Jean Gabin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jean Gabin
|
|
|---|---|
Jean Gabin as Jules Maigret in 1958
|
|
| Born |
Jean-Alexis Moncorgé
17 May 1904 Paris, France
|
| Died | 15 November 1976 (aged 72) Neuilly-sur-Seine, France
|
| Years active | 1928–1976 |
| Spouse(s) | Gaby Basset (1925–1930) Suzanne Marguerite Jeanne Mauchain (1933–1939) Dominique Fournier (1949–1976) |
Jean Gabin (born 17 May 1904 – died 15 November 1976) was a famous French actor and singer. He is seen as one of the most important people in French movies. He starred in many classic films like Pépé le Moko (1937), La grande illusion (1937), and Le Quai des brumes (1938).
During his career, Jean Gabin won several big awards. He won the Silver Bear for Best Actor twice at the Berlin International Film Festival. He also won the Volpi Cup for Best Actor twice at the Venice Film Festival. He was even made a member of the Légion d'honneur, which is a very high award in France, because of his important work in French cinema.
Contents
Jean Gabin: A French Film Star
Early Life and First Steps
Jean Gabin was born as Jean-Alexis Moncorgé in Paris, France. His father, Ferdinand Moncorgé, was a cafe owner and a performer. His father's stage name was Gabin, which became Jean's own stage name later on.
Jean grew up in a small village called Mériel, not far from Paris. He left school early and worked different jobs. When he was 19, he started in show business with a small role in a Folies Bergères show. He kept doing small parts in different shows before joining the military.
Starting His Acting Career
After serving in the military, Jean Gabin returned to entertainment. He used the stage name Jean Gabin and performed in Parisian music halls and operettas. He even copied the singing style of the popular singer Maurice Chevalier.
He toured South America with a group and later worked at the famous Moulin Rouge. People started noticing his performances, and he got bigger roles on stage. This led to him acting in two silent films in 1928.
Becoming a Movie Star
In 1930, Gabin moved to sound films with a movie called Chacun sa chance. For the next four years, he played smaller roles in more than a dozen films. He worked with directors like Maurice Tourneur and Jacques Tourneur.
He became truly famous after his role in Maria Chapdelaine in 1934. Then, in 1936, he starred as a romantic hero in the war drama La Bandera. This film made him a major star.
The next year, he worked with director Julien Duvivier again in the very popular film Pépé le Moko. This movie made him known around the world. In the same year, he starred in Jean Renoir's La Grande Illusion. This was an anti-war film that was shown in a New York City theater for six months, which was very unusual.
He then starred in another important film by Renoir, La Bête Humaine (The Human Beast). This was a dark and serious film based on a novel by Émile Zola. He also starred in Le Quai Des Brumes (Port of Shadows), a classic film by director Marcel Carné. Jean Gabin was known for his tough and cool style, much like American actors Humphrey Bogart and James Cagney.
World War II and Hollywood
Before World War II started, Hollywood offered Jean Gabin many roles, but he said no to all of them. After Germany took over France in 1940, he moved to the United States. While in Hollywood, he had a relationship with the famous actress Marlene Dietrich.
His films made in America, Moontide (1942) and The Impostor (1944), were not very successful.
A War Hero
Jean Gabin was not afraid to fight for his country. He joined General Charles de Gaulle's Free French Forces. He was awarded the Médaille militaire and the Croix de Guerre for his bravery during the war. He fought with the Allies in North Africa. After D-Day, Gabin served with the French 2nd armored division that helped free Paris.
Challenges and Comeback
After the war, Gabin faced some tough times in his career. Some of his films were not successful, and he had a disagreement with director Marcel Carné. He made a film with Marlene Dietrich called Martin Roumagnac, but it didn't do well, and their relationship ended.
In 1948, he starred in The Walls of Malapaga, which won an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Picture. However, Gabin himself didn't get much recognition for it. For the next five years, many of his films failed at the French box office.
His career seemed to be fading until the 1954 film Touchez pas au grisbi (Don't Touch the Loot). This movie, directed by Jacques Becker, was a big success and brought him back into the spotlight. It was also very popular internationally.
After this, he worked with director Jean Renoir again in French Cancan. He also played the famous detective Jules Maigret in three films between 1958 and 1963. Over the next 20 years, he made almost 50 more films. Most of these were very successful with both audiences and critics. He even had his own production company, Gafer Films, with fellow actor Fernandel.
He starred alongside many other famous actors of his time, including Brigitte Bardot, Alain Delon, Jean-Paul Belmondo, and Louis de Funès.
His Final Years
Jean Gabin passed away from leukemia on 15 November 1976, in Neuilly-sur-Seine, near Paris. His body was cremated, and his ashes were scattered at sea from a military ship, with full military honors.
His Legacy
Jean Gabin is remembered as one of the greatest stars in French cinema history.
- He was given the high honor of being appointed Officier de la Légion d'honneur.
- In 1981, French actor Louis de Funès started the Prix Jean Gabin. This award was given to new actors in the French film industry every year until 2006.
- The Musée Jean Gabin (Jean Gabin Museum) is in the village of Mériel, where he grew up. It tells his story and shows items from his films.
- A public square in Paris, called Place Jean Gabin, was named after him in 2008.
- The Cinema Jean Gabin in Montgenèvre, a ski resort he liked, was also named in his honor.
Film Highlights
Jean Gabin starred in many important films throughout his career. Here are some of his most well-known works:
- Pépé le Moko (1937)
- La Grande Illusion (1937)
- Port of Shadows (1938)
- La Bête Humaine (1938)
- Le jour se lève (1939)
- The Walls of Malapaga (1949)
- Le plaisir (1952)
- Touchez pas au grisbi (1954)
- French Cancan (1955)
- La Traversée de Paris (1956)
- Maigret Sets a Trap (1958)
- Les Misérables (1958)
- A Monkey in Winter (1962)
- Any Number Can Win (1963)
- The Sicilian Clan (1969)
- Le Chat (1971)
Images for kids
-
Gabin in The Little Rebels (1955)
-
The Musée Jean Gabin
,_mus%C3%A9e_Jean-Gabin_et_biblioth%C3%A8que_municipale,_Grande_rue.jpg)
See also
In Spanish: Jean Gabin para niños
