Édouard Molinaro (13 May 1928 – 7 December 2013) was a French

film director A film director controls a film's artistic and dramatic aspects and visualizes the screenplay (or script) while guiding the film crew and actors in the fulfilment of that vision. The director has a key role in choosing the cast members, p ...

and

screenwriter A screenplay writer (also called screenwriter, scriptwriter, scribe or scenarist) is a writer who practices the craft of screenwriting, writing screenplays on which mass media, such as films, television programs and video games, are based. ...

Biography

He was born in

Bordeaux Bordeaux ( , ; Gascon oc, Bordèu ; eu, Bordele; it, Bordò; es, Burdeos) is a port city on the river Garonne in the Gironde department, Southwestern France. It is the capital of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, as well as the prefectur ...

Gironde Gironde ( US usually, , ; oc, Gironda, ) is the largest department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of Southwestern France. Named after the Gironde estuary, a major waterway, its prefecture is Bordeaux. In 2019, it had a population of 1,62 ...

. He is best known for his comedies with

Louis de Funès Louis Germain David de Funès de Galarza (; 31 July 1914 – 27 January 1983) was a French actor and comedian. He is France's favourite actor, according to a series of polls conducted since the late 1960s, having played over 150 roles in fil ...

(''

Oscar Oscar, OSCAR, or The Oscar may refer to: People * Oscar (given name), an Irish- and English-language name also used in other languages; the article includes the names Oskar, Oskari, Oszkár, Óscar, and other forms. * Oscar (Irish mythology) ...

'', ''

Hibernatus ''Hibernatus'' is a 1969 French-Italian comedy directed by Édouard Molinaro and written by Jean Bernard-Luc. It stars Louis de Funès as an industrialist named Hubert Barrère de Tartas. Plot A man frozen for 65 years is found in the ice of the ...

''), '' My Uncle Benjamin'' (with

Jacques Brel Jacques Romain Georges Brel (, ; 8 April 1929 – 9 October 1978) was a Belgian singer and actor who composed and performed literate, thoughtful, and theatrical songs that generated a large, devoted following—initially in Belgium and France, l ...

and

Claude Jade Claude Marcelle Jorré, better known as Claude Jade (; 8 October 1948 – 1 December 2006), was a French actress. She starred as Christine in François Truffaut's three films '' Stolen Kisses'' (1968), '' Bed and Board'' (1970) and '' Love on th ...

), ''

Dracula and Son ''Dracula and Son'' (french: Dracula père et fils) is a 1976 French comedy horror film directed and written by Édouard Molinaro. The film is about a vampire father and son. Christopher Lee reprises his role as Count Dracula from the Hammer Fi ...

'' (with

Christopher Lee Sir Christopher Frank Carandini Lee (27 May 1922 – 7 June 2015) was an English actor and singer. In a long career spanning more than 60 years, Lee often portrayed villains, and appeared as Count Dracula in seven Hammer Horror films, ultimat ...

), and the Academy Award-nominated '' La Cage aux Folles'' (with

Michel Serrault Michel Serrault (24 January 1928 – 29 July 2007) was a French stage and film actor who appeared from 1954 until 2007 in more than 130 films. Life and career His first professional job was in a touring production in Germany of Molière's '' Les ...

and

Ugo Tognazzi Ugo Tognazzi (23 March 1922 – 27 October 1990) was an Italian actor, director, and screenwriter. Early life Tognazzi was born in Cremona, in northern Italy but spent his youth in various localities as his father was a travelling clerk fo ...

). Molinaro was active as a director until a few years before his death, although after 1985 he had almost exclusively been producing works for television. In 1996, his cinematic work was awarded the

René Clair Award René Clair Award (french: Prix René-Clair) is an award instituted in 1994 and presented by the '' Académie française'' for achievements in the field of cinema. The prize was named after the French filmmaker René Clair. Each year, the winner o ...

, a prize given by the

Académie française An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of secondary education, secondary or tertiary education, tertiary higher education, higher learning (and generally also research or honorary membershi ...

for excellent film work. Molinaro died of a

respiratory insufficiency Respiratory failure results from inadequate gas exchange by the respiratory system, meaning that the arterial oxygen, carbon dioxide, or both cannot be kept at normal levels. A drop in the oxygen carried in the blood is known as hypoxemia; a rise ...

in 2013. He was 85.

Filmography (as director)

*''Les Alchimistes'' (1957, short) *' (''Back to the Wall'', ''Evidence in Concrete'', 1958) — based on a novel by

Frédéric Dard Frédéric Dard (Frédéric Charles Antoine Dard; 29 June 1921, in Bourgoin-Jallieu, Isère, France – 6 June 2000, in Bonnefontaine, Fribourg, Switzerland) was a French crime writer. He wrote more than three hundred novels, plays and screenplays ...

*' (''The Road to Shame'', 1959) — based on a novel by *' (''Witness in the City'', 1959) — screenplay by

Boileau-Narcejac Boileau-Narcejac is the pen name used by the prolific French crime-writing duo of Pierre Boileau (28 April 1906 – 16 January 1989) and Pierre Ayraud, aka Thomas Narcejac (3 July 1908 – 7 June 1998). Their successful collaboration produced 43 n ...

*' (''A Lover for the Summer'', ''A Mistress for the Summer'', 1960) — based on a novel by

Maurice Clavel Maurice Clavel () (1920-1979) was a French writer, journalist, and philosophy, philosopher. Youth Maurice Clavel was born on 10 November 1920 in Frontignan, Hérault to a family headed by a father who was a pharmacist. This conservative milieu o ...

*'' The Passion of Slow Fire'' (1961) — based on a novel by

Georges Simenon Georges Joseph Christian Simenon (; 13 February 1903 – 4 September 1989) was a Belgian writer. He published nearly 500 novels and numerous short works, and was the creator of the fictional detective Jules Maigret. Early life and education ...

*' (''Touch of Treason'', 1962) — based on a novel by *''

The Seven Deadly Sins The seven deadly sins is a classification of vices used in Christian teachings. Seven deadly sins may also refer to: Art * ''The Seven Deadly Sins and the Four Last Things'', a 1485 painting by Hieronymus Bosch * '' The Seven Deadly Sins of Moder ...

'' (1962, anthology film) *' (''Arsene Lupin vs. Arsene Lupin'', 1962) —

Arsène Lupin Arsène Lupin (French pronunciation: ʁsɛn lypɛ̃ is a fictional gentleman thief and master of disguise created in 1905 by French writer Maurice Leblanc. The character was first introduced in a series of short stories serialized in the magazi ...

sequel *''

Une ravissante idiote ''Une ravissante idiote'' ( ''The Ravishing Idiot'') is a 1964 French-Italian Cold War comedy film directed by Édouard Molinaro. François Billetdoux and André Tabet wrote a screenplay based on Charles Exbrayat 1962 novel of the same name. Brig ...

'' (''Agent 38-24-36'', ''The Ravishing Idiot'', 1964) — based on a novel by

Charles Exbrayat Charles Exbrayat (5 May 1906 – 8 March 1989) was a French fiction writer. He published over 100 novels and short stories, most of them humorous thrillers. They were very popular and a considerable number were turned into films. While living i ...

*'' Male Hunt'' (1964) *' (''When the Pheasants Pass'', 1965) *''

To Commit a Murder ''To Commit a Murder'' (France: ''Peau d'espion'') is a 1967 French neo-noir spy film starring Louis Jourdan. It was one of a series of thrillers directed by Edouard Molinaro in the 1960s.Jacques Robert *''

'' (1967) — based on a play by *''

'' (1969) — based on a play by

Jean Bernard-Luc Jean Bernard-Luc, real name Lucien Boudousse, (Guatemala City, 8 February 1909 – Pontoise (Val-d'Oise), 18 May 1985) was a 20th-century French screenwriter and dialoguist. Biography Born in Guatemala, he arrived in France with his parents a ...

*''

Mon oncle Benjamin ''Mon oncle Benjamin'' (''My Uncle Benjamin'') is a 1969 French film directed by Édouard Molinaro, starring Jacques Brel and Claude Jade. The film is based on a once-popular French comic novel ' by Claude Tillier (1842). The 1969 film ''Don't ...

'' (''My Uncle Benjamin'', 1969) — based on a novel by Claude Tillier *' (1970) — based on a novel by Jacques Perry *' (''The Most Gentle Confessions'', 1971) — based on a play by

Georges Arnaud Henri Girard (16 July 1917 – 4 March 1987) was a French author who used the pseudonym Georges Arnaud. He was born in Montpellier. He was the author of the novel ''The Wages of Fear'' (french: Le Salaire de la peur). Biography Georges Arnau ...

*' (''Sweet Deception'', 1972) — based on a novel by Christine de Rivoyre *' (''The Hostage Gang'', 1973) *'' L'Emmerdeur'' (''A Pain in the A...'', 1973) — screenplay by

Francis Veber Francis Paul Veber (born 28 July 1937) is a French film director, screenwriter and producer, and playwright. He has written and directed both French and American films. Nine French-language films with which he has been involved, as either writ ...

*' (''The Irony of Chance'', 1974) — based on a novel by

Paul Guimard Paul Guimard (3 March 1921 – 2 May 2004) was a French writer known for combining his passion for writing with his love of the sea. His most famous work was '' Les Choses de la Vie'', which was adapted for film, with a complete change of its ...

*'': Un jour comme les autres avec des cacahuètes'' (1974, TV series episode) *' (''The Pink Telephone'', 1975) — screenplay by

*''

'' (1976) —

Dracula ''Dracula'' is a novel by Bram Stoker, published in 1897. As an epistolary novel, the narrative is related through letters, diary entries, and newspaper articles. It has no single protagonist, but opens with solicitor Jonathan Harker taking ...

parody *''

Man in a Hurry ''Man in a Hurry'' (french: L'Homme pressé, it, L'ultimo giorno d'amore, released in UK as ''The Hurried Man'') is a 1977 French-Italian drama film directed by Édouard Molinaro and starring Alain Delon and Mireille Darc. It is based on the nov ...

'' (1977) — based on the novel ''

The Man in a Hurry ''The Man in a Hurry'' () is a 1941 novel by the French writer Paul Morand. It tells the story of a busy Paris antiques dealer who does not seem to be able to relax and settle down, not even when he finally falls in love, gets married and has a ch ...

'' by

Paul Morand Paul Morand (13 March 1888 – 24 July 1976) was a French author whose short stories and novellas were lauded for their style, wit and descriptive power. His most productive literary period was the interwar period of the 1920s and 1930s. He was mu ...

*'': Le Dossier Françoise Muller'' (1978, TV series episode) *' (1978, TV miniseries) — based on the ''

Claudine Claudine may refer to: Name * Claudine (given name), a feminine given name of French origin Culture * ''Claudine'' (film), a 1974 American film by John Berry ** ''Claudine'' (soundtrack), its soundtrack album. Music by Curtis Mayfield and Gladis ...

'' novels by

Colette Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette (; 28 January 1873 – 3 August 1954), known mononymously as Colette, was a French author and woman of letters. She was also a mime, actress, and journalist. Colette is best known in the English-speaking world for her ...

*'' La Cage aux folles'' (1978) — screenplay by

, based on the play '' La Cage aux Folles'' by Jean Poiret *''Il était un musicien: Monsieur Strauss'' (1979, TV series episode) *' (1979) — screenplay by

, based on a novel by Peter Marks *''La Pitié dangereuse'' (1979, TV film) — based on ''

Beware of Pity ''Beware of Pity'' is a 1946 British romantic drama film directed by Maurice Elvey and starring Lilli Palmer, Albert Lieven and Cedric Hardwicke. It is based on the novel of the same name by Stefan Zweig. A paraplegic young baroness mistakes co ...

'' by Stefan Zweig *''

Sunday Lovers ''Sunday Lovers'' is a 1980 internationally co-produced romantic comedy film directed by Bryan Forbes, Gene Wilder, Dino Risi and Édouard Molinaro. It stars Roger Moore, Gene Wilder, Priscilla Barnes, Lynn Redgrave, Denholm Elliott and Kathleen ...

'' (1980, anthology film) — screenplay by

*''

La Cage aux Folles II ''La Cage aux Folles II'' is a 1980 French comedy film and the sequel to 1978's '' La Cage aux Folles''. It is directed by Édouard Molinaro and stars Michel Serrault as Albin (stage name ZaZa), the female impersonator star of a gay night-club re ...

'' (1980) — screenplay by

, sequel to ''La Cage aux Folles'' *''Au bon beurre'' (1981, TV film) — based on '' The Best Butter'' by

Jean Dutourd Jean Gwenaël Dutourd (; 14 January 192017 January 2011) was a French novelist. Biography Dutourd was born in Paris. His mother died when he was seven years old. At the age of twenty, he was taken prisoner fifteen days after Germany's invasion ...

*'' Pour cent briques, t'as plus rien...'' (''For 200 Grand, You Get Nothing Now'', 1982) — based on a play by *' (1983, TV film) — based on a novel by

Armand Lanoux Armand Lanoux (24 October 1913 - 23 March 1983) was a French writer. Biography Lanoux was born in Paris. Early in life he had several jobs: he was a teacher, designer of candy boxes, bank employee, painter and journalist. He became an editor f ...

*'' Just the Way You Are'' (1984) *' (1985) *' (''Love on the Quiet'', 1985) *''

Le Tiroir secret ''Le Tiroir secret'' is a 1986 French family drama TV mini-series (6 episodes) directed by Michel Boisrond, Edouard Molinaro, Nadine Trintignant and Roger Gillioz. The screenplay was written by Danièle Thompson, Jean-Patrick Manchette, Patric ...

'' (1986, TV miniseries) *''Un métier du seigneur'' (TV film) — based on ''A Noble Profession'' by

Pierre Boulle Pierre François Marie Louis Boulle (20 February 1912 – 30 January 1994) was a French novelist best known for two works, ''The Bridge over the River Kwai'' (1952) and ''Planet of the Apes (novel), Planet of the Apes'' (1963), that were both mad ...

*'' L'Ivresse de la métamorphose'' (1988, TV miniseries) — based on '' The Post Office Girl'' by Stefan Zweig *''

Door on the Left as You Leave the Elevator ''Door on the Left as You Leave the Elevator'' (french: À gauche en sortant de l'ascenseur) is a 1988 French comedy written by Gérard Lauzier (based on his play), directed by Édouard Molinaro, and starring Pierre Richard, Emmanuelle Béart, an ...

'' (1988) — based on a play by

Gérard Lauzier Gérard Lauzier (30 November 1932 – 6 December 2008) was a French comics author and movie director, best known as one of the leading authors in the more adult-oriented French comics scene of the 1970s and 1980s. Biography Gérard Lauzier was bo ...

*''La Ruelle au clair de lune'' (1988, TV film) — based on ''

Moonbeam Alley "Moonbeam Alley" (german: Die Mondscheingasse) is a short story by Austrian author Stefan Zweig, first published in 1922. In the short story, as in ''Amok (novella), Amok'', Zweig brings the altruistic concerns of the protagonist into the forefro ...

'' by Stefan Zweig *''Manon Roland'' (1989, TV film) — biographical film about

Madame Roland Marie-Jeanne 'Manon' Roland de la Platière (Paris, March 17, 1754 – Paris, November 8, 1793), born Marie-Jeanne Phlipon, and best known under the name Madame Roland, was a French revolutionary, salonnière and writer. Initially she led a ...

*''Les Grandes Familles'' (1989, TV miniseries) — based on a novel by

Maurice Druon Maurice Druon (23 April 1918 – 14 April 2009) was a French novelist and a member of the Académie Française, of which he served as "Perpetual Secretary" (chairman) between 1985 and 1999. Life and career Born in Paris, France, Druon was the s ...

*'': La Peau du gorille'' (1990, TV series episode) *' (1991, TV film) — based on a novella by

Arthur Schnitzler Arthur Schnitzler (15 May 1862 – 21 October 1931) was an Austrian author and dramatist. Biography Arthur Schnitzler was born at Praterstrasse 16, Leopoldstadt, Vienna, capital of the Austrian Empire (as of 1867, part of the dual monarchy ...

*''Coup de foudre: Résurgence'' (1992, TV series episode) *''Coup de foudre: Grand, beau et brun'' (1992, TV series episode) *''La Femme abandonnée'' (1992, TV film) — based on ''The Deserted Woman'' by

Honoré de Balzac Honoré de Balzac ( , more commonly , ; born Honoré Balzac;Jean-Louis Dega, La vie prodigieuse de Bernard-François Balssa, père d'Honoré de Balzac : Aux sources historiques de La Comédie humaine, Rodez, Subervie, 1998, 665 p. 20 May 179 ...

*''

The Supper ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

'' (1992) — based on a play by

Jean-Claude Brisville Jean-Claude Brisville (28 May 1922 – 11 August 2014) was a French writer, playwright, novelist and author for children. A screenwriter, in particular for the film '' Beaumarchais, l'insolent'', he obtained the Grand Prix du théâtre of the A ...

*''Ce que savait Maisie'' (1995, TV film) — based on ''

What Maisie Knew ''What Maisie Knew'' is a novel by Henry James, first published as a serial in ''The Chap-Book'' and (revised and abridged) in the ''New Review'' in 1897 and then as a book later that year. It tells the story of the sensitive daughter of divorc ...

'' by

Henry James Henry James ( – ) was an American-British author. He is regarded as a key transitional figure between literary realism and literary modernism, and is considered by many to be among the greatest novelists in the English language. He was the ...

*''

Beaumarchais Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais (; 24 January 1732 – 18 May 1799) was a French polymath. At various times in his life, he was a watchmaker, inventor, playwright, musician, diplomat, spy, publisher, horticulturist, arms dealer, satirist, ...

'' (1996) — biographical film about

, based on a play by Sacha Guitry *'' H'' (1998–1999, TV series, 14 episodes) *''Nora'' (1999, TV film) — based on ''

Watch and Ward ''Watch and Ward'' is a short novel by Henry James, first published as a serial in ''The Atlantic Monthly'' in 1871 and later as a book in 1878. This was James' first novel, though he virtually disowned the book later in life. James later called ...

'' by

*' (1999, TV film) *''Nana'' (2001, TV film) — loosely based on ''

Nana Nana, Nanna, Na Na or NANA may refer to: People and fictional characters * Nana (given name), including a list of people and characters with the given name * Nana (surname), including a list of people and characters with the surname * Nana ( ...

'' by

Émile Zola Émile Édouard Charles Antoine Zola (, also , ; 2 April 184029 September 1902) was a French novelist, journalist, playwright, the best-known practitioner of the literary school of naturalism, and an important contributor to the development of ...

*' (2003, TV film) *'' Navarro: Double meurtre'' (2005, TV series episode) *' (2005, TV film) *' (2005–2006, TV series, 3 episodes) *'' Navarro: Manipulation'' (2005, TV series episode) *' (2005–2008, TV series, 5 episodes) *''Dirty Slapping'' (2008, TV short film)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Molinaro, Edouard 1928 births 2013 deaths French film directors French male screenwriters French screenwriters French television directors French people of Italian descent Mass media people from Bordeaux Deaths from respiratory failure