

Armande Grésinde Béjart (around 1640–1700), believed to be either the sister or daughter of Madeleine, married Molière in 1662 and became one of his leading actresses, often portraying his heroines. Molière's death in 1673 led to a temporary decline of the King's Troupe, as their company was known. However, Molière's widow and the actor La Grange managed to merge their group with one of the rival Parisian companies, the troupe of the Théâtre du Marais. Consequently, they lost their theater at the Palais Royal, which they had occupied since 1660. Relocating to new quarters, the company became known as the Hôtel Guénégaud troupe. In 1680, they merged with their only remaining rival, the company of the Hôtel de Bourgogne, resulting in the establishment of the Comédie Française, a renowned and respected institution in French theater history.