DUMESNIL, MARIE FRANcOISE (1 ), French actress, whose real name was Marchand, was born in Paris on Jan. 2, 1713, made her debut in 1737 at the Comedie Francaise as Clytemnestre in I phigenie en Tauride. She played Cleopatre, Phedre, Athalie and Hermione with great effect, and when she created Merope (1743) Voltaire says that she kept the audience in tears for three successive acts. She retired in 1776 and died on Feb. 2o, 1803. She authorized the publication of a Memoire de Marie Francoise Dumesnil, in reply to an attack by her rival, Clairon (i800).