Fernand Gravey
Fernand Gravey (actually Fernand Maurice Noël Mertens , born December 25, 1905 in Ixelles , Belgium , † November 2, 1970 in Paris ) was a Belgian actor .
Life
Gravey, son of the actor couple Georges Mertens and Fernande Dépernay , was already on stage as a child at the age of five and made his first films in 1913/14. Growing up in England, he spoke English as well as French. During the First World War he served in the British Merchant Navy . After minor French films - the first of which was L'amour chante from 1930 - he went to Hollywood in 1936, where he was used as Fernand Gravet in a number of major MGM productions.
Shortly before the start of the Second World War , he returned to France and also played in films that were made there under the supervision of the National Socialists. At the same time he was a member of the French secret service and fought in the Foreign Legion . He was hailed as a war hero in the 1950s and resumed his film career. He also got roles in international productions, for example in William Wyler's How do you steal a million? . Gravey remained actively involved in the theater throughout his life.
Gravey had been married to silent film actress Jane Renouardt since 1936 .
Filmography (selection)
- 1930: L'amour chante
- 1937: The Lie of Nina Petrovna (La mensonge de Nina Petrovna)
- 1938: The Great Waltz (The Great Waltz)
- 1938: Madame rang the bell? (Fools for Scandal)
- 1939: Paradise Lost (Le paradis perdu)
- 1942: Fracasse, the cheeky cavalier (Le capitaine Fracasse)
- 1942: The fantastic night (La nuit phantastique)
- 1948: Knight of his King (Du Guesclin)
- 1950: Underworld of Paris (Le traqué)
- 1950: The round dance (La ronde)
- 1952: Isn't this man wonderful? (Mon mari est merveilleux)
- 1954: Versailles - Kings and Women (Si Versailles m'était conté)
- 1955: Thirteen at one table (Treize à table)
- 1955: The time of the hard eggs (Le temps des œufs durs)
- 1956: Mitsou and the Men (Mitsou)
- 1957: Love is mine (La garconne)
- 1959: Parisians against their will (Totò a Parigi)
- 1961: We ask you to bed (Les Petits matins)
- 1966: How do you steal a million? (How to Steal a Million)
- 1967: San Sebastian (La Bataille de San Sebastian)
- 1969: The Madwoman of Chaillot (The Madwoman of Chaillot)
- 1970: Promises at Dusk (La promesse de l'aube)
Web links
- Fernand Gravey in the Bibliothèque nationale de France
- Fernand Gravey in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- Gravey at Cinéartistes (French)
Individual evidence
- ↑ http://www.allmovie.com/artist/fernand-gravey-28032/bio
- ↑ Hal Erickson , All Movie Guide
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Gravey, Fernand |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Mertens, Fernand Maurice Noël; Gravet, Fernand |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Belgian actor |
| DATE OF BIRTH | December 25, 1905 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Ixelles , Belgium |
| DATE OF DEATH | 2nd November 1970 |
| Place of death | Paris |