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IMDbPro

François Leterrier(1929-2020)

  • Director
  • Writer
  • Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
François Leterrier in A Man Escaped (1956)
Three Reasons Criterion Trailer for A Man Escaped
Play trailer1:56
A Man Escaped (1956)
1 Video
1 Photo
Though François Leterrier's career evolved from assistant director to writer and director, he left an important mark in cinema with an acting role as the leading man in Robert Bresson's immortal classic A Man Escaped (1956), as Fontaine, the man who skillfully tries several ways and attempts to escape from prison during World War II. He only acted once more in Resnais' Stavisky (1974) in the role of poet André Malraux.

After his work for Bresson, he was second assistant director in two films directed by Louis Malle: Elevator to the Gallows (1958) and The Lovers (1958), then assistant director in four other films. His directorial debut was in _Les mauvais coups (1961), a film starring Simone Signoret. In the following 30 years, Leterrier directed 20 projects in between theatrical films, TV movies and series, which include Un roi sans divertissement (1963), La chasse royale (1969), the final film of the Emmanuelle franchise in the 1970's Emmanuelle 3 (1977), _Rat Race (1980)_ and _Slices of Life (1985)_. He is the father of director Louis Leterrier, famous for directing two films of The Transporter franchise.

He passed away on 3 December, 2020.
BornMay 26, 1929
DiedDecember 3, 2020(91)
BornMay 26, 1929
DiedDecember 3, 2020(91)
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank

Known for

A Man Escaped (1956)
A Man Escaped
8.2
  • Le lieutenant Fontaine
  • 1956
Elevator to the Gallows (1958)
Elevator to the Gallows
7.9
  • Second Unit or Assistant Director
  • 1958
Jane Birkin, Sami Frey, and Gérard Jugnot in The Bodyguard (1984)
The Bodyguard
4.8
  • Director
  • 1984
La chasse royale (1969)
La chasse royale
5.3
  • Director
  • 1969

Credits

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IMDbPro

Director



  • Les disparus de Reillanne
    TV Movie
    • Director
    • 1993
  • Clovis (1993)
    Clovis
    TV Series
    • Director
    • 1993
  • Le fils du Mékong (1992)
    Le fils du Mékong
    4.6
    • Director
    • 1992
  • Dominique Lavanant in Imogène (1989)
    Imogène
    7.0
    TV Series
    • Director
    • 1989–1990
  • L'île (1987)
    L'île
    6.8
    TV Mini Series
    • Director
    • 1987
  • Le coeur du voyage (1986)
    Le coeur du voyage
    TV Movie
    • Director
    • 1986
  • Tranches de vie (1985)
    Tranches de vie
    4.7
    • Director
    • 1985
  • Jane Birkin, Sami Frey, and Gérard Jugnot in The Bodyguard (1984)
    The Bodyguard
    4.8
    • Director
    • 1984
  • Le voleur d'enfants
    TV Movie
    • Director
    • 1981
  • Christian Clavier in The Hippies (1981)
    The Hippies
    5.3
    • Director
    • 1981
  • Je vais craquer!!! (1980)
    Je vais craquer!!!
    5.6
    • Director
    • 1980
  • Pierrot mon ami (1979)
    Pierrot mon ami
    TV Movie
    • Director
    • 1979
  • Marlène Jobert in Va voir maman, papa travaille (1978)
    Va voir maman, papa travaille
    5.9
    • Director
    • 1978
  • Jacques Dufilho in Milady (1977)
    Milady
    8.2
    TV Movie
    • Director
    • 1977
  • Emmanuelle 3 (1977)
    Emmanuelle 3
    4.0
    • Director
    • 1977

Writer



  • Clovis (1993)
    Clovis
    TV Series
    • writer
    • 1993
  • Le fils du Mékong (1992)
    Le fils du Mékong
    4.6
    • Writer
    • 1992
  • Tranches de vie (1985)
    Tranches de vie
    4.7
    • adaptation
    • 1985
  • Jane Birkin, Sami Frey, and Gérard Jugnot in The Bodyguard (1984)
    The Bodyguard
    4.8
    • screenplay
    • 1984
  • Christian Clavier in The Hippies (1981)
    The Hippies
    5.3
    • adaptation
    • 1981
  • Je vais craquer!!! (1980)
    Je vais craquer!!!
    5.6
    • adaptation
    • 1980
  • Marlène Jobert in Va voir maman, papa travaille (1978)
    Va voir maman, papa travaille
    5.9
    • adaptation
    • 1978
  • Emmanuelle 3 (1977)
    Emmanuelle 3
    4.0
    • dialogue
    • scenario
    • 1977
  • Jane Birkin, Jean-Luc Bideau, Françoise Fabian, Bulle Ogier, and Jacques Weber in Private Screening (1973)
    Private Screening
    6.0
    • original scenario, adaptation and dialogue
    • 1973
  • La chasse royale (1969)
    La chasse royale
    5.3
    • screenplay
    • 1969
  • Françoise Arnoul in La guêpe (1965)
    La guêpe
    TV Movie
    • adaptation
    • 1965
  • Naked Autumn (1961)
    Naked Autumn
    6.6
    • adaptation
    • 1961
  • Chien de pique (1960)
    Chien de pique
    6.0
    • adaptation and dialogue
    • 1960

Second Unit or Assistant Director



  • Chien de pique (1960)
    Chien de pique
    6.0
    • first assistant director
    • 1960
  • Les affreux (1959)
    Les affreux
    5.7
    • first assistant director
    • 1959
  • François Périer and Micheline Presle in Bobosse (1959)
    Bobosse
    5.1
    • first assistant director
    • 1959
  • Chronique provinciale
    Short
    • assistant director
    • 1958
  • The Lovers (1958)
    The Lovers
    7.2
    • second assistant director
    • 1958
  • Elevator to the Gallows (1958)
    Elevator to the Gallows
    7.9
    • second assistant director
    • 1958

Videos1

A Man Escaped: The Criterion Collection
Trailer 1:56
A Man Escaped: The Criterion Collection

Personal details

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  • Born
    • May 26, 1929
    • Margny-lès-Compiègne, Oise, Picardie, France
  • Died
    • December 3, 2020
    • Paris, France(undisclosed)
  • Spouse
    • Catherine LeterrierApril 29, 1970 - December 3, 2020 (his death, 1 child)
  • Children
    • Louis Leterrier

Did you know

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  • Trivia
    Father of French director Louis Leterrier.

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