JB
Photo of Jules Berry

Jules Berry

Actor
Born February 9, 1883Died April 23, 1951 (68 years)
Jules Berry (born Marie Louis Jules Paufichet; 9 February 1883 – 23 April 1951) was a French actor.

Berry and his two brothers were born to parents who sold hardware and settled in Poitou. The family moved to Paris in 1888. Berry completed his studies at the Lycée Louis-le-Grand and then graduated from École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts.

It was during his studies that Berry developed an interest in the theater. Following an audition, he was hired by the Théâtre Antoine-Simone Berriau to act in La Mort du duc d'Enghien by Léon Hennique, and Le Perroquet vert by Arthur Schnitzler.

Later he performed at the Théâtre de l'Ambigu-Comique and the Théâtre de l'Athénée. During a tour in Lyon, he was noticed by Jean-François Ponson, who hired him for a period of 12 years at the Théâtre royal des Galeries Saint-Hubert in Brussels. Audiences in Brussels gave him a warm welcome, where he played in productions such as Le Mariage de mademoiselle Beulemans.

Berry subsequently performed in 30 successful plays for Marcel Achard, Alfred Savoir, Louis Verneuil, and Roger Ferdinand. One of Berry's first movie roles was the silent film Oliver Cromwell (1911) directed by Henri Desfontaines. His first appearance in a talking picture was Mon coeur et ses millions (1931) with Suzy Prim. Over the course of his career, Berry acted in 89 motion pictures.

Bombastic, extravagant, and whimsical, Berry was as flamboyant as any entertainer of the period, including Pierre Brasseur. Berry is often considered one of the greatest actors in the history of French cinema.

Among Berry's best films are: The Crime of Monsieur Lange by Jean Renoir, Les Visiteurs du Soir by Marcel Carné, Le Jour Se Lève by Marcel Carné, Strange Inheritance by Louis Daquin, Baccara by Yves Mirande, 27 Rue de la Paix by Richard Pottier and L'Habit vert by Roger Richebé.

Berry ended his film career in 1951 to interpret the texts of Jacques Prévert.

Berry was romantically involved with actresses Jane Marken, Suzy Prim, and Josseline Gaël. He and Gaël had a daughter named Michelle in 1939.

A compulsive gambler, Berry frequented casinos and horse races. In April 1951, Berry was admitted to the Hôpital Broussais, where he died of a heart attack caused by treatment for rheumatism. He is buried in the Père Lachaise Cemetery (division 80).

Source: Article "Jules Berry" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA 3.0.

Known For

  • Daybreak
  • The Crime of Monsieur Lange
  • The Devil's Envoys
  • The Image Book
  • L'Argent
  • Le voyageur de la Toussaint
  • Café de Paris
  • Unusual Tales
  • Star Without Light
  • Carrefour
  • Marie-Martine
  • Derrière la façade
  • Les rois du sport
  • La symphonie fantastique
  • The London Man
  • Accord final
  • Portrait of a Killer
  • Baccara
  • Hercule
  • Woman Racket

Filmography

2018
The Image Book · as (archive Footage)
1951
Les maîtres-nageurs · as Chamboise
1950
Not Any Weekend for Our Love · as Le Baron Richard De Valirman
1949
Portrait of a Killer · as Pfeiffer
1949
Unusual Tales · as Fortunato
1947
1946
Mr. Gregoire Runs Away · as Charles Tuffal
1946
Star Without Light · as Billy Daniel
1943
T'amerò sempre · as Oscar
1943
The London Man · as Brown
1943
Marie-Martine · as Loïc Limousin, Le Romancier
1943
1942
The Devil's Envoys · as The Devil
1942
1942
1942
La symphonie fantastique · as Schlesinger
1940
The Mondesir Heir · as Waldemar, Le Mage
1940
Paris New-York · as Manager Sinclair
1939
La famille Duraton · as Sammy Walter
1939
Daybreak · as M. Valentin
1939
Derrière la façade · as Alfredo D'avila, Dancer Of These Ladies
1938
Accord final · as Baron Larzac
1938
Carrefour · as Lucien Sarrow
1938
Café de Paris · as Fleury
1938
L'avion de minuit · as L'inspecteur Leroy
1938
The Woman Thief · as Sadoc Torner
1938
Hercule · as Vasco
1938
The West · as Max - Le Portier
1937
L'habit vert · as Parmeline
1937
Les rois du sport · as Acteur
1937
Arsene Lupin, Detective · as Barnett, Alias Arsène Lupin
1937
Woman Racket · as Moreno
1936
Monsieur Personne · as Monsieur Personne
1936
Adventure in Paris · as Michel Levasseur
1936
The Fleeing Dead · as Hector Trignol
1936
27 rue de la Paix · as Denis Grand
1936
Disk 413 · as Captain Richard Maury
1936
1935
Baccara · as André Leclerc
1934
Une femme chipée · as Doctor Germont
1934
1932
Quick · as Bit Part
1928
L'Argent · as Huret

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