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''Who Killed Santa Claus?'' () is a 1941 French
comedy-drama Comedy drama (also known by the portmanteau dramedy) is a hybrid genre of works that combine elements of comedy and Drama (film and television), drama. In film, as well as scripted television series, serious dramatic subjects (such as death, il ...
mystery film A mystery film is a film that revolves around the solution of a problem or a crime. It focuses on the efforts of the detective, private investigator or amateur Detective, sleuth to solve the mysterious circumstances of an issue by means of clues, ...
directed by
Christian-Jaque Christian-Jaque (byname of Christian Maudet; 4 September 1904 – 8 July 1994) was a French filmmaker. From 1954 to 1959, he was married to actress Martine Carol, who starred in several of his films, including ''Lucrèce Borgia'' (1953), ''M ...
and starring
Harry Baur Harry Baur (12 April 1880 – 8 April 1943) was a French actor, famous for his titular role in ''Beethoven's Great Love'' and as Jean Valjean in Les Misérables (1934 film), the 1934 version of ''Les Misérables''. Life Initially a stage actor ...
,
Raymond Rouleau Raymond Rouleau (; 4 June 1904 – 11 December 1981) was a Belgian actor and film director. He appeared in more than 40 films between 1928 and 1979. He also directed 22 films between 1932 and 1981. Rouleau studied at the Royal Conservatory o ...
and
Robert Le Vigan Robert Le Vigan (born Robert Coquillaud, 7 January 1900 – 12 October 1972) was a French actor. He appeared in more than 60 films between 1931 and 1943 almost exclusively in small or supporting roles. He was, according to film academic Gin ...
. This adaptation of
Pierre Véry Pierre Véry (17 November 1900 in Bellon, Charente – 12 October 1960 in Paris) was a French novelist and screenwriter.A Short History of French Literature, by Sarah Kay, Terence Cave, Malcolm Bowie, page 268 Filmography *'' Boys' School'' ...
's 1934 novel of the same name was the first film produced by
Continental Films Continental Films was a German-controlled French film production company. It stood as the sole authorized film production organization in Nazi-occupied France. Established in October 1940, it was entirely bankrolled by the German government ...
. It was shot at the Neuilly Studios in
Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
and on location at
Chamonix Chamonix-Mont-Blanc (; ; (no longer in use)), more commonly known simply as Chamonix (), is a communes of France, commune in the departments of France, department in the regions of France, region in Southeastern France. It was the site of the f ...
in the
French Alps The French Alps are the portions of the Alps mountain range that stand within France, located in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur regions. While some of the ranges of the French Alps are entirely in France, others, such a ...
. The films sets were designed by the
art director Art director is a title for a variety of similar job functions in theater, advertising, marketing, publishing, fashion, live-action and animated film and television, the Internet, and video games. It is the charge of a sole art director to supe ...
Guy de Gastyne.


Cast

*
Harry Baur Harry Baur (12 April 1880 – 8 April 1943) was a French actor, famous for his titular role in ''Beethoven's Great Love'' and as Jean Valjean in Les Misérables (1934 film), the 1934 version of ''Les Misérables''. Life Initially a stage actor ...
as Gaspard Cornusse *
Raymond Rouleau Raymond Rouleau (; 4 June 1904 – 11 December 1981) was a Belgian actor and film director. He appeared in more than 40 films between 1928 and 1979. He also directed 22 films between 1932 and 1981. Rouleau studied at the Royal Conservatory o ...
as Roland de La Faille *
Renée Faure Renée Faure (born Reneé Paule Nanine Faure; November 4, 1918 – May 2, 2005) was a French stage and film actress. Early life Renée Faure was born Reneé Paule Nanine Faure on November 4, 1918, in Paris, France. Her father was René Fau ...
as Catherine Cornusse *
Robert Le Vigan Robert Le Vigan (born Robert Coquillaud, 7 January 1900 – 12 October 1972) was a French actor. He appeared in more than 60 films between 1931 and 1943 almost exclusively in small or supporting roles. He was, according to film academic Gin ...
as Léon Villard, the schoolmaster *
Fernand Ledoux Fernand Ledoux (born Jacques Joseph Félix Fernand Ledoux, 24 January 1897, Tirlemont – 21 September 1993, Villerville) was a French film and theatre actor of Belgian origin. He studied with Raphaël Duflos at the CNSAD, and began hi ...
as Noirgoutte, the mayor *
Jean Brochard Jean Brochard (; 12 March 1893 – 17 June 1972) was a French film actor. He appeared in more than 100 films between 1933 and 1966. Selected filmography * '' A Man's Neck'' (1933) - Petit rôle (uncredited) * ''Boubouroche'' (1933) * '' ...
as Ricomet, the pharmacist *
Héléna Manson Elena Eugenia Manson (18 August 1898 – 15 September 1994) was a French film actress. She appeared in more than 100 films between 1925 and 1989. Selected filmography * '' The Vocation of André Carel'' (1925) – L'amoureuse de Cardan * ' ...
as Marie Coquillot *
Arthur Devère Arthur Devère (; 24 June 1883 – 23 September 1961) was a Belgian film actor. He appeared in more than 50 films between 1913 and 1956. Selected filmography * ''L'agent Rigolo et son chien policier'' (1913) * ''Flup chasseur'' (1920) * ' ...
as Tairraz, the watchmaker *
Marcel Pérès Marcel Pérès (born 15 July 1956, Oran, Algeria) is a French musicologist, composer, choral director and singer, and the founder of the early music group Ensemble Organum. He is an authority on Gregorian and pre-Gregorian chant. Pérès was ...
as Rambert *
Georges Chamarat Georges Chamarat (30 March 1901 – 21 November 1982) was a French actor. He appeared in more than 100 films and television shows between 1929 and 1981. He starred in the film '' The Adventures of Arsène Lupin'', which was entered into the ...
as Constable Gercourt *
Bernard Blier Bernard Blier (; 11 January 1916 – 29 March 1989) was a French character actor. Life and career Blier was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where his father, a researcher at the Pasteur Institute, was posted at the time. His rotund featu ...
as police sergeant *
Jean Sinoël Jean Sinoël (13 August 1868 – 30 August 1949), often known simply as Sinoël, was a French actor and singer. Born Jean Léonis Blès in Sainte-Terre, Gironde, France, he died in Paris in 1949. Selected filmography * '' Captain Craddock'' (193 ...
as Noblet * Marie-Hélène Dasté as Mother Michel * Jean Parédès as Kappel, the beadle


References


Bibliography

* Leteux, Christine. ''Continental Films: French Cinema under German Control''. University of Wisconsin Press, 2022.


External links

* 1940s Christmas films 1940s Christmas drama films 1941 films French black-and-white films Films directed by Christian-Jaque French Christmas drama films French Christmas films Films set in France Films based on works by Pierre Véry 1941 drama films Tobis Film films 1940s French-language films Continental Films films 1940s French films Films shot at Neuilly Studios Films scored by Henri Verdun Films produced by Alfred Greven Films with screenplays by Charles Spaak {{Christmas-film-stub