Gérard Oury facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gérard Oury
Oury in 1984
Born	Max-Gérard Houry Tannenbaum (1919-04-29)29 April 1919 Paris, France
Died	20 July 2006(2006-07-20) (aged 87) Saint-Tropez, France
Years active	1942–2003
Spouse(s)	Michèle Morgan ​ (m. 1960)​

Gérard Oury (born Max-Gérard Houry Tannenbaum; 29 April 1919 – 20 July 2006) was a famous French film director, actor, and writer. He is best known for directing popular comedy films that made millions of people laugh. Many of his movies broke box office records in France.

About Gérard Oury

Early Life and Wartime

Gérard Oury was born in Paris, France, on April 29, 1919. His full name was Max-Gérard Houry Tannenbaum. His father was a violinist from Russia, and his mother was a journalist and art critic. Gérard grew up mainly with his mother and grandmother.

He studied acting at a famous school called the National Conservatory of Dramatic Art. Before World War II began, he became a member of the Comédie-Française, a very important French theater group. However, during the war, his family had to leave France and go to Switzerland. This was to escape danger from the Vichy government, which was persecuting Jewish people at the time. To keep his daughter, Danièle Thompson, safe, her birth was kept secret.

Becoming a Film Director

After the war ended in 1945, Gérard Oury returned to Paris. He started acting again in plays and small roles in movies. But he soon found his true passion: directing films. He directed his first movie in 1959, called La Main chaude.

His first big success as a director came in 1961 with the film Crime Does Not Pay. This movie showed his talent for telling engaging stories.

Famous Comedy Films

Gérard Oury became incredibly famous for his comedy films. He often paired two very funny actors, André Bourvil and Louis de Funès, as a comedy team. Their first movie together was The Sucker (Le corniaud) in 1965. This film was a huge hit!

The next year, Oury directed Don't Look Now... We're Being Shot At! (La Grande Vadrouille). This movie was even more successful. It attracted over 17 million viewers in France, which was a record for many decades! Only the movie Titanic later broke this record.

In 1969, he directed Le Cerveau (The Brain). This comedy starred famous actors like David Niven. Oury continued to make many popular comedies, often writing the scripts himself.

Family and Later Life

Gérard Oury had a daughter named Danièle Thompson, who also became a writer. His grandson, Christopher Thompson, is an actor and writer too. For the second half of his life, Gérard Oury lived with the well-known French actress Michèle Morgan.

Gérard Oury passed away on July 20, 2006, in Saint-Tropez, France. He was 87 years old. He left behind a legacy of beloved films that continue to entertain audiences.

Gérard Oury with his partner Michèle Morgan at the Cannes Film Festival in 2001.

Gérard Oury's Films

Gérard Oury was involved in many films throughout his career, both as an actor and, most famously, as a director and writer.

Films He Directed

Here are some of the popular films Gérard Oury directed:

Films He Acted In

Gérard Oury also appeared as an actor in many films, often in supporting roles. Here are a few examples: