Pierre Fresnay facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Pierre Fresnay
Pierre Fresnay in 1939.
Born	Pierre Jules Louis Laudenbach (1897-04-04)4 April 1897 Paris, France
Died	9 January 1975(1975-01-09) (aged 77) Neuilly-sur-Seine, France
Occupation	Actor, film director
Years active	1910–1974
Spouse(s)	Rachel Berendt Berthe Bovy

Pierre Fresnay (born April 4, 1897 – died January 9, 1975) was a famous French actor. He was well-known for his work on both stage and in movies.

Life Story of Pierre Fresnay

Pierre Fresnay was born as Pierre Jules Louis Laudenbach. His uncle, who was also an actor, encouraged him to become an actor. Pierre joined a theater company and later became a member of the Comédie-Française in 1915. This is a very famous French theater company.

He served in the military for three years and then returned to the Comédie-Française in 1919. Before leaving in 1926, he had acted in 80 plays in Paris. He was especially good at plays by Alfred de Musset. People admired his smart acting and clear way of speaking.

In the 1920s, Pierre Fresnay acted in many popular plays. In 1927, he even performed in a play in England where he spoke his lines in French.

Becoming a Movie Star

Pierre Fresnay became very famous for playing the main character, Marius, in Marcel Pagnol's play Marius (1929). This play was performed over 500 times! He also played Marius in the movie version of the play in 1931. He continued to play Marius in two more movies: Fanny (1932) and César (1936). These three movies are known as Marcel Pagnol's Marseilles Trilogy.

Fresnay (left) with Erich von Stroheim in the 1937 film La Grande Illusion

In 1932, Pierre Fresnay started a personal and professional partnership with the actress Yvonne Printemps. They worked together on many projects. He took over the main role in Noël Coward's play Conversation Piece in 1934. Critics loved his performance and his work with Yvonne Printemps.

They also had a movie hit together in 1934 called La dame aux camélias. Between then and 1951, they appeared in eight films together. In 1934, he had a small role in Alfred Hitchcock's movie The Man Who Knew Too Much.

In 1937, he played Captain de Boeldieu in the famous movie La Grande Illusion. This movie is considered a masterpiece.

Later, in 1947, he played Vincent de Paul in the movie Monsieur Vincent. He won an award for Best Actor at the Venice Film Festival for this role. His acting was praised as "one of the most perfect pieces of work." He also played Nobel Peace Prize winner Albert Schweitzer in the 1952 movie Il est minuit, Docteur Schweitzer.

Pierre Fresnay as a Soldier

Pierre Fresnay served as a soldier in the French Army during World War I. After the war, he returned to his acting career.

During World War II, when Germany occupied France, he worked for a French-German film company. He made movies like Henri-Georges Clouzot's Le Corbeau. After the war, his work during the occupation led to some difficulties. He was briefly held and questioned by a special court. The film Le Corbeau was even banned in France for over 20 years because of its themes.

Later Years of His Career

Pierre Fresnay and Yvonne Printemps starred in a play called Trois valses (Three Waltzes). They also made a movie version of it. Critics later said that their performances were so good that they still influence anyone who tries to perform the play today.

Besides his many stage roles (over 130 plays!), he appeared in more than 70 films. Many of these films are still considered classics today. Towards the end of his life, he also acted on television.

In 1954, he wrote a book about his life called Je suis comédien, which means I am an actor. He continued to act regularly in movies and on stage throughout the 1960s. In the 1970s, he appeared in a few TV movies. He lived with Yvonne Printemps for the rest of his life. They also worked together to manage the Théâtre de la Michodière in Paris until he passed away.

Death

The grave of Fresnay and his companion Yvonne Printemps at the cemetery in Neuilly-sur-Seine

Pierre Fresnay died on January 9, 1975, at the age of 77. He passed away from breathing problems in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France. He is buried next to Yvonne Printemps in the local cemetery. The famous actor Alec Guinness once said that Pierre Fresnay was his favorite actor.

How to Say His Name

When asked how to say his name, Pierre Fresnay explained that it should be pronounced "fray-nay."

Filmography

See also

In Spanish: Pierre Fresnay para niños