Alain Cuny facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alain Cuny
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Cuny in 1979
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| Born |
René Xavier Marie Alain Cuny
12 July 1908 Saint-Malo, Brittany, France
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| Died | 16 May 1994 (aged 85) Paris, France
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| Resting place | Civry-la-Forêt 5 |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1941–1994 |
René Xavier Marie Alain Cuny (born July 12, 1908 – died May 16, 1994) was a famous French actor. He performed on both stage and in movies. Alain Cuny was known for his strong connection to the plays of Paul Claudel and the ideas of Antonin Artaud. He also gave many memorable performances at important French theaters.
He worked with many well-known film directors. These included Marcel Carné, Louis Malle, Jean-Luc Godard, Federico Fellini, Michelangelo Antonioni, Francesco Rosi, and Luis Buñuel. In 1988, he was nominated for an award for his role in the film Camille Claudel. Later, in 1992, he received a special award for his lifetime achievements in acting.
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Early Life and Artistic Beginnings
Alain Cuny was born in Saint-Malo, a town in Brittany, France. He spent much of his childhood with his aunt in a place called Boucé. He also lived in an orphanage for some years. From a young age, Alain loved painting. When he was 15, he started studying art at a famous school in Paris.
During this time, he met famous artists like Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque. He also connected with a group of artists known as the surrealists. Cuny then began working in the film industry. He designed costumes, posters, and sets for movies. He even worked on films by directors like Jean Renoir. Later, he met a theater manager named Charles Dullin. Dullin convinced Cuny to study acting. Cuny started performing on stage in the late 1930s.
A Career on Stage and Screen
In the theater, Alain Cuny became especially famous for performing plays by Paul Claudel. Claudel himself once told Cuny that he had been waiting 20 years for an actor like him. Cuny also admired Antonin Artaud, whose writings he often read aloud. Later, Cuny worked with important theater groups in France. His powerful stage presence and clear way of speaking made him perfect for many classic roles.
Cuny's first big movie role was in Les Visiteurs du soir (1942). In this film, he played one of the devil's messengers. He then had a few romantic lead roles. But he often played supporting characters, especially smart and thoughtful ones. A famous example is the troubled philosopher Steiner in La Dolce Vita (1960). This movie was directed by Federico Fellini.
Alain Cuny worked a lot in Italian cinema. He had strong connections with directors like Michelangelo Antonioni and Francesco Rosi. One of his most praised film performances was as the strict General Leone in Rosi's Uomini contro (1970).
His French films included The Lovers (1958), directed by Louis Malle. He also appeared in Jean-Luc Godard's Détective (1985). In 1974, he even played the Native American leader Sitting Bull in a unique Western film.
Towards the end of his career, Cuny returned to the works of Paul Claudel. He acted in Camille Claudel (1988). In this movie, he played Louis-Prosper Claudel, the father of the famous sculptor Camille Claudel. In 1991, Cuny directed and acted in a film based on Claudel's play, The Annunciation of Marie. This film won him a special award. He also regularly read Claudel's works at a big arts festival in France.
Later Life
Alain Cuny married Marie-Blanche Guidicelli in 1962. They later divorced in 1969.
Cuny passed away in Paris in 1994. He was buried in Civry-la-Forêt, a town west of Paris where he had lived.
Selected Film Roles
Alain Cuny appeared in many films throughout his career. Here are some of them:
- 1942: Les Visiteurs du soir - Gilles
- 1953: La signora senza camelie - Lodi
- 1953: Notre-Dame de Paris - Claude Frollo
- 1958: Les Amants - Henri Tournier
- 1960: La dolce vita - Steiner
- 1969: La Voie lactée - Man with cape
- 1969: Satyricon - Lica
- 1970: Uomini contro - General Leone
- 1974: Touche pas à la femme blanche! - Sitting Bull
- 1974: Emmanuelle - Mario
- 1979: Cristo si è fermato a Eboli - Barone Nicola Rotunno
- 1985: Détective - Old Mafioso
- 1988: Camille Claudel - Louis-Prosper Claudel
- 1991: L'Annonce faite à Marie - Anne Vercors
