Louis Jouvet
Encyclopedia
Louis Jouvet was a renowned French
actor
, director, and theatre director.
's Théâtre du Vieux-Colombier
, beginning in 1913. Copeau's training included a varied and demanding schedule, regular exercise for agility and stamina, and pressing his cast and crew to invent theatrical effects in a bare-bones space. It was there Jouvet developed his considerable stagecraft skills, particularly makeup and lighting (he developed a kind of accent light named the jouvet). These years included a successful tour to the United States.
While influential, Copeau's theater was never lucrative. Jouvet left in October 1922 for the Comédie des Champs-Élysées (the small stage of the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées
). In December 1923 he staged his single most successful production, the satire Dr. Knock, written by Jules Romains
. Jouvet's meticulous characterization of the manipulative crank doctor was informed by his own experience in pharmacy school. It became his signature and his standby; "Jouvet was to produce it almost every year until the end of his life".
Jouvet began an ongoing close collaboration with playwright Jean Giraudoux
in 1928, with a radical streamlining of Giraudoux's 1922 Siegfried et le Limousin for the stage. Their work together included the first staging of The Madwoman of Chaillot
in 1945, at the Théâtre de l'Athénée, where Jouvet served as director from 1934 through his death in 1951.
Jouvet starred in some 34 films, including two records of Dr. Knock, once in 1933 and again in 1951. He was professor at the French National Academy of Dramatic Arts
. He had a heart attack while at his beloved Théâtre de l'Athénée and died in his dressing room on Thursday, August 16, 1951. Louis Jouvet is buried in the Montmartre Cemetery
in Paris. The Athénée theatre now bears his name.
He was the uncle of Anglo-French actor Peter Wyngarde
.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, director, and theatre director.
Life
Overcoming speech impediments and sometimes paralyzing stage fright as a young man, Jouvet's first important association was with Jacques CopeauJacques Copeau
Jacques Copeau was an influential French theatre director, producer, actor, and dramatist. Before he founded his famous Théâtre du Vieux-Colombier in Paris, he wrote theater reviews for several Parisian journals, worked at the Georges Petit Gallery where he organized exhibits of artists' works...
's Théâtre du Vieux-Colombier
Théâtre du Vieux-Colombier
The Théâtre du Vieux-Colombier is a theatre located at 21, rue du Vieux-Colombier, in the 6th arrondissement in Paris. It was founded in 1913 by the theatre producer and playwright Jacques Copeau...
, beginning in 1913. Copeau's training included a varied and demanding schedule, regular exercise for agility and stamina, and pressing his cast and crew to invent theatrical effects in a bare-bones space. It was there Jouvet developed his considerable stagecraft skills, particularly makeup and lighting (he developed a kind of accent light named the jouvet). These years included a successful tour to the United States.
While influential, Copeau's theater was never lucrative. Jouvet left in October 1922 for the Comédie des Champs-Élysées (the small stage of the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées
Théâtre des Champs-Élysées
The Théâtre des Champs-Élysées is a theatre at 15 avenue Montaigne. Despite its name, the theatre is not on the Champs-Élysées but nearby in another part of the 8th arrondissement of Paris....
). In December 1923 he staged his single most successful production, the satire Dr. Knock, written by Jules Romains
Jules Romains
Jules Romains, born Louis Henri Jean Farigoule , was a French poet and writer and the founder of the Unanimism literary movement...
. Jouvet's meticulous characterization of the manipulative crank doctor was informed by his own experience in pharmacy school. It became his signature and his standby; "Jouvet was to produce it almost every year until the end of his life".
Jouvet began an ongoing close collaboration with playwright Jean Giraudoux
Jean Giraudoux
Hippolyte Jean Giraudoux was a French novelist, essayist, diplomat and playwright. He is considered among the most important French dramatists of the period between World War I and World War II. His work is noted for its stylistic elegance and poetic fantasy...
in 1928, with a radical streamlining of Giraudoux's 1922 Siegfried et le Limousin for the stage. Their work together included the first staging of The Madwoman of Chaillot
The Madwoman of Chaillot
The Madwoman of Chaillot is a play, a poetic satire, by French dramatist Jean Giraudoux, written in 1943 and first performed in 1945, after his death. The play has two acts and follows the convention of the classical unities...
in 1945, at the Théâtre de l'Athénée, where Jouvet served as director from 1934 through his death in 1951.
Jouvet starred in some 34 films, including two records of Dr. Knock, once in 1933 and again in 1951. He was professor at the French National Academy of Dramatic Arts
CNSAD
The Conservatoire National Supérieur d'Art Dramatique is France's national drama academy in Paris...
. He had a heart attack while at his beloved Théâtre de l'Athénée and died in his dressing room on Thursday, August 16, 1951. Louis Jouvet is buried in the Montmartre Cemetery
Montmartre Cemetery
Montmartre Cemetery is a cemetery in the 18th arrondissement of Paris, France.-History:Cemeteries had been banned from Paris since the shutting down of the Cimetière des Innocents in 1786, as they presented health hazards...
in Paris. The Athénée theatre now bears his name.
He was the uncle of Anglo-French actor Peter Wyngarde
Peter Wyngarde
Peter Paul Wyngarde is an Anglo-French actor best known for playing the character Jason King, a bestselling novelist turned sleuth, in two British television series in the late 1960s and early 1970s: Department S and Jason King .-Biography:He was born Cyril Goldbert in Marseilles, France, the...
.
Theatre
- 1931: original production of JudithJudith (play)Judith is a play written in 1931 by French dramatist Jean Giraudoux.-Original productions:Judith was translated into English by John K. Savacool, in The Modern Theatre, ed. Eric Bentley, vol. 3 , and by Christopher Fry, in The Drama of Jean Giraudoux, vol...
, written by Jean GiraudouxJean GiraudouxHippolyte Jean Giraudoux was a French novelist, essayist, diplomat and playwright. He is considered among the most important French dramatists of the period between World War I and World War II. His work is noted for its stylistic elegance and poetic fantasy...
, at the Théâtre PigalleThéâtre PigalleThe Théâtre Pigalle was a theatre in Paris, located in the rue Pigalle in the ninth arrondissement.- History :Opened on June 20, 1929, financed by Philippe de Rothschild on the estate of his father Henri de Rothschild, the Rothschilds' ambition was to construct the most modern theatre in the world... - 1935: original production of The Trojan War Will Not Take PlaceThe Trojan war will not take placeThe Trojan War Will Not Take Place is a play written in 1935 by French dramatist Jean Giraudoux. In 1955 it was translated into English by Christopher Fry...
, written by Jean GiraudouxJean GiraudouxHippolyte Jean Giraudoux was a French novelist, essayist, diplomat and playwright. He is considered among the most important French dramatists of the period between World War I and World War II. His work is noted for its stylistic elegance and poetic fantasy...
, starring Jouvet as Homer, also starring Madeleine OzerayMadeleine OzerayMadeleine Ozeray , was a French stage and film actress. She appeared in many films between 1932 and 1980...
, at the Athénée in Paris - 1947: directed the première of Jean GenetJean GenetJean Genet was a prominent and controversial French novelist, playwright, poet, essayist, and political activist. Early in his life he was a vagabond and petty criminal, but later took to writing...
's The MaidsThe MaidsThe Maids is a play by the French dramatist Jean Genet. It was first performed at the Théâtre de l'Athénée in Paris in a production that opened on 17 April 1947, which Louis Jouvet directed...
at the Athénée in Paris on 17 April. - 1951: directed the première of Jean-Paul SartreJean-Paul SartreJean-Paul Charles Aymard Sartre was a French existentialist philosopher, playwright, novelist, screenwriter, political activist, biographer, and literary critic. He was one of the leading figures in 20th century French philosophy, particularly Marxism, and was one of the key figures in literary...
's The Devil and the Good LordThe Devil and the Good LordThe Devil and the Good Lord is a play by French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre. The play concerns the moral choices of its characters, warlord Goetz, clergy Heinrich, communist leader Nasti and others during the German Peasants' War...
at the Théâtre-Antoine in Paris on 7 June.
Filmography
- 1935: Carnival in FlandersCarnival in Flanders (film)Carnival in Flanders is a 1935 French historical romantic comedy film directed by Jacques Feyder. Its original French title is La Kermesse héroïque and it is widely known under that name...
- 1937: Drole de Drame
- 1938: The Curtain Rises
- 1938: Bargekeepers Daughter
- 1938: Le drame de Shanghaï
- 1938: Hôtel du NordHôtel du NordHôtel du Nord is a 1938 French drama film directed by Marcel Carné and starring Annabella.- Cast :* Annabella - Renée* Jean-Pierre Aumont - Pierre* Louis Jouvet - Monsieur Edmond* Arletty - Raymonde* Paulette Dubost - Ginette* Andrex - Kenel...
- 1939: La fin du jour
- 1939: The Phantom Wagon
- 1940: L'école des femmes
- 1940: Sérénade
- 1941: Volpone
- 1943: Immortal France
- 1946: Un revenant
- 1947: Copie conforme
- 1947: Quai des OrfèvresQuai des OrfèvresQuai des Orfèvres is a 1947 French police procedural drama based on the book Légitime défense by Stanislas-Andre Steeman. Directed by Henri-Georges Clouzot the film stars Suzy Delair as Jenny Lamour, Bernard Blier as Maurice Martineau, Louis Jouvet as Inspector Antoine and Simone Renant as...
- 1948: Monelle
- 1949: Between Eleven and Midnight
- 1949: Return to LifeReturn to LifeReturn to Life is a 1949 French drama film directed by Georges Lampin, André Cayatte, Henri-Georges Clouzot and Jean Dréville. It was entered into the 1949 Cannes Film Festival.-Cast:* Paul Azaïs – Le capitaine...
- 1950: Miquette
- 1950: Lady PanameLady PanameLady Paname was a 1950 drama, directed and written by Henri Jeanson, and starring Louis Jouvet, Suzy Delair, Henri Guisol and Henri Crémieux....
- 1951: Dr. KnockDr. KnockDr. Knock, is a French comedy film from 1951, directed by Guy Lefranc, written by Georges Neveux, and starring by Louis Jouvet and Louis de Funès . French title of the film is Knock.- Cast :* Louis Jouvet : Dr. Knock* Jean Brochard : Dr...
- 1951: Une histoire d'amour