Advanced search
- TITLES
- NAMES
- COLLABORATIONS
Search filters
Enter full date
to
or just enter yyyy, or yyyy-mm below
to
Only includes names with the selected topics
to
or just enter yyyy, or yyyy-mm below
to
1-50 of 123
- Actor
- Director
- Writer
One of the most popular and respected actors to come from the French "New Wave" film movement, Jean-Claude Brialy was born to a military family, which included one brother, in French colonial Algeria on March 30, 1933. Residing in various places while his father, a colonel with the French Army, went through the paces of his career, Brialy attended military school in 1946 and also worked in the theatre as a youth. He studied dramatics at a conservatory in Strasbourg, France, the Saint-Etienne Episcopal College.
Following time spent in the theatre, he moved to Paris in 1954 to pursue his career, without the support of his family, and worked various odd jobs before entering military service in Germany. Mixing in with a revolutionary group of artists that included Claude Chabrol and Jean-Luc Godard, he appeared as an extra in Jean Renoir's Elena and Her Men (1956) [Paris Does Strange things] and befriended other such rising film radicals as Éric Rohmer and Jacques Rivette while appearing in their short films. He grew in stature with featured roles in Girl in His Pocket (1957) [Girl in His Pocket] and L'ami de la famille (1957) [A Friend of the Family], but it was his friend Chabrol who provided him the leap to stardom with Le Beau Serge (1958), which is (arguably) considered the forerunner in "New Wave" filming. Co-starring Gérard Blain in the title role, Brialy played a city boy sophisticate returning to his simplified home village just to find that everything had changed and that his once promising friend (Blain) had become a chronic drunkard. He and Blain furthered their stars next playing each other's kin in Chabrol's The Cousins (1959), with Blain the innocent and Bialy the darkly disillusioned cousin. Bialy's association with other French avant-garde directors, including Godard, 'Francois Truffaut' and Louis Malle, placed him in excellent "New Wave" company alongside Jean-Paul Belmondo, Jean-Pierre Léaud and the afore-mentioned Blain, as strong, influential leading men.
Known for his lightness, passion, charm and subtlety of performance, Bialy's versatility in films ranged from stark melodrama to comedy farce. While essaying the elegant boulevardier with great sophistication and sympathy, he could just as easily slip into a character's dark and deep cynicism and/or contempt. He starred opposite a fantasia of Europe's loveliest leading ladies including Rosanna Schiaffino, Danielle Darrieux, Nadja Tiller, Elsa Martinelli, Françoise Dorléac, Geneviève Page and Dawn Addams. He ended the 60s notably paired with the enigmatic Jeanne Moreau in Truffaut's stylish Hitchockian thriller The Bride Wore Black (1968) [The Bride Wore Black].
In the 1970s Brialy extended his talents to include writing and directing, which included his debut film, the award-winning Églantine (1972). Most of the works he helmed were delightfully nostalgic and family-oriented in fashion. He also entered a newer phase of supporting character roles that also went on to court awards. After beginning the decade in one of his best film leads with Claire's Knee (1970) [Claire's Knee] for director/friend Rohmer, he earned a supporting César nomination for The Judge and the Assassin (1976) and then won the trophy a decade later for his secondary work in Les innocents (1987). During this time he also organized or supported several film and theatre festivals. He was the director of both the Théâtre Hébertot (1977) and the Théâtre des Bouffes-Parisiens (1986). A long time artistic director of the Festival of Anjou (1985-2001), he was also the creator and artistic director of the Festival of Ramatuelle from 1985. His work also included radio and extensive TV.
Off stage Brialy was a witty raconteur and bon vivant. He was also one of the select few French stars to be openly gay. It was most fitting that two of his more notable roles came late in life -- as the gay uncle in Chabrol's Inspector Lavardin (1986), and as the poet Max Jacob in Monsieur Max (2007), a homosexual Jew who converted to Catholicism before perishing in a Gestapo prison camp.
An occasional yet prolific writer on film, Brialy penned his autobiography Le ruisseau des singes (auto) in 2000 and his memoir, J'ai oublié de vous dire, in 2004. He owned a restaurant, L'Orangerie, in the Saint Louis Island of Paris and died on May 30, 2007, after a extended bout with cancer. Among his many honors: The Commander of the Legion of Honor and the National Order of Merit.- Philippe Taccini was born on 28 August 1958 in Nogent-sur-Marne, Val-de-Marne, France. He was an actor, known for The Key Is in the Door (1978), Art of Love (1983) and Les sous-doués (1980). He died on 20 February 2006 in Claye-Souilly, Seine-et-Marne, France.
- Actor
- Writer
- Additional Crew
Michel Modo was born on 30 March 1937 in Carpentras, Vaucluse, France. He was an actor and writer, known for Highlander (1992), The Gendarme of Saint-Tropez (1964) and Au théâtre ce soir (1966). He died on 25 September 2008 in Vaires-sur-Marne, Seine-et-Marne, France.- Gabriel Gobin was born on 12 May 1903 in Hacquegnies, Wallonia, Belgium. He was an actor, known for La meilleure part (1955), Les dossiers de l'écran (1967) and Don't Look Now... We're Being Shot At! (1966). He died on 9 February 1998 in Brie-Comte-Robert, Seine-et-Marne, France.
- Music Department
- Composer
- Actor
Django Reinhardt was born on 23 January 1910 in Liberchies, Wallonia, Belgium. He was a composer and actor, known for The Matrix (1999), Gattaca (1997) and The Matrix Revolutions (2003). He was married to Sophie Ziegler. He died on 16 May 1953 in Fontainebleau, Seine-et-Marne, France.- Actress
- Additional Crew
Colette Marchand was a French prima ballerina with a relatively brief acting career. For her performance in "Moulin Rouge" (1952), Marchand was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.
In 1925, Marchand was born in Paris, Her parents were Roger Marchand and his wife Alice Lioret.
Marchand started her career at the Paris Opera Ballet. By 1949, she was performing as a prima ballerina in Broadweay shows. One of her most notable appearances was in the musical revue "Two on the Aisle" (1951) by Betty Comden (1917-2006), Adolph Green (1914-2002), and Jule Styne (1905-1994). The show ran for 276 performances.
In the early 1950s, Marchand appeared in several television shows, such Ford Star Revue, the Colgate Comedy Hour, and the Ed Sullivan Show. She made her film debut as a voice actress in the avant-garde film "Venom and Eternity" (1951).
Marchand found critical acclaim for her supporting role as street walker Marie Charlet in "Moulin Rouge", who has a love affair with protagonist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (played by José Ferrer). She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, but the award was instead won by rival actress Gloria Grahame (1923-1981).
Marchand returned to her dancing career. She appeared in the ballet "The Lady in the Ice" (1953) by Jean-Michel Damase (1928-2013), concerning a girl in suspended animation within ice. According to Orson Welles, who directed this ballet, the show "was very successful in London, and only moderately so in Paris, where it was very badly lit".
Marchand appeared in a few more films during the 1950s, but remained mostly a ballerina. Her career declined as she grew older. Marchand died in June, 2015, at the age of 90.- Jacqueline Pierreux was born on 15 January 1923 in Rouen, Seine-Inférieure [now Seine-Maritime], France. She was an actress, known for Le dindon (1951), Top of the Form (1953) and Cet homme est dangereux (1953). She was married to Pierre Léaud. She died on 10 March 2005 in Salins, Seine-et-Marne, Île-de-France, France.
- Jean-François Calvé was born on 23 September 1925 in Athis-Mons, Seine-et-Oise, France. He was an actor, known for La guerre des femmes (1986), Shock Treatment (1973) and Turcaret (1968). He died on 8 October 2014 in Couilly-Pont-aux-Dames, Seine-et-Marne, France.
- Actor
- Writer
Marcel Lévesque was born on 6 December 1877 in Paris, France. He was an actor and writer, known for Les vampires (1915), The Vampires: The Terrible Wedding (1916) and The Vampires: Satanas (1916). He died on 16 February 1962 in Couilly-Pont-aux-Dames, Seine-et-Marne, France.- Claude Sylvain was born on 9 May 1930 in Neuilly-Plaisance, Seine-et-Oise, France [now Neuilly-Plaisance, Seine-Saint-Denis, France]. She was an actress, known for Rififi (1955), Si Paris nous était conté (1956) and If All the Guys in the World... (1956). She was married to Francis Claude. She died on 31 December 2005 in Vaux-sur-Lunain, Seine-et-Marne, France.
- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Soundtrack
A round face, wavy hair and sometimes mustachioed, Jacques Ferrière was a lookalike of classic French writer Honoré de Balzac and he did embody him twice on TV (Rêves d'amour (1962), Eugène Sue (1974)). But he could also play Danton (in an episode of "La caméra explore le temps") or a mere monk (in the popular series "Thierry la Fronde"). On the big screen he was less present in the flesh (a few secondary roles in The Sucker (1965), Le franciscain de Bourges (1968) and a few others) than off-screen (he indeed provided the voice of dozens of tough guys in the French post synchronized versions of popular American movies, among whom Telly Savalas, Richard Jaeckel, Strother Martin, Danny Aiello... Also very active in the theater, Jacques Ferrière lent his talent to over twenty plays signed William Shakespeare, Boris Vian, Arthur Miller, Eugène Ionesco, Albert Camus... As if all that was not enough, Jacques Ferrière even formed a comedy duo with Michel Muller. It was back in the 1960's. The protean performer finally retired in 1993 and died in 2005 of Alzheimer's disease, aged 72.- Actor
- Soundtrack
Paul Mercey was born on 10 January 1923 in Belgrade, Serbia, Yugoslavia [now Serbia]. He was an actor, known for Calembredaines (1965) and Don't Look Now... We're Being Shot At! (1966). He died on 7 January 1988 in Férolles-Attily, Seine-et-Marne, France.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Nathalie Nattier was born on 19 May 1924 in Paris, France. She was an actress, known for Love Me If You Dare (2003), Moumou (1951) and L'idiot (1946). She was married to Sacha Weill and Jacques Torrens. She died on 19 June 2010 in Lagny-sur-Marne, Seine-et-Marne, France.- Jean Rupert was born on 10 May 1923 in Paris, France. He was an actor, known for Amélie (2001), La poupée sanglante (1976) and To Commit a Murder (1967). He died on 22 February 2016 in Fontainebleau, Seine-et-Marne, France.
- Mireille Perrey was born on 3 February 1904 in Bordeaux, Gironde, France. She was an actress, known for The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964), Pas sur la bouche (1931) and Jim la houlette (1935). She died on 8 May 1991 in Fontainebleau, Seine-et-Marne, France.
- Costume Designer
- Production Designer
- Actor
Antoine Malliarakis, aka Mayo, was born in 1905 in Egypt, the son of a Greek engineer and a French mother. Although he kept a Greek passport throughout his life, he was culturally French and lived in France for half of his life after leaving Egypt. He came to France to study architecture but started frequenting artistic circles in the Paris of the roaring twenties and decided to become a painter instead. He made a living decorating cabarets and, later, designing costumes for stage productions, while continuing to paint. In 1944 his friend, writer Jacques Prévert, recommended him as costume designer for the classical period piece "Les Enfants du Paradis". The film was a hit and allowed Mayo to lead a 20-year career in French cinema, designing the costumes (and sometimes the scenery) of several classics. In the meantime, he also worked as art director on many commercials. With the early 60s, and the coming of the "Nouvelle Vague", period pieces became less frequent, and Mayo had less work offers. He ultimately decided to leave movies to concentrate on his paintings. Having moved to Rome, Italy, in the mid-sixties, he finally managed to make a good living with his paintings alone. Unfortunately, in the early eighties, Mayo gradually lost his eyesight. In 1984 he moved back to France and died in 1990, aged 85.- Pierre Risch was born on 2 August 1902 in Quang Yen, French Indochina [now Vietnam]. He was an actor, known for Cousine Bette (1964), Donkey Skin (1970) and Bob Morane (1964). He died on 8 September 1992 in Couilly-Pont-aux-Dames, Seine-et-Marne, France.
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Jeanne Aubert was the daughter of a French Aristocrat and a Flower-girl. At the age of 5, she had already worked as an extra in 'Le Chatelet'. As a teenager, she studied voice and music. In 1924 she played in "Mistinguett" at the Casino de Paris. In 1925, the song "Si tu vois ma tante" made her une grande Chanteuse in Paris. Under the name of Jane Aubert, she appeared in 1927 on "Paris aux Etoiles", the Moulin Rouge's magazine. In 1929, she made her first silent movie, La Possession (1929), with Francesca Bertini. Nelson Morris from Chicago, USA, went to see her 52 times and eventually brought her to the USA and married her. But the marriage failed and they were divorced because he forbade her to go on stage. After that she began a new career in the USA and did a lot of musical comedies in Broadway: "Princess Charming", "America's Sweetheart", "The Laugh Parade", "Ballyoo" with Bob Hope, "Melody" with Gypsy Rose Lee.
She made also two movies in Long Island: "The Mysterious Kiss" and "The Dream Of The Ocean". In 1935, she made her Parisian comeback. With "C'est une petite étoile", "Solitude" and "Je t'aime c'est tout" she had a big success. At the ABC Theater, she appeared with Fréhel in 1937. One of her biggest musicals was in London, "Anything Goes", with music by Cole Porter. She also appeared in Belgium, Italy, Egypt and Switzerland (Geneva).
Between 1935 and 1966, she made more than a dozen excellent films. During WWII, she appeared 630 times in "La Veuve joyeuse" at the Mogador Theater and also in two others theaters. After 1945, she played at ABC in "Tout pour elle", "Le prince endormi" with Pierre Blanchard, "Court circuit", Adorable Julia" with Madeleine Robinson, "Saison d'amour", "Les hommes préfèrent les blondes" ("Gentlemen Prefer Blondes") and "Après la chute" by Arthur Miller with Annie Girardot. Finally, she left the stage and made appearances on TV: "Sénéchal le magnifique", "Les Croulants se portent bien", "Les Saintes Chéries", "Madame vous etes libre..." and "La Femme de Jean" by Yannick Bellon. Madame Aubert never lost her elegance, charisma and Shine.- Georges Deneubourg was born on 23 November 1860 in Paris, France. He was an actor, known for Kean (1924), La dame de Monsoreau (1923) and The Fall of the Romanoffs (1917). He died on 23 March 1936 in Couilly-Pont-aux-Dames, Seine-et-Marne, France.
- Actor
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Pierre Champagne was born on 17 April 1894 in Paris, France. He was an actor and assistant director, known for Nana (1926), Whirlpool of Fate (1925) and Marquitta (1927). He died on 7 May 1927 in Fontainebleau, Seine-et-Marne, France.- Lucienne Le Marchand was born on 15 November 1908 in Ixelles, Brussels, Belgium. She was an actress, known for Yoshiwara (1937), Crime and Punishment (1935) and La chanson de l'adieu (1934). She was married to Marc Valbel. She died on 9 February 1992 in Couilly-Pont-aux-Dames, Seine-et-Marne, France.
- Director
- Writer
- Cinematographer
Robert Lapoujade had made an impression with his art exhibitions for two decades, between 1939 and 1959, before he decided to move into filmmaking.He had a modest upbringing in a family of bakers and pastry makers, was mostly self taught, and showed his ability at all sorts of odd jobs including the food business.During World War II he helped Jewish children find escape at a refuge in the Alps and avoided his compulsory national service by hiding in the woods.He left the provinces afterwards for Paris, where he became known for his portraits of celebrities and for showing that social issues could be addressed through abstraction rather than the then trendy socialist realism favored on the Left.When he did get into filmmaking, his work The Vertical Smile caused a scandal at Cannes for its use of sexual violence,including castration, and cuts had to be made for the censorship before it could get a theatrical release.- René Remblier was born on 14 July 1962 in Paris, France. He was an actor, known for The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc (1999), Sandra et les siens (2000) and Félix et Lola (2001). He died on 25 March 2024 in Saint-Pierre-lès-Nemours, Seine-et-Marne, France.
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Pierre Mirat was born on 12 February 1924 in Montauban, Tarn-et-Garonne, France. He was an actor, known for Foncouverte (1965), À pied, à cheval et en voiture (1957) and Bastoche et Charles-Auguste (1960). He died on 16 July 2008 in Couilly-Pont-aux-Dames, Seine-et-Marne, France.- Genica Athanasiou was born on 3 January 1897 in Bucharest, Romania. She was an actress, known for Colomba (1933), Don Quichotte (1933) and The Count of Monte Cristo (1954). She died on 13 July 1966 in Lagny-sur-Marne, Seine-et-Marne, France.