Background
She was the daughter of Madeleine Béjart. In 1643 her mother Madeleine co-founded, with Molière, the theatre company called Illustre Théâtre.
Actor Sociétaires of the Comédie-Française
She was the daughter of Madeleine Béjart. In 1643 her mother Madeleine co-founded, with Molière, the theatre company called Illustre Théâtre.
She belonged to the Béjart family, a famous theatre family in 17th-century France. Armande married Molière in 1662, with whom she had three children: Louis (19 January – 11 November 1664), Marie Madeleine Esprit (3 August 1665 – 23 May 1723) and Pierre Jean-Baptiste Armand (15 September – 11 October 1672). She played her first important role in Molière"s company in June 1663.
After Molière"s death, she brought together actors from the Théâtre du Palais-Royal and the Théâtre du Marais to form the Théâtre Guénégaud on 23 May 1673.
She retired 14 October 1694 with a pension of 1000 pounds. In 1676, three years after the death of Molière, Armande paid 5400 pounds for a house in Meudon a suburb of Paris.
This house was previously owned by the surgeon Ambroise Paré from 1550. Her house is now the Museum of Art and History of Meudon.
She became a Sociétaire of the Comédie-Française, as a member of its pioneer troupe of actors in 1680.