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1-50 of 68
- Actor
- Soundtrack
One of France's most beloved character stars from the 1950s through and including the 1980s was the Italian-born Lino Ventura. Born Angiolino Joseph Pascal Ventura to Giovanni Ventura and Luisa Borrini, on July 14, 1919, in Parma (northern) Italy, young Lino moved with his family at a young age to Paris, where he grew up. A school dropout at age eight, Lino drifted from job to job (mechanic's apprentice, etc.), unable to decide on what to do for a living. Marrying in 1942 at age 23, he and wife Odette Ventura had four children.
Lino finally found a career calling as a Greek/Roman-styled wrestler and went on to become a professional European champion in 1950. He was forced to abandon this sporting life, however, after incurring a serious injury in the ring. Looking for gangster types for his next film, director Jacques Becker gave the inexperienced 34-year-old his first acting job as bad guy support to star Jean Gabin in the crime thriller Touchez pas au grisbi (1954) [Grisbi]. Gabin was impressed and did more than just encourage Lino to pursue acting as a living. Lino went on to appear with Gabin in several of the star's subsequent movies, often playing a gangster, including Razzia (1955) [Razzia], Crime and Punishment (1956), Speaking of Murder (1957) [Crime and Punishment] and Inspector Maigret (1958) [Inspector Maigret].
A tough, brutish, burly-framed presence, Lino came into his own as a tough-nut character star in the 1960s playing both sides of the moral fence. Adept in both light comedy and dark-edged drama, he appeared in scores of films now considered classic French cinema. His homely, craggy-looking mug took the form of various criminals types as in Second Wind (1966) [Second Breath] and Happy New Year (1973) [Happy New Year], as well as dogged, good-guy inspectors in The French Detective (1975) [The French Detective], Illustrious Corpses (1976) [Illustrious Corpses'], and The Grilling (1981). Lino bore a patented weight-of-the-world-on-his-shoulders countenance that audiences sympathized with, even when playing the arch-villain. Over the course of three decades he built up an impressive gallery of blue-collar protagonists. Not to be missed are his embittered, vengeful husband in Witness in the City (1959) [Witness in the City]; corrupt police chief Tiger Brown in Three Penny Opera (1963) [The Threepenny Opera]; a WWII French Resistance fighter in Army of Shadows (1969) [Army in the Shadows]; and Mafia boss Vito Genovese in Charles Bronson's The Valachi Papers (1972), among many, many others. Toward the end of his career he played Jean Valjean in a French production of Les Misérables (1982) for which he received a Cesar award nomination (i.e, the French "Oscar"). He performed practically until the time of his fatal heart attack in 1987 at age 68 in his beloved France. Survivors included his wife of 45 years and children. Daughter Mylene died in a plane crash in 1998 and wife Odette died in 2013.- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Soundtrack
Jean-Pierre Marielle was born on 12 April 1932 in Paris, France. He was an actor, known for The Da Vinci Code (2006), Tous les matins du monde (1991) and Micmacs (2009). He was married to Agathe Natanson, Catherine-Françoise Burette, Michèle Bompart and Noëlle Leiris. He died on 24 April 2019 in Saint-Cloud, Hauts-de-Seine, France.- Actor
- Soundtrack
Bernard Blier was born on 11 January 1916 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He was an actor, known for Jenny Lamour (1947), The Organizer (1963) and Speriamo che sia femmina (1986). He was married to Annette Martin and Gisèle Brunet. He died on 29 March 1989 in Saint-Cloud, Hauts-de-Seine, France.- Actor
- Writer
- Director
Jocelyn Quivrin was born on 14 February 1979 in Dijon, Côte-d'Or, France. He was an actor and writer, known for 99 Francs (2007), Syriana (2005) and Jacquou le croquant (2007). He was married to Alice Taglioni. He died on 15 November 2009 in Saint-Cloud, Hauts-de-Seine, France.- Actor
- Additional Crew
Clément Harari was born on 10 February 1919 in Cairo, Egypt. He was an actor, known for A Witch's Way of Love (1997), Le théâtre de la jeunesse (1960) and Tais-toi quand tu parles! (1981). He died on 16 May 2008 in Saint-Cloud, Hauts-de-Seine, France.- Catherine Hessling was born on 22 June 1900 in Moronvilliers, Marne, France. She was an actress, known for Nana (1926), Little Red Riding Hood (1930) and Whirlpool of Fate (1925). She was married to Jean Renoir. She died on 28 September 1979 in La-Celle-Saint-Cloud, Yvelines, France.
- Director
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Writer
Michel Boisrond was born on 9 October 1921 in Châteauneuf-en-Thymerais, Eure-et-Loir, France. He was a director and assistant director, known for Three Murderesses (1959), The Samurai (1967) and Naughty Girl (1956). He was married to Annette Wademant, Marie-Christine Barrault and Francine Bernard. He died on 10 November 2002 in La-Celle-Saint-Cloud, Yvelines, France.- Music Department
- Composer
- Soundtrack
Charles Gounod was born on 17 June 1818 in Paris, France. He was a composer, known for Chronicle (2012), The American (2010) and 28 Days Later (2002). He was married to Anna Zimmermann. He died on 18 October 1893 in Saint-Cloud, Seine-et-Oise [now Hauts-de-Seine], France.- Mireille Audibert was born on 4 November 1944 in Paris, France. She was an actress, known for Les brigades du Tigre (1974), Door on the Left as You Leave the Elevator (1988) and At the Top of the Stairs (1983). She was married to Jacques Bonnecarrère. She died on 2 September 1993 in Saint-Cloud, Hauts-de-Seine, France.
- Serge Rousseau was born on 13 March 1930 in Aube, Orne, France. He was an actor, known for The Bride Wore Black (1968), Stolen Kisses (1968) and The Sleeping Car Murder (1965). He was married to Marie Dubois. He died on 3 November 2007 in Saint-Cloud, Hauts-de-Seine, France.
- Christophe Dominici was born on 20 May 1972 in Toulon, France. He was an actor, known for Pour toi, j'ai tué (2012), Élection de Miss France (1986) and Fort Boyard (1990). He died on 24 November 2020 in Saint-Cloud, Hauts-de-Seine, France.
- Madeleine Delavaivre was born on 25 May 1928 in Vichy, Allier, France. She was an actress, known for Au théâtre ce soir (1966), The Gendarme of Saint-Tropez (1964) and Le pas de trois (1964). She was married to Jacques François and Bernard Dhéran. She died on 1 July 2006 in Saint-Cloud, Hauts-de-Seine, France.
- Actor
- Additional Crew
Jean Claudio was born on 28 March 1927 in Neuilly-sur-Seine, Hauts-de-Seine, France. He was an actor, known for Les disparus de St. Agil (1938), Shadow of the Guillotine (1956) and Merkwürdige Lebensgeschichte des Friedrich Freiherrn von der Trenck (1973). He died on 18 January 1992 in Saint-Cloud, Hauts-de-Seine, France.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Damia was born on 5 December 1889 in Paris, France. She was an actress, known for A Very Long Engagement (2004), La Vie En Rose (2007) and A Man's Head (1933). She died on 30 January 1978 in La Celle-Saint-Cloud, Yvelines, France.- Director
- Writer
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jean-Pierre Blanc was born on 23 April 1942 in Charenton-le-Pont, Val-de-Marne, France. He was a director and writer, known for The Old Maid (1972), D'amour et d'eau fraîche (1976) and Un ange au paradis (1973). He died on 21 May 2004 in Saint-Cloud, Hauts-de-Seine, France.- Actor
- Composer
- Soundtrack
Félix Marten was born on 29 October 1919 in Remagen, Germany. He was an actor and composer, known for Elevator to the Gallows (1958), The Dance of Death (1960) and Vivre libre ou mourir (1980). He was married to Fabienne Godard. He died on 20 November 1992 in Saint-Cloud, Hauts-de-Seine, France.- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Soundtrack
Robert Manuel was a long-time member of The Comédie-Française. He got his first part on stage in 1933 in Gabriel Pierné's "Fragonard" at the early age of eighteen, which allowed him to celebrate - as of October 1983 - the fiftieth anniversary of his debut. At the time he was playing Liberio Bocca,a fanciful old man, in Aldo Nicolai's "Le Soleil n'est plus aussi chaud qu'avant", later filmed for television. Among his numerous other plays are: "Hello Dolly", "Barnum", "Ceux qui font les Clowns"... Robert Manuel was also the owner of a restaurant on Quai Kennedy named "Wall Street".- Actress
- Soundtrack
Karyn Balm was born on 29 April 1939 in Saumur, Maine-et-Loire, France. She was an actress, known for La brigade des maléfices (1970), Madame... êtes-vous libre? (1971) and Thibaud (1968). She died on 12 November 1980 in Saint-Cloud, Hauts-de-Seine, France.- Composer
- Music Department
- Actor
Claude Bolling was born on 10 April 1930 in Cannes, Alpes-Maritimes, France. He was a composer and actor, known for The Holiday (2006), Joker (2019) and He Died with His Eyes Open (1985). He was married to Irène Dervize-Sadyker. He died on 29 December 2020 in Saint-Cloud, Hauts-de-Seine, France.- Actress
- Director
- Writer
Anne Caprile was born on 18 November 1920 in Nice, Alpes-Maritimes, France. She was an actress and director, known for Bronislaw (1990), Le voyage de la souris (1998) and Mendigots Blues (1989). She was married to Claude Baks. She died on 18 February 2013 in Saint-Cloud, Hauts-de-Seine, France.- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Director
- Editor
Henri Aisner was born on 21 May 1911 in Paris. He was an assistant director and director, known for Les copains du dimanche (1958), La liberté surveillée (1958) and Le mystère de la chambre jaune (1949). He died on 20 July 1991 in Saint-Cloud, Hauts-de-Seine, France.- Actor
- Writer
- Composer
Marcel Amont was born in Bordeaux, in a working class area. His parents were from a small valley in Bearn, right on the border of Spain. He started acting in the local theatre then moved to Paris to become an entertainer in cabaret. He became famous when he performed with Edith Piaf as the main guest, at the Olympia of Paris. He became a famous one man show, being very creative. He was the first French artist to sing with dancers on stage. He also played in the feature film with Brigitte Bardot "La mariée est trop belle" (the bride was far too beautiful) in 1956, among other films. He married a white Russian dancer with whom he has two children. Then he had a famous relationship with Alice Kessler, one of the German actresses/singers twins (Alice and Elen Kessler). He had private shows on the French TV. He married again at the age of 50 and has two other children with his last wife. He also composed songs and a musical comedy in the Bearn language.- Actor
- Soundtrack
Henri Génès was born on 3 July 1919 in Tarbes, Hautes-Pyrénées, France. He was an actor, known for Don't Look Now... We're Being Shot At! (1966), L'oeil en coulisses (1953) and To Hell with the Virtue (1953). He was married to Jeannette Batti, Christiane Greslon and Raymonde Malville. He died on 18 August 2005 in Saint-Cloud, Hauts-de-Seine, France.- Geneviève de Fontenay was born on 30 August 1932 in Longwy, Meurthe-et-Moselle, France. She was an actress, known for Les clefs de bagnole (2003), La Minute Vieille (2012) and Élection de Miss France (1986). She was married to Louis Poirot. She died on 1 August 2023 in Saint-Cloud, Hauts-de-Seine, France.
- Director
- Writer
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jean Prat was born on 25 February 1927 in Milan, Lombardy, Italy. He was a director and writer, known for En votre âme et conscience (1955), Lectures pour tous (1953) and Antoine et Cléopâtre (1967). He died on 27 March 1991 in Saint-Cloud, Hauts-de-Seine, France.