1831-1908. French dramatist. He wrote plays
with roles for Sarah Bernhardt and Henry
Irving, for example Fedora 1882, La Tosca
1887 (the basis for the opera by Puccini),
and Madame Sans-Gene 1893. George Bernard
Shaw coined the expression `Sardoodledom' to
express his disgust with the contrivances of
the `well-made' play - a genre of which
Sardou was the leading exponent.