Lisa Simone

Lisa SIMONE, Miss France 1957, passed away in Rome at 85.Born Liliane Czajka in the Paris suburbs, her Polish father was executed during WWII occupation of France. Her father's heroism motivated Carlos Capel to enroll her in his ballet school alongside Brigitte Bardot. She later became one of the "Blue Bell Girls" at the Lido cabaret and in 1957 was elected Miss France in the pageant sponsored by film magazine, "Cinémonde". Lisa then represented France in the Miss Universe pageant in Long Beach, CA. She stayed in the LA area for several years, was highly solicited for advertisements and began a short acting career. She had roles in films starring Tony Curtis, Clark Gable, and with Marlon Brando in "Mutiny on the Bounty", 1962. She married film star and long-time LA resident Steve Barclay (born Kufferman) in Beverly Hills, 1958. They moved to Rome, where Steve pursued his film career, starring aside Sophia Loren in her early films. Steve Barclay died in 1994.Lisa is survived by daughter Kathleen, and has family in France and the US. She will be remembered as a beautiful, kind and gentle person.