Gaston Modot (31 December 1887 – 20 February 1970) was a French actor. For more than 50 years he performed for the cinema working with a number of great French directors.

Biography

Modot lived in

Montmartre Montmartre ( , ) is a large hill in Paris's northern 18th arrondissement. It is high and gives its name to the surrounding district, part of the Right Bank. The historic district established by the City of Paris in 1995 is bordered by Rue Ca ...

at the beginning of the 20th century where he met

Picasso Pablo Ruiz Picasso (25 October 1881 – 8 April 1973) was a Spanish painter, sculptor, printmaker, ceramicist and Scenic design, theatre designer who spent most of his adult life in France. One of the most influential artists of the 20th ce ...

and Modigliani. In 1909 he started his career with Gaumont and for the following 20 years he covered all

silent film A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) or key lines of dialogue may, when ...

genres. In 1917 he was the main actor in

Abel Gance Abel Gance (; born Abel Eugène Alexandre Péréthon; 25 October 188910 November 1981) was a French film director and producer, writer and actor. A pioneer in the theory and practice of montage, he is best known for three major silent films: ''J ...

's ''

Mater dolorosa Our Lady of Sorrows ( la, Beata Maria Virgo Perdolens), Our Lady of Dolours, the Sorrowful Mother or Mother of Sorrows ( la, Mater Dolorosa, link=no), and Our Lady of Piety, Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows or Our Lady of the Seven Dolours are names ...

''. He played in

Germaine Dulac Germaine Dulac (; born Charlotte Elisabeth Germaine Saisset-Schneider; 17 November 1882 – 20 July 1942)Flitterman-Lewis 1996 was a French filmmaker, film theorist, journalist and critic. She was born in Amiens and moved to Paris in early child ...

and

Louis Delluc Louis Delluc (; 14 October 1890 – 22 March 1924) was an Impressionist French film director, screenwriter and film critic. Biography Delluc was born in Cadouin in 1890. His family moved to Paris in 1903. After graduating from the university, ...

avant-garde The avant-garde (; In 'advance guard' or ' vanguard', literally 'fore-guard') is a person or work that is experimental, radical, or unorthodox with respect to art, culture, or society.John Picchione, The New Avant-garde in Italy: Theoretical ...

films ''La fête espagnole'' (1919) and ''Fièvre'' (1921). With

Max Linder Max or MAX may refer to: Animals * Max (dog) (1983–2013), at one time purported to be the world's oldest living dog * Max (English Springer Spaniel), the first pet dog to win the PDSA Order of Merit (animal equivalent of OBE) * Max (gorilla) ...

, Modot played in Abel Gance's ''

Au secours! is a 1924 short French silent comedy film directed by Abel Gance and starring Max Linder. The French title translates into English as "Help!". The film is also known as ''The Haunted House'' in some reference books. The film was made on a dar ...

'' (1924). Towards the end of the 1920s he performed in German-French co-productions. He is still famous for his role of "Manns" in

Luis Buñuel Luis Buñuel Portolés (; 22 February 1900 – 29 July 1983) was a Spanish-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 ...

's ''

L'Âge d'Or ''L'Age d'Or'' (french: L'Âge d'Or, ), commonly translated as ''The Golden Age'' or ''Age of Gold'', is a 1930 French surrealist satirical comedy film directed by Luis Buñuel about the insanities of modern life, the hypocrisy of the sexual m ...

'' (1930). He had his first role in a sound film with

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. He wen ...

's '' Sous les toits de Paris'' (1930). He and

Jean Gabin Jean Gabin (; 17 May 190415 November 1976) was a French actor and singer. Considered a key figure in French cinema, he starred in several classic films including ''Pépé le Moko'' (1937), '' La grande illusion'' (1937), ''Le Quai des brumes'' ...

are main characters in Julien Duvivier's ''Pépé le Moko'' (1937). He acted in the

Jean Renoir Jean Renoir (; 15 September 1894 – 12 February 1979) was a French film director, screenwriter, actor, producer and author. As a film director and actor, he made more than forty films from the silent film, silent era to the end of the 1960s. ...

classics ''

La grande illusion ''La Grande Illusion'' (also known as ''The Grand Illusion'') is a 1937 French war film directed by Jean Renoir, who co-wrote the screenplay with Charles Spaak. The story concerns class relationships among a small group of French officers who ar ...

'' and ''

La règle du jeu ''The Rules of the Game'' (original French title: ''La règle du jeu'') is a 1939 French satirical comedy-drama film directed by Jean Renoir. The ensemble cast includes Nora Gregor, Paulette Dubost, Mila Parély, Marcel Dalio, Julien Car ...

'' as well as the three-hour poetic film '' Les enfants du paradis'' (1945) for Marcel Carné. In 1962 Modot ended his acting career. He had acted in more than 100 films.

Films

* ''

Mater Dolorosa Our Lady of Sorrows ( la, Beata Maria Virgo Perdolens), Our Lady of Dolours, the Sorrowful Mother or Mother of Sorrows ( la, Mater Dolorosa, link=no), and Our Lady of Piety, Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows or Our Lady of the Seven Dolours are names ...

'' (1917) * '' La zone de la mort'' (1917) * ''La fête espagnole'' (1919) * ''Fièvre'' (1921) * ''

Mathias Sandorf ''Mathias Sandorf'' is an 1885 adventure book by French writer Jules Verne. It was first serialized in ''Le Temps'' in 1885, and it was Verne's epic Mediterranean adventure. It employs many of the devices that had served well in his earlier novel ...

'' (1921) * ''

The Mysteries of Paris ''The Mysteries of Paris'' (french: Les Mystères de Paris) is a novel by the French writer Eugène Sue. It was published serially in 90 parts in ''Journal des débats'' from 19 June 1842 until 15 October 1843, making it one of the first seria ...

'' (1922) * ''Au secours!'' (1924) * ''

Heart of an Actress ''Heart of an Actress'' (French: ''Âme d'artiste'') is a 1924 French silent drama film directed by Germaine Dulac and starring Iván Petrovich, Nicolas Koline and Mabel Poulton. Poulton had almost been cast in Abel Gance's ''Napoleon'', but a ...

'' (1924) * '' Le Miracle des loups'' (1924) * ''

Carmen ''Carmen'' () is an opera in four acts by the French composer Georges Bizet. The libretto was written by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy, based on the Carmen (novella), novella of the same title by Prosper Mérimée. The opera was first perfo ...

'' (1926) * '' The Lady of Lebanon'' (1926) * ''

The City of a Thousand Delights ''The City of a Thousand Delights'' (German: ''Die Stadt der tausend Freuden'') is a 1927 German silent film directed by Carmine Gallone and starring Paul Richter, Adele Sandrock and Langhorn Burton.Giesen, Rolf. ''Special Effects Artists: A Wor ...

'' (1927) * ''

Secrets of the Orient ''Secrets of the Orient'' (german: Geheimnisse des Orients) is a 1928 German- French silent drama film directed by Alexandre Volkoff and starring Nikolas Kolin, Iván Petrovich and Dimitri Dimitriev.Bock p. 237 It was made at the Babelsberg S ...

'' (1928) * '' Change of Heart'' (1928) * ''Le navire des hommes perdus'' (1929) * ''

The Green Monocle ''The Green Monocle'' (German: ''Das grüne Monokel'') is a 1929 German silent crime film directed by Rudolf Meinert and starring Ralph Clancy, Betty Bird and Suzy Vernon. The film was based on a novel by Guido Kreutzer. It features the ficti ...

'' (1929) * ''

Phantoms of Happiness Phantom may refer to: * Spirit (animating force), the vital principle or animating force within all living things ** Ghost, the soul or spirit of a dead person or animal that can appear to the living Aircraft * Boeing Phantom Ray, a stealthy unm ...

'' (1929) * ''

My Daughter's Tutor ''My Daughter's Tutor'' (german: Der Erzieher meiner Tochter) is a 1929 German silent comedy film directed by Géza von Bolváry and starring Harry Liedtke, Dolly Davis, and Charles Puffy. The plot closely mirrored that of Ernst Lubitsch's ''T ...

'' (1929) * '' The Ship of Lost Souls'' (1929) * ''

Saint Joan the Maid ''Saint Joan the Maid'' or ''The Marvellous Life of Joan of Arc'' (French: ''La merveilleuse vie de Jeanne d'Arc'') is a 1929 French-German silent historical drama film directed by Marco de Gastyne and starring Simone Genevois, Fernand Mailly ...

'' (1929) * ''

'' (1930) * ''

Under the Roofs of Paris ''Under the Roofs of Paris'' (french: Sous les toits de Paris) is a 1930 French film directed by René Clair. The film was probably the earliest French example of a filmed musical-comedy, although its often dark tone differentiates it from othe ...

'' (1930) * '' About an Inquest'' (1931) * ''

Under the Leather Helmet Under may refer to: * "Under" (Alex Hepburn song), 2013 * "Under" (Pleasure P song), 2009 *Bülent Ünder (born 1949), Turkish footballer *Cengiz Ünder (born 1997), Turkish footballer *Marie Under Marie Under ( – 25 September 1980) was one o ...

'' (1932) * ''

Fantômas Fantômas () is a fictional character created by French writers Marcel Allain (1885–1969) and Pierre Souvestre (1874–1914). One of the most popular characters in the history of French crime fiction, Fantômas was created in 1911 and appear ...

'' (1932) * ''

Bastille Day Bastille Day is the common name given in English-speaking countries to the national day of France, which is celebrated on 14 July each year. In French, it is formally called the (; "French National Celebration"); legally it is known as (; "t ...

'' (1933) * ''

Lucrezia Borgia Lucrezia Borgia (; ca-valencia, Lucrècia Borja, links=no ; 18 April 1480 – 24 June 1519) was a Spanish-Italian noblewoman of the House of Borgia who was the daughter of Pope Alexander VI and Vannozza dei Cattanei. She reigned as the Govern ...

'' (1935) * ''

Pépé le Moko ''Pépé le Moko'' () is a 1937 French film directed by Julien Duvivier starring Jean Gabin, based on a novel of the same name by Henri La Barthe and with sets by Jacques Krauss. An example of the 1930s French movement known as poetic realism, ...

'' (1937) * ''

White Cargo ''White Cargo'' is a 1942 film drama starring Hedy Lamarr and Walter Pidgeon, and directed by Richard Thorpe. Released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, it is based on the 1923 London and Broadway hit play by Leon Gordon, which was in turn adapted from ...

'' (1937) * ''

Grand Illusion Grand Illusion may refer to: Music * ''Grand Illusion'' (album), by Nocturnal Rites, 2005 *'' The Grand Illusion'', a 1977 album by Styx, and its title song *"Grand Illusion", a song from the 2016 album '' In the Now'' by Barry Gibb *"Grand Illu ...

'' (1937) * '' Street of Shadows'' (1937) * ''

The Chess Player ''The Chess Player'' (french: Le Joueur d'échecs) is a 1927 French silent film directed by Raymond Bernard and based on a novel by Henry Dupuy-Mazuel. It is a historical drama set in the late 18th century during the Russian domination of Pol ...

'' (1938) * '' The Time of the Cherries'' (1938) * ''

Coral Reefs A coral reef is an underwater ecosystem characterized by reef-building corals. Reefs are formed of colonies of coral polyps held together by calcium carbonate. Most coral reefs are built from stony corals, whose polyps cluster in groups. Co ...

'' (1939) * ''

The Rules of the Game ''The Rules of the Game'' (original French title: ''La règle du jeu'') is a 1939 French satirical comedy-drama film directed by Jean Renoir. The ensemble cast includes Nora Gregor, Paulette Dubost, Mila Parély, Marcel Dalio, Julien Carette, ...

'' (1939) * ''

At Your Command, Madame ''At Your Command, Madame'' (French: ''À vos ordres, Madame'') is a 1942 French comedy film directed by Jean Boyer and starring Jean Tissier, Suzanne Dehelly and Jacqueline Gauthier. It is based on a story by André Birabeau.Goble p.41 It was ...

'' (1942) * '' The Trump Card'' (1942) * '' Children of Paradise'' (1945) * ''

Lessons in Conduct ''Lessons in Conduct'' (French: ''Leçon de conduite'') is a 1946 French comedy film directed by Gilles Grangier and starring Odette Joyeux, Gilbert Gil and Jean Tissier. The film's sets were designed by Paul-Louis Boutié. Main cast * Odette ...

'' (1946) * ''

Antoine et Antoinette ''Antoine and Antoinette'' (french: Antoine et Antoinette) is a 1947 French comedy film directed by Jacques Becker. It was shot at the Saint-Maurice Studios in Paris. The film's sets were designed by the art director Robert-Jules Garnier. It w ...

'' (1947) * '' Eternal Conflict'' (1948) * ''La beauté du diable'' (1949) * ''

The Perfume of the Lady in Black ''The Perfume of the Lady in Black'' ( it, Il profumo della signora in nero) is a 1974 giallo-horror film directed by Francesco Barilli. The film had nothing to do with the similarly-titled novel by Gaston Leroux. Plot Silvia ( Mimsy Farmer) is ...

'' (1949) * ''

Monsieur Octave ''Monsieur Octave'' is a 1951 French comedy film directed by Maurice Boutel and starring Pierre Larquey, Marcel Pérès and Mady Berry.Bessy, Bernard & Chirat p.450 A recently retired railway worker borrows money to build a new house. Cast * Pie ...

'' (1951) * ''

Casque d'or ''Casque d'Or'' ("Golden Helmet") is a 1952 French historical drama film directed by Jacques Becker. It is a Belle Époque tragedy, the story of an ill-fated love affair between characters played by Simone Signoret and Serge Reggiani. The story ...

'' (1952) * ''

Meeting in Paris ''Meeting in Paris'' (French: ''Rencontre à Paris'') is a 1956 French comedy film directed by Georges Lampin and starring Robert Lamoureux, Betsy Blair and Jacques Castelot.Parish p.96 The film's sets were designed by the art director Art ...

'' (1956) * '' Elena and Her Men'' (1956) * '' The Lovers'' (1958) * ''Le testament du Docteur Cordelier'' (1959) * ''

Le Diable et les Dix Commandements ''Le Diable et les Dix Commandements'' ( en, The Devil and the Ten Commandments) is a French film from 1962 directed by Julien Duvivier that consists of seven sketches (eight in the versions shown in Germany and Japan) played by an ensemble cast ...

'' (1962)

External links

*
Gaston Modot
at Virtual History {{DEFAULTSORT:Modot, Gaston 1887 births 1970 deaths Male actors from Paris French male film actors French male silent film actors 20th-century French male actors Burials at Batignolles Cemetery