Huguette Oligny

Huguette Oligny (January 31, 1922 – May 9, 2013) was a Canadian actress whose career spanned theatre, film, and television. Born in Montreal, Quebec, to a French-Canadian father and a French mother, she launched her theatrical career in 1939 and went on to become a prominent figure in the performing arts.

Oligny's stage work encompassed both classical French theatre and contemporary Quebec drama. While she built her reputation largely through the great classics of the French theatrical tradition, she also performed in modern Quebec plays, including works by playwright Michel Tremblay. Her Broadway appearances, which took place between 1951 and 1958, included the comedy Le Malade Imaginaire, Le Mariage Force, and Ti-Coq.

In her personal life, Oligny was married twice. Her first marriage, to Marcel Alexandre, produced two children before ending in divorce. In 1973 she married Gratien Gélinas, a foundational figure in the development of Quebec theatre.

Oligny received significant recognition for her contributions to Canadian culture. In 1984 she was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada, and in 1996 she was elevated to Companion within that same order. She was further honored in 1999 when she was named an Officer of the National Order of Quebec.