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Gérard Philipe () (born Gérard Albert Philip, 4 December 1922 – 25 November 1959) was a prominent French actor who appeared in 32 films between 1944 and 1959. He came to prominence during the later period of the
poetic realism Poetic realism was a film movement in France of the 1930s. More a tendency than a movement, poetic realism is not strongly unified like Soviet montage or French Impressionism but were individuals who created this lyrical style. Its leading fi ...
movement of French Cinema in the late 1940s. His best known credits include '' Such a Pretty Little Beach'' (1949), ''
Beauty and the Devil ''La Beauté du diable'' (literally "the beauty of the devil"; originally released in the UK and USA as ''Beauty and the Devil'') is a 1950 Franco-Italian fantasy film drama directed by René Clair. A tragicomedy set in the early 19th century, it ...
'' (1950), '' Fan Fan the Tulip'' (1953), ''
Montparnasse 19 ''Montparnasse 19'' () is a 1958 French-Italian drama film directed and co-written by Jacques Becker, partially based on the last years of the life of Italian artist Amedeo Modigliani, who worked and died in abject poverty in the Montparnasse ar ...
'' (1958) and ''
Les liaisons dangereuses ''Les Liaisons dangereuses'' (; English: ''Dangerous Liaisons'') is a French epistolary novel by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos, first published in four volumes by Durand Neveu on March 23, 1782. It is the story of the Marquise Isabelle de Merteu ...
'' (1959). During his career he performed with some of the most famous and glamorous leading ladies of the era including
Jeanne Moreau Jeanne Moreau (; 23 January 1928 – 31 July 2017) was a French actress, singer, screenwriter, director, and socialite. She made her theatrical debut in 1947, and established herself as one of the leading actresses of the Comédie-Française. Mo ...
,
Michèle Morgan Michèle Morgan (; born Simone Renée Roussel; 29 February 1920 – 20 December 2016) was a French film actress, who was a leading lady for three decades in both French cinema and Hollywood features. She is considered one of the greatest Fren ...
,
Micheline Presle Micheline Presle (; born Micheline Nicole Julia Émilienne Chassagne; 22 August 1922 – 21 February 2024) was a French actress. She was sometimes billed as Micheline Prelle. Starting her career in 1937, she starred or appeared in over 150 films ...
,
Danielle Darrieux Danielle Yvonne Marie Antoinette Darrieux (; 1 May 1917 – 17 October 2017) was a French actress of stage, television and film, as well as a singer and dancer. Beginning in 1931, she appeared in more than 110 films. She was one of France's g ...
,
Gina Lollobrigida Luigia "Gina" Lollobrigida (4 July 1927 – 16 January 2023) was an Italian actress, model, photojournalist, and sculptor. She was one of the highest-profile European actresses of the 1950s and 1960s, a period in which she was an international ...
and
Anouk Aimée Nicole Françoise Florence Dreyfus (; 27 April 1932 2024), known professionally as Anouk Aimée () or Anouk, was a French film actress who appeared in 70 films from 1947 until 2019. Having begun her film career at age 14, she studied acting and ...
. As well as a successful film career, he was also a highly regarded classical actor, later achieving further fame when he became a member of
Jean Vilar Jean Vilar (25 March 1912– 28 May 1971) was a French actor and theatre director. Career Vilar trained under actor and theatre director Charles Dullin, then toured with an acting company throughout France. His directorial career began in 194 ...
's Théâtre national populaire where he performed in many of the greatest plays from the repertoire of French drama. He was, until his premature death, one of the main stars of the post-war period. His image has remained youthful and romantic, making him one of the most beloved cultural icons in
French cinema The cinema of France comprises the film industry and its film productions, whether made within the nation of France or by French film production companies abroad. It is the oldest and largest precursor of national cinemas in Europe, with prima ...
.


Early life

Gérard Albert Philip was born on 4 December 1922 in the villa Les Cynanthes in Cannes (
Alpes-Maritimes Alpes-Maritimes (; ; ; ) is a Departments of France, department of France located in the country's southeast corner, on the France–Italy border, Italian border and Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean coast. Part of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'A ...
), into an affluent family, made up of Marcel Philip (1893-1973) who was a wealthy barrister, businessman and owner of various hotel establishments on the
Côte d'Azur The French Riviera, known in French as the (; , ; ), is the Mediterranean coastline of the southeast corner of France. There is no official boundary, but it is considered to be the coastal area of the Alpes-Maritimes department, extending fr ...
and in Paris. His mother was Maria Elisa "Minou" Philip, née Vilette (1894–1970) and he had an older brother, Jean, who was one year his senior. His mother was the daughter of a pastry chef based in
Chartres Chartres () is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Eure-et-Loir Departments of France, department in the Centre-Val de Loire Regions of France, region in France. It is located about southwest of Paris. At the 2019 census, there were 1 ...
and a Czech emigrant who came directly from Prague. Making Philipe one-quarter Czech ancestry from his maternal grandmother. In 1936, his father became a member of the Nationalist League of the
Croix-de-Feu The Croix-de-Feu (, ''Cross of Fire'') was a nationalist French league of the interwar period, led by Colonel François de la Rocque (1885–1946). After it was dissolved, as were all other leagues during the Popular Front period (1936–38) ...
, later becoming enthusiastic about
Jacques Doriot Jacques Doriot (; 26 September 1898 – 22 February 1945) was a French politician, initially communist, later fascist, before and during World War II. In 1936, after his exclusion from the French Communist Party, he founded the French Popular Pa ...
and his dream of national-socialism à la française, joined the French People's Party and became secretary of the federation of Cannes. In 1928, Gérard was, with his brother Jean, an intern at the Stanislas Institutei High School in Cannes run by the Marianists, where he was a good student. There, at the beginning of the war, he obtained his baccalaureate. As a teenager, Philipe took acting lessons before going to Paris to study at the Conservatoire of Dramatic Art. In 1940, the Philip family moved to
Grasse Grasse (; Provençal dialect, Provençal in classical norm or in Mistralian norm ; traditional ) is the only Subprefectures in France, subprefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes Departments of France, department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur Re ...
where Marcel managed the Parc Palace Hotel, Grasse. As the owner-manager of the Parc palace-hôtel, his father housed the Mussolinian general staff there in 1940 and then the Nazi general staff in 1943. However, it was during this period in the early 40s, that many artists joined the free zone, with the Côte d'Azur becoming a hive of intense activity. In 1941, Philipe began studying law in Nice, as it was expected he would become a lawyer like his father, but after confiding in his mother, he considered leaving this path to become an actor, a move which his father opposed. The same year, the filmmaker
Marc Allégret Marc Allégret (22 December 1900 – 3 November 1973) was a French screenwriter, photographer and film director. Biography Born in Basel, Basel-Stadt, Switzerland, he was the elder brother of Yves Allégret. Marc was educated to be a lawyer in ...
met Maria, who occasionally practiced as a clairvoyance at her husband's hotel. Knowing that her son dreamt of being in the theatre, she persuaded the director to audition him. He therefore auditioned Gérard, asking him to perform a scene from
Étienne Étienne, a French analog of Stephen or Steven, is a masculine given name. An archaic variant of the name, prevalent up to the mid-17th century, is Estienne. Étienne, Etienne, Ettiene or Ettienne may refer to: People Artists and entertainers * ...
, a play by
Jacques Deval Jacques Deval (27 June 1895 – 19 December 1972) was a French playwright, screenwriter and film director. Novels *''Marie Galante'' (1931) Plays *''Une faible femme''; a comedy in three acts (1920) *''Dans sa candeur naïve''; a comedy in thre ...
where a 17-year-old son sees his vocation as an actor thwarted by his father. He is impressed by "a kind of violence ..that we felt ready to boil over at any moment". The filmmaker advised him to enroll in the Center des jeunes du cinema in Nice, then sent him to take drama classes with
Jean Wall Jean Wall (31 December 1900 – 24 October 1959) was a French stage actor, stage and film actor.Goble p. 306 He also directed two films. Partial filmography * ''La vagabonde'' (1932) – Le peintre Adolphe Taillandy * ''Chair ardente'' (1932) � ...
and Jean Huet in Cannes. Philipe had already enrolled in the faculty of law in Nice in 1942, but after meeting many refugee artists on the Côte d'Azur, then in the free zone since 1940, he finally made the decision to become an actor, with his mother supporting him in this endeavour.


Early Training

Philipe auditioned in 1942 in front of
Maurice Cloche Maurice Cloche (17 June 1907, in Commercy, Meuse (department), Meuse – 20 March 1990, in Bordeaux, France) was a French people, French film director, screenwriter, photographer and film producer. Best known for his Oscar-winning film ''Monsieur V ...
for the adventure film 'Les Cadets de l'océan', but did not get a role. He also did an essay for Le Blé en herbe alongside
Danièle Delorme Gabrielle Danièle Marguerite Andrée Girard (9 October 1926 – 17 October 2015), known by her stage name Danièle Delorme (), was a French actress and film producer, famous for her roles in films directed by Marc Allégret, Julien Duvivier an ...
, but the project was censored by the Vichy regime. He eventually made his theatre debut in Une grande fille tout simple, by André Roussin. The premiere of which took place on 11 July at the Cannes Casino. The play was a great success and toured in the south of France, as well as in Switzerland. His talent is already appreciated and recognized by his peers. In order to satisfy his mother's superstition, he adds an 'e' to his surname, so his first name and surname now form 13 letters. A name he would use professionally for the rest of his life. It was whilst attending the Conservatory of Dramatic Art in Paris that Philipe made his debut in Nice at the age of 19 on 11 October 1943 in Paris at the
Théâtre Hébertot Théâtre Hébertot () is a theatre at 78, boulevard des Batignolles, in the 17th arrondissement of Paris, France. History The theatre was completed in 1838 and opened as the Théâtre des Batignolles. It was later renamed Théâtre des Arts ...
in a production by
Georges Douking Georges Douking (born Georges Ladoubée; 6 August 1902 – 20 October 1987) was a French stage, film, and television actor. He also directed stage plays such as the premier presentation of Jean Giraudoux's ''Sodom and Gomorrah'' at the Théâtr ...
., where he played Angel in Jean Giradoux’s 'Sodome et Gomorrhe' (1943) opposite
Edwige Feuillère Edwige Feuillère (born Edwige Louise Caroline Cunatti; 29 October 1907 – 13 November 1998) was a French stage and film actress. Biography She was born Edwige Louise Caroline Cunatti to an Italian architect father and an Alsace-born moth ...
, this original production was a commercial success and ran for over two hundred performances. It was this performance that made him an star overnight. It was as a result of his success on the stage, that led to him receiving film offers, and within five years he would achieve international fame in the cinema. In 1943, Philipe toured with the play Une Jeune Fille sais by André Haguet, which met with success in Paris. He confirmed his acting gifts. Marc Allégret first hired him for a silhouette in the film La Boîte aux rêves, directed by his brother Yves, then gave him a small role in Petites du quai aux fleurs. The Philip family moved to rue de Paradis, in the 10th arrondissement of Paris . Gérard acquires his financial independence and lived with Jacques Sigurd on the rue du Dragon, in Saint-Germain-des-Prés. His friend, who would write many screenplays and dialogues in the films in which Gérard would play, introduced him to modern literature and introduced him to Caligula by Albert Camus . He obtained his first success and fame at the age of twenty, in the role of the angel of Sodom and Gomorrah by
Jean Giraudoux Hippolyte Jean Giraudoux (; ; 29 October 1882 – 31 January 1944) was a French novelist, essayist, diplomat and playwright. He is considered among the most important French dramatists of the period between World War I and World War II. His wo ...
. The director of the theatre, Jacques Hébertot, testifies: “From the first rehearsals, we realised that we had nothing to teach this young actor. He was inhabited". Despite the success, Gérard Philipe enrolled at the National Conservatory of Dramatic Art, took lessons from Denis d'Inès and won the second prize for comedy the following year, having been admitted to compete despite being in first year. At the Conservatoire, in 1944 he met the future poet Georges Perros with whom he would remain linked all his life. In February 1943, Philipe had a Cannes doctor draw up a certificate confirming that he had suffered from pleurisy three years earlier and that his condition remained fragile: "65kg for 1.83m", which allowed him to be reformed. Another certificate was made in June 1943. This pleurisy will cause health concerns for the young man later. If some of his friends joined the Resistance, it is not certain that Gérard Philipe knew it then: the displayed opinions of Mr. Philip must have made them quite suspicious. Gérard Philipe will not join the Resistance until the very last hour. From 20 to 25 August 1944 he took part in the
Liberation of Paris The liberation of Paris () was a battle that took place during World War II from 19 August 1944 until the German garrison surrendered the French capital on 25 August 1944. Paris had been occupied by Nazi Germany since the signing of the Armisti ...
, notably from the
Hôtel de Ville, Paris The (, ''City hall (administration), City Hall'') is the city hall of Paris, France, standing on the in the 4th arrondissement of Paris, 4th arrondissement. The south wing was originally constructed by Francis I of France, Francis I beginning ...
, in the company of thirty people under the orders of Roger Stéphane. From October he took lessons from Georges Le Roy “He taught me to stand up straight, with my knees outstretched, facing life, like a healthy man. In 1945, his father, Marcel, was sentenced to death in absentia for his crimes of collaboration. This resulted in the confiscation of his property on 22 November 1945 for intelligence with the enemy and membership in an anti-national group. Using his son's contacts, he was able to flee to Spain where he became a French teacher in Barcelona. Gérard, Anne and their children would pay him frequent visits.


Career and Stardom


Film

Philipe made his film debut in '' Les Petites du quai aux fleurs'' (1943), directed by
Marc Allégret Marc Allégret (22 December 1900 – 3 November 1973) was a French screenwriter, photographer and film director. Biography Born in Basel, Basel-Stadt, Switzerland, he was the elder brother of Yves Allégret. Marc was educated to be a lawyer in ...
, in an uncredited role. He had a minor role in '' Box of Dreams'' (1945) then was third billed in '' Land Without Stars'' (1946) after Jani Holt and
Pierre Brasseur Pierre Brasseur (; 22 December 1905 – 16 August 1972), born Pierre-Albert Espinasse, was a French actor. Biography The son of actors Georges Espinasse and Germaine Brasseur was an actor as well. The family tradition of using the name ''Br ...
; George Lacombe wrote and directed. When he was 19 years old, he made his stage debut at a theatre in
Nice Nice ( ; ) is a city in and the prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes department in France. The Nice agglomeration extends far beyond the administrative city limits, with a population of nearly one millionAlbert Camus Albert Camus ( ; ; 7 November 1913 – 4 January 1960) was a French philosopher, author, dramatist, journalist, world federalist, and political activist. He was the recipient of the 1957 Nobel Prize in Literature at the age of 44, the s ...
play ''
Caligula Gaius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (31 August 12 – 24 January 41), also called Gaius and Caligula (), was Roman emperor from AD 37 until his assassination in 41. He was the son of the Roman general Germanicus and Augustus' granddaughter Ag ...
'' made his reputation. Philipe had a lead role in ''
The Idiot ''The Idiot'' (Reforms of Russian orthography, pre-reform Russian: ; post-reform ) is a novel by the 19th-century Russian author Fyodor Dostoevsky. It was first published serially in the journal ''The Russian Messenger'' in 1868–1869. The titl ...
'' (1946), an adaptation of the novel by
Fyodor Dostoevsky Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky. () was a Russian novelist, short story writer, essayist and journalist. He is regarded as one of the greatest novelists in both Russian and world literature, and many of his works are considered highly influent ...
, co-starring
Edwige Feuillère Edwige Feuillère (born Edwige Louise Caroline Cunatti; 29 October 1907 – 13 November 1998) was a French stage and film actress. Biography She was born Edwige Louise Caroline Cunatti to an Italian architect father and an Alsace-born moth ...
for director Georges Lampin. This was seen in other countries and established Philipe as a leading man. He was in '' Ouvert pour cause d'inventaire'' (1946), a short film that was an early work for
Alain Resnais Alain Resnais (; 3 June 19221 March 2014) was a French film director and screenwriter whose career extended over more than six decades. After training as a film editor in the mid-1940s, he went on to direct short films including '' Night and Fog ...
. He was invited to work with the ''Théâtre national populaire'' (T.N.P.) in Paris and
Avignon Avignon (, , ; or , ; ) is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of southeastern France. Located on the left bank of the river Rhône, the Communes of France, commune had a ...
, whose
festival A festival is an event celebrated by a community and centering on some characteristic aspect or aspects of that community and its religion or cultures. It is often marked as a local or national holiday, Melā, mela, or Muslim holidays, eid. A ...
, founded in 1947 by
Jean Vilar Jean Vilar (25 March 1912– 28 May 1971) was a French actor and theatre director. Career Vilar trained under actor and theatre director Charles Dullin, then toured with an acting company throughout France. His directorial career began in 194 ...
, is France's oldest and most famous. Philipe gained fame as a result of his performance in
Claude Autant-Lara Claude Autant-Lara (; 5 August 1901 – 5 February 2000) was a French film director, screenwriter, set designer and costume designer who worked in films for over 50 years. He made films characterised by bourgeois Realism (arts), realism, anti- ...
's '' Devil in the Flesh'' (1947), alongside
Micheline Presle Micheline Presle (; born Micheline Nicole Julia Émilienne Chassagne; 22 August 1922 – 21 February 2024) was a French actress. She was sometimes billed as Micheline Prelle. Starting her career in 1937, she starred or appeared in over 150 films ...
. It was a huge box office success. He went on to star in '' La Chartreuse de Parme'' (1948) for director Christian-Jacque, which was even more popular than ''Devil in the Flesh''. He followed it with '' Such a Pretty Little Beach'' (1949) for
Yves Allégret Yves Allégret (13 October 1905 – 31 January 1987) was a French film director, often working in the film noir genre. He was born in Asnières-sur-Seine, Hauts-de-Seine and died in Paris. He was an assistant to film directors such as his brothe ...
; ''
All Roads Lead to Rome "All Roads Lead to Rome" is a proverb of medieval origin in a number of languages, referring to Roman roads, possibly related to the Milliarium Aureum. The term may also refer to: * ''All Roads Lead to Rome'' (1949 film), a French film * ''All ...
'' (1949), a reunion with Presle, for Jean Boyer; and ''
Beauty and the Devil ''La Beauté du diable'' (literally "the beauty of the devil"; originally released in the UK and USA as ''Beauty and the Devil'') is a 1950 Franco-Italian fantasy film drama directed by René Clair. A tragicomedy set in the early 19th century, it ...
'' (1950) for
René Clair René Clair (; 11 November 1898 – 15 March 1981), born René-Lucien Chomette (), was a French filmmaker and writer. He first established his reputation in the 1920s as a director of silent films in which comedy was often mingled with fantasy. H ...
. Philipe was one of several stars in
Max Ophüls Maximillian Oppenheimer ( , ; 6 May 1902 – 26 March 1957), known as Max Ophüls ( , , ) or simply Ophuls, was a German and French film director and screenwriter. He was known for his opulent and lyrical visual style, with heavy use of trac ...
' version of '' La Ronde'' (1950). He followed it with another all-star film, '' Lost Souvenirs'' (1951) for Christian-Jacques. In 1951, Philipe married Nicole Fourcade (1917–1990), an actress/writer, with whom he had two children. She adopted the pseudonym, Anne Philipe, and wrote about her husband in two books, the first called '' Souvenirs'' (1960) and a second biography titled ''Le Temps d'un soupir'' (''No Longer Than a Sigh'', 1963). Philipe was in ''
Juliette, or Key of Dreams ''Juliette, or Key of Dreams'' () is a 1951 French drama film directed by Marcel Carné. It was entered into the 1951 Cannes Film Festival. The film is based on a play by Georges Neveux. Cast * Gérard Philipe as Michel Grandier * Suzanne Clou ...
'' (1951) with Suzanne Cloutier for
Marcel Carné Marcel Albert Carné (; 18 August 1906 – 31 October 1996) was a French film director. A key figure in the poetic realism movement, Carné's best known films include ''Port of Shadows'' (1938), ''Le Jour Se Lève'' (1939), ''Les Visiteurs du Soi ...
; '' The Seven Deadly Sins'' (1952), an all-star anthology film; and '' Fan Fan the Tulip'' (1953), a swashbuckling adventure with
Gina Lollobrigida Luigia "Gina" Lollobrigida (4 July 1927 – 16 January 2023) was an Italian actress, model, photojournalist, and sculptor. She was one of the highest-profile European actresses of the 1950s and 1960s, a period in which she was an international ...
for Christian-Jacque which was very popular. He was in '' Beauties of the Night'' (1952), again with Lollobrigida, and Martine Carol, directed by Clair; ''
The Proud and the Beautiful ''The Proud and the Beautiful'' (, sub-title: ''Alvarado'', aka ''The Proud Ones'') is a 1953 drama film directed by Yves Allégret. It was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Story (the nomination officially went to Jean-Paul Sartre), but l ...
'' (1953) with
Michèle Morgan Michèle Morgan (; born Simone Renée Roussel; 29 February 1920 – 20 December 2016) was a French film actress, who was a leading lady for three decades in both French cinema and Hollywood features. She is considered one of the greatest Fren ...
; two more all-star anthologies: '' It Happened in the Park'' (1953) and ''
Royal Affairs in Versailles ''Royal Affairs in Versailles'' (French title: ''Si Versailles m'était conté'') is a 1954 French-Italian historical drama directed by Sacha Guitry. Described as "a historical film showing Versailles from its beginnings to the present day", it t ...
'' (1954). Philipe tried an English movie, '' Lovers, Happy Lovers!'' (1954, also known as ''Knave of Hearts''), directed by
René Clément René Clément (; 18 March 1913 – 17 March 1996) was a French film director and screenwriter. He is known for directing the films ''The Battle of the Rails'' (1946), ''Forbidden Games'' (1952), ''Gervaise (film), Gervaise'' (1956), ''Purple No ...
and co-starring Valerie Hobson. He then did ''
The Red and the Black ''Le Rouge et le Noir'' (; meaning ''The Red and the Black'') is a psychological novel in two volumes by Stendhal, published in 1830. It chronicles the attempts of a provincial young man to rise socially beyond his modest upbringing through a c ...
'' (1954) with
Danielle Darrieux Danielle Yvonne Marie Antoinette Darrieux (; 1 May 1917 – 17 October 2017) was a French actress of stage, television and film, as well as a singer and dancer. Beginning in 1931, she appeared in more than 110 films. She was one of France's g ...
and had a big success with '' The Grand Maneuver'' (1955) for René Clair, co-starring Morgan. Philipe did '' The Best Part'' (1956) for Yves Allégret and was one of many stars in '' If Paris Were Told to Us'' (1956). He wrote, directed and starred in '' Bold Adventure'' (1956), a comic adventure film. He starred in '' Lovers of Paris'' (1957) for
Julien Duvivier Julien Duvivier (; 8 October 1896 – 29 October 1967) was a French film director and screenwriter. He was prominent in French cinema in the years 1930–1960. Amongst his most original films, chiefly notable are ''La Bandera (film), La Bandera'', ...
and ''
Montparnasse 19 ''Montparnasse 19'' () is a 1958 French-Italian drama film directed and co-written by Jacques Becker, partially based on the last years of the life of Italian artist Amedeo Modigliani, who worked and died in abject poverty in the Montparnasse ar ...
'' (1958) for
Jacques Becker Jacques Becker (; 15 September 1906 – 21 February 1960) was a French film director and screenwriter. His films, made during the 1940s and 1950s, encompassed a wide variety of genres, and they were admired by some of the filmmakers who led th ...
. He was one of many stars in '' Life Together'' (1958) and top billed in '' The Gambler'' (1958). In 1958 he went to New York and performed on Broadway in the all-French ''
Lorenzaccio ''Lorenzaccio'' is a French Play (theatre), play of the Romantic period written by Alfred de Musset in 1834, set in 16th-century Florence, and depicting Lorenzino de' Medici, who killed Florence's tyrant, Alessandro de' Medici, Duke of Florence, ...
'' and '' Le Cid''. Philipe played Valmont in
Roger Vadim Roger Vadim Plemiannikov (; 26 January 1928 – 11 February 2000) was a French screenwriter, film director, and producer, as well as an author, artist, and occasional actor. His best-known works are visually lavish films with erotic qualities, s ...
's modern day version of ''
Les liaisons dangereuses ''Les Liaisons dangereuses'' (; English: ''Dangerous Liaisons'') is a French epistolary novel by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos, first published in four volumes by Durand Neveu on March 23, 1782. It is the story of the Marquise Isabelle de Merteu ...
'' (1959), appearing alongside
Jeanne Moreau Jeanne Moreau (; 23 January 1928 – 31 July 2017) was a French actress, singer, screenwriter, director, and socialite. She made her theatrical debut in 1947, and established herself as one of the leading actresses of the Comédie-Française. Mo ...
. His last film was '' Fever Mounts at El Pao'' (1960) for
Luis Buñuel Luis Buñuel Portolés (; 22 February 1900 – 29 July 1983) was a Spanish and Mexican filmmaker who worked in France, Mexico and Spain. He has been widely considered by many film critics, historians and directors to be one of the greatest and ...
.


Théâtre National Populaire (TNP)

Finally, in November, Gérard Philipe came to find
Jean Vilar Jean Vilar (25 March 1912– 28 May 1971) was a French actor and theatre director. Career Vilar trained under actor and theatre director Charles Dullin, then toured with an acting company throughout France. His directorial career began in 194 ...
in his box at the
Théâtre de l'Atelier The Théâtre de l'Atelier () is a theatre at 1, place Charles Dullin in the 18th arrondissement of Paris, France. History The theatre opened on 23 November 1822 under the name Théâtre Montmartre.Edward Foreman, ''Historical dictionary of Fren ...
, after a performance of Henri IV by
Luigi Pirandello Luigi Pirandello (; ; 28 June 1867 – 10 December 1936) was an Italians, Italian dramatist, novelist, poet, and short story writer whose greatest contributions were his plays. He was awarded the 1934 Nobel Prize in Literature "for his bold and ...
. Vilar testifies: “While removing my make-up that evening, I looked out of the corner of my eye at this famous boy whom I did not know well. Tall, erect, with a rare gesture, a clear and frank gaze, his presence was made up of both calm strength and fragility. I told him that I was preparing the
Festival d'Avignon The ''Festival d'Avignon'', or Avignon Festival (), is an annual arts festival held in the France, French city of Avignon every summer in July in the courtyard of the Palais des Papes as well as in other locations of the city. Founded in 1947 by ...
1951, that is to say the fifth Festival, and that it was the only undertaking I could assure him of. He replied immediately that he would therefore be from the next Avignon. Two days later, I gave him Le Prince de Hombourg . He says yes. I added: And The Cid? He lowered his head, smiled, then fell silent. Indeed , two years earlier, the actor had refused the role of Rodrigue, to the chagrin of the director. This meeting also marked Philipe: “A conversation with Vilar, his remarks on the theater, his opinion on the plays that I burned to play, left me won over. One of Vilar's great qualities is his patience. Me, I was playing impatient. But when he made me read The Prince of Hombourg , I no longer hesitated to follow him .. Léon Gischia, decorator and costume designer alongside Jean Vilar, was convinced that one of the major reasons that prompted Philipe to offer himself to work with Vilar, "are these new relationships, this new contact that Vilar had been able to create with his audience. - this young public, this popular public which was to become that of the TNP and for which Gérard already felt and has never ceased to feel such a deep need”. Adventure of the TNP The following year, Jean Vilar was appointed director of the Théâtre national populaire (TNP) and led a troupe made up of young actors and actresses with promising careers such as
Philippe Noiret Philippe Noiret (; 1 October 1930 – 23 November 2006) was a French film actor. Life and career Noiret was born in Lille, France, the son of Lucy (Heirman) and Pierre Noiret, a clothing company representative. He was an indifferent student a ...
,
Jeanne Moreau Jeanne Moreau (; 23 January 1928 – 31 July 2017) was a French actress, singer, screenwriter, director, and socialite. She made her theatrical debut in 1947, and established herself as one of the leading actresses of the Comédie-Française. Mo ...
,
Charles Denner Charles Denner (29 May 1926 – 10 September 1995) was a French actor born to a Jewish family in Tarnów, Poland. During his 30-year career he worked with some of France's greatest film director, directors of the time, including Louis Malle, ...
and Daniel Sorano. Philipe declared: “for me, the TNP is my home, it's my house”. Rehearsals for Le Cid and Le Prince de Hombourg began on 30 May, and after a difficult start Philipe managed to appropriate the role of Rodrigue thanks to Jean Vilar:“Everything seems possible to me since Vilar, to my great surprise, asked me to interpret the Cid. He won, not me. The premiere of Prince de Hombourg took place on 15 July at the
Festival d'Avignon The ''Festival d'Avignon'', or Avignon Festival (), is an annual arts festival held in the France, French city of Avignon every summer in July in the courtyard of the Palais des Papes as well as in other locations of the city. Founded in 1947 by ...
, in the main courtyard of the
Palais des Papes The ( English: Palace of the Popes; ''lo Palais dei Papas'' in Occitan) in Avignon, Southern France, is one of the largest and most important medieval Gothic buildings in Europe. Once a fortress and palace, the papal residence was a seat of We ...
On the 17th, Philipe was injured during the last dress rehearsal by falling 2.50 meters, fortunately cushioned by his thick suit 18 . If he is forced to play motionless or seated throughout the festival, considerably weakening his playing, the piece is nonetheless a triumph. This experience reinforces his attachment to the troupe and to Jean Vilar's project to make theater accessible to all. Léon Gischia believes that “Avignon will have been for Gérard a marriage of love with his public; this audience that Jean had prepared for him and who was only waiting for him. On 29 September Gérard Philipe signed his one-year contract with the TNP, tacitly renewable. Despite his career and his international fame, he reassured the new director that he is ready to receive a lower fee at the cinema so as not to jeopardise the troupe's budget. His salary is set at 30,000 francs gross per month (€ 750 in 2019), to which are added 400 francs per rehearsal (€10 in 2019). Jean Vilar later went on to say that in eight years, Philipe did not ask for any increase in salary, preferential treatment or special clauses. Also, to make the company truly democratic, his name appeared in its alphabetical place on all the posters.
Philippe Noiret Philippe Noiret (; 1 October 1930 – 23 November 2006) was a French film actor. Life and career Noiret was born in Lille, France, the son of Lucy (Heirman) and Pierre Noiret, a clothing company representative. He was an indifferent student a ...
told biographer (and husband of Philipe's daughter, Anne), Jérôme Garcin that it was customary, even when his fellow actors were acting in the same play, to "stop at the gallery to admire Philipe's acting, fascinated by his way of possessing the stage". He was joint president of the French actors’ union, Federation Internationale des Acteurs, (along with
Jean Darcante Jean Darcante, real name Jean-Louis Albassier, (1 April 1910 – 18 March 1990) was a French actor and theatre director. He was managing director of the théâtre de la Renaissance in Paris from 1946 to 1957.Hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play. Set in Denmark, the play (the ...
. He died from
liver cancer Liver cancer, also known as hepatic cancer, primary hepatic cancer, or primary hepatic malignancy, is cancer that starts in the liver. Liver cancer can be primary in which the cancer starts in the liver, or it can be liver metastasis, or secondar ...
, on 25 November 1959, at his home on the Rue de Tournon, Paris, a few days short of his 37th birthday. His untimely death caused a deep outpouring of shock and emotion in France, due to his great popularity as an actor and French icon. Jean Vilar paid him a final tribute on 28 November, on the stage of the Théâtre de Chaillot: “Death struck high. She mowed down the very one that ��for us expressed life. ��Hard worker, secret worker, methodical worker, he nevertheless mistrusted his gifts which were those of grace". In accordance with his last wishes, he was buried, dressed in the costume of Don Rodrigue ( The Cid), in the village cemetery in
Ramatuelle Ramatuelle (; Provençal: ''Ramatuela'') is a commune in the southeastern French department of Var. History Ramatuelle lies near St-Tropez, Sainte-Maxime and Gassin. It was built on a hill to defend itself against enemies. The town was known ...
, Var, near the Mediterranean coast. To commemorate the centenary of the cinema in 1995, the French government issued a series of limited edition coins that included a 100 franc coin bearing the image of Philipe. Among the most popular French actors of modern times, he has been elevated to mythic status in his homeland, not least because of his early death at the peak of his popularity.


Personal life

It was in 1942, that Gérard first met Nicole Navaux, who was an ethologist and wife of diplomat François Fourcade. It was in 1946, after Nicole divorced her first husband, that she and Philipe became engaged, marrying on 29 November 1951 at the town hall of
Neuilly-sur-Seine Neuilly-sur-Seine (; 'Neuilly-on-Seine'), also known simply as Neuilly, is an urban Communes of France, commune in the Hauts-de-Seine Departments of France, department just west of Paris in France. Immediately adjacent to the city, north of the ...
. Upon marriage Gérard asked his wife if she could use her first name, Anne, which he found to be more poetic. They soon had two children: Anne-Marie Philipe (born 21 December 1954) and Olivier Philipe (born 10 February 1956). They spent their time as a family between the boulevard d'Inkermann in Neuilly, and later rue de Tournon in Paris. They spent summer holidays together in
Ramatuelle Ramatuelle (; Provençal: ''Ramatuela'') is a commune in the southeastern French department of Var. History Ramatuelle lies near St-Tropez, Sainte-Maxime and Gassin. It was built on a hill to defend itself against enemies. The town was known ...
, in Provence, in a property belonging to Anne's family. In 1954, they bought a property in
Cergy Cergy () is a commune in the French department of Val-d'Oise, to the northwest of Paris. It is located from the centre of Paris, in the "new town" of Cergy-Pontoise, created in the 1960s, of which it is the central and most populated commun ...
, on the banks of the
Oise Oise ( ; ; ) is a department in the north of France. It is named after the river Oise. Inhabitants of the department are called ''Oisiens'' () or ''Isariens'', after the Latin name for the river, Isara. It had a population of 829,419 in 2019.< ...
. Here they found a haven of peace, away from hectic Parisian life, a place to receive their friends including Georges Perros,
Agnès Varda Agnès Varda (; born Arlette Varda; 30 May 1928 – 29 March 2019) was a Belgian-born French film director, screenwriter and photographer. Varda's work employed location shooting in an era when the limitations of sound technology made it easier ...
, Claude Roy,
René Clair René Clair (; 11 November 1898 – 15 March 1981), born René-Lucien Chomette (), was a French filmmaker and writer. He first established his reputation in the 1920s as a director of silent films in which comedy was often mingled with fantasy. H ...
). Philipe was a supporter of the Communist Party. He criticized however the Soviet intervention in Hungary in 1956. In 1959 he visited the communist leader of Cuba,
Fidel Castro Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz (13 August 1926 – 25 November 2016) was a Cuban politician and revolutionary who was the leader of Cuba from 1959 to 2008, serving as the prime minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976 and President of Cuba, president ...
, on his invitation.


Honours

"Rue Gérard Philipe" is a street in the
16th arrondissement of Paris The 16th arrondissement of Paris (; ) is the westernmost of the 20 arrondissements of Paris, the capital city of France. Located on the city's Right Bank, it is adjacent to the 17th and 8th arrondissements to the northeast, as well as to the ...
named in his honour. In 1961, his portrait appeared on a French commemorative
postage stamp A postage stamp is a small piece of paper issued by a post office, postal administration, or other authorized vendors to customers who pay postage (the cost involved in moving, insuring, or registering mail). Then the stamp is affixed to the f ...
. The "Gérard Philipe Theatre" (TGP) in Paris was named after him. From 1962 to 2000, the "Grand Prix Gérard Philipe de la Ville de Paris" was awarded almost annually by the city of Paris for the best actress or best actor at a Parisian theatre. Prize winners included
Gérard Depardieu Gérard Xavier Marcel Depardieu (, , ; born 27 December 1948) is a French actor. An icon of French cinema, considered a world star in the same way as Alain Delon or Brigitte Bardot, he has completed over 250 films since 1967, most of which as ...
,
Daniel Auteuil Daniel Auteuil (; born 24 January 1950) is a French actor and director who has appeared in a wide range of film genres, including period dramas, romantic comedies, and crime thrillers. In 1996 he won the Best Actor Award at the Cannes Film Fest ...
,
Maria de Medeiros Maria Esteves de Medeiros Victorino de Almeida, DamSE (born 19 August 1965), known professionally as Maria de Medeiros (), is a Portuguese actress, director, and singer who has been involved in both European and American film-productions. Ear ...
and
Isabelle Carré Isabelle Carré (born 28 May 1971) is a French actress. She has appeared in more than 70 films since 1989. She won a César Award for Best Actress for her role in '' Se souvenir des belles choses'' (2001), and has been nominated a further six ti ...
. There is also a film festival named in his honour as well as a number of theatres and schools (such as the College Gérard Philipe – Cogolin) in various parts of France. A cultural centre is named after him in Berlin.


Filmography


Acting


Voice

* ''Le Petit Prince'' (1954) * ''La Vie de W.-A. Mozart – racontée aux enfants'' (1954) * The texts of Karl Marx (1955) * ''Pierre et le Loup'' (
Peter and the Wolf ''Peter and the Wolf'' ( rus, Петя и волк, Pétya i volk, p=ˈpʲetʲə i volk) Op. 67, a "symphonic tale for children", is a Program music , programmatic musical composition written by Sergei Prokofiev in 1936. The narrator tells a ...
by
Sergei Prokofiev Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev; alternative transliterations of his name include ''Sergey'' or ''Serge'', and ''Prokofief'', ''Prokofieff'', or ''Prokofyev''. , group=n ( – 5 March 1953) was a Russian composer, pianist, and conductor who l ...
) with the Symphony Orchestra of the USSR (1956)


References


Bibliography

* * * *


External links

* *
Gérard Philipe
at filmsdefrance.com

at Film Reference
Gérard Philipe
A fan-maintained website {{DEFAULTSORT:Philipe, Gerard 1922 births 1959 deaths People from Cannes Male actors from Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Deaths from liver cancer in France French male film actors French male stage actors French people of Romanian descent French people of Czech descent French communists 20th-century French male actors César Honorary Award recipients