Albert Préjean (; 27 October 1894 – 1 November 1979) was a French actor, primarily in film. He served in World War I, and was decorated with the

Croix de Guerre The (, ''Cross of War'') is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was first awarded during World ...

and the

Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and Civil society, civil. Currently consisting of five cl ...

. With Lysiane Rey, he was the father of Patrick Préjean, and grandfather of Laura Préjean.

Biography

Préjean shot his first five films with French director

Henri Diamant-Berger Henri Diamant-Berger (9 June 1895 – 7 May 1972) was a French film director, director, film producer, producer and screenwriter. In a career that lasted more than 50 years, he directed 48 films between 1913 in film, 1913 and 1959 in film, 1959, ...

between 1921 and 1923. The roles he played tended to embody the leading man for the people, generous and strong. His most lasting fame stems from his work in the films of

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 ...

that transition from the silent to the sound eras. These include most notably the farce '' Un Chapeau de Paille d'Italie'' (1928) and the musicalized melancomic '' Sous les toits de Paris'' (1930). When German director G. W. Pabst directed the film version of the huge Brecht-Weill musical hit '' Die Dreigroschenoper'' in 1931, he simultaneously shot a French-language version (''L'opéra de quat'sous'') with a French lead cast. Préjean was given the coveted lead role of the underworld kingpin Mackie Messer. In 1929, he directed a medium-length film ''L'Aventure de Luna-Park'' with Daniele Parola. In addition to acting, he was also a popular singer in the 1930s. He sang songs like "La Valse to Dede Montmartre". During World War II he continued to act in films. In March 1942, he joined a group of actors who at the invitation of the Germans visited film studios in Berlin. This was alongside French actors and actresses such as René Dary, Astor Junie, Viviane Romance,

Suzy Delair Suzy Delair (born Suzette Pierrette Delaire; December 31, 1917 – March 15, 2020) was a French actress, dancer, singer, comedian and star of vaudeville. Early years Growing up in Montmartre, Delair was the daughter of a father who upholstered ...

and

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 ...

. He recollected his memories in a book published in 1979 with the help of his son, voice actor Patrick Préjean.

Selected filmography

* '' Le Miracle des loups'' (1924) * '' The Phantom of the Moulin Rouge'' (1925) * '' The Crazy Ray'' (1925) * ''

The Imaginary Voyage ''The Imaginary Voyage'' (French: ''Le voyage imaginaire'') is a 1926 French silent film, silent comedy film directed by René Clair and starring Dolly Davis, Jean Börlin and Albert Préjean.Oscherwitz & Higgins p.355 Plot In a vivid daydream, ...

'' (1926) * '' Mademoiselle's Chauffeur'' (1928) * '' The Italian Straw Hat'' (1928) * '' Verdun: Visions of History'' (1929) * '' Les Nouveaux Messieurs'' (1929) * '' The Shark'' (1930) * ''

Under the Roofs of Paris ''Under the Roofs of 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 other instances of the genre. It w ...

'' (1930) * '' L'Opéra de quat'sous'' (1931) * '' Amourous Adventure'' (1932) * '' A Son from America'' (1932) * '' Madame Makes Her Exit'' (1932) * '' Sailor's Song'' (1932) * '' Honeymoon Trip'' (1933) * '' Toto'' (1933) * '' Theodore and Company'' (1933) * ''

Volga in Flames ''Volga in Flames'' (French: ''Volga en flammes'') is a 1934 historical adventure film directed by Viktor Tourjansky and starring Albert Prejean, Valéry Inkijinoff and Danielle Darrieux.Driskell p.209 It was made as a co-production between Fra ...

'' (1934) * '' The Princess's Whim'' (1934) * '' The Crisis is Over'' (1934) * '' One Night's Secret'' (1934) * '' Gold in the Street'' (1934) * '' Moses and Solomon, Perfumers'' (1935) * '' Paris Camargue'' (1935) * ''

Honeymoon A honeymoon is a vacation taken by newlyweds after their wedding to celebrate their marriage. Today, honeymoons are often celebrated in destinations considered exotic or romantic. In a similar context, it may also refer to the phase in a couple ...

'' (1935) * '' Dédé'' (1935) * '' Princess Tam Tam'' (1935) * '' Jenny'' (1936) * ''

The Alibi ''The Alibi'' is a 2006 American film directed by Kurt Mattila and Matt Checkowski and written by Noah Hawley. It stars Steve Coogan, Rebecca Romijn, and Selma Blair. The film was shown at 2006 CineVegas. The film was released to DVD on Decemb ...

'' (1937) * '' In Venice, One Night'' (1937) * ''

Mollenard ''Mollenard'' is a 1938 French drama film directed by Robert Siodmak and starring Harry Baur, Gabrielle Dorziat and Pierre Renoir. It was also known by the alternative titles of ''Hatred'' and ''Capitaine Corsaire''. The film's sets were desi ...

'' (1938) * '' Unknown of Monte Carlo'' (1939) * '' Metropolitan'' (1939) * ''

Place de la Concorde The Place de la Concorde (; ) is a public square in Paris, France. Measuring in area, it is the largest square in the French capital. It is located in the city's eighth arrondissement, at the eastern end of the Champs-Élysées. It was the s ...

'' (1939) * '' Cristobal's Gold'' (1940) * '' Strange Suzy'' (1941) * '' Caprices'' (1942) *'' Shop Girls of Paris'' (1943) *'' Picpus'' as

Inspector Maigret Jules Maigret (), or simply Maigret, is a fictional French police detective, a '' commissaire'' ("commissioner") of the Paris ''Brigade Criminelle'' ('' Direction Régionale de la Police Judiciaire de Paris:36, Quai des Orfèvres''), created ...

* '' Cecile Is Dead'' (1944) as

* '' Majestic Hotel Cellars'' (1945) * '' The Murderer is Not Guilty'' (1946) * '' The Scarlet Bazaar'' (1947) * '' The Secret of Florida'' (1947) * '' The Bouquinquant Brothers'' (1947) * '' The Idol'' (1948) * '' The New Masters'' (1950) * ''

Love and Desire ''Love and Desire'' (French: ''Le désir et l'amour'') is a 1951 French-Spanish drama film directed by Henri Decoin and Luis María Delgado and starring Martine Carol, António Vilar and Carmen Sevilla. It was based on the 1929 novel of the same t ...

'' (1951) * '' Love in the Vineyard'' (1952) * ''

A Missionary ''A Missionary'' (French: ''Un missionnaire'') is a 1955 French drama film directed by Maurice Cloche and starring Yves Massard, Marie-France Planeze and René Blancard. It was shot in Guinea and Cameroon.Crisp p.157 The film is in Eastmancolor ...

'' (1955) * '' Chéri-Bibi'' (1955) * '' Bombs on Monte Carlo'' (1960)

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Prejean, Albert 1894 births 1979 deaths Knights of the Legion of Honour French male film actors French male silent film actors Recipients of the Croix de Guerre 1914–1918 (France) People from Pantin Male actors from Île-de-France 20th-century French male actors