French-American actor (–)
For the mathematician, see Charles P. Boyer.
Charles Boyer (French:[ʃaʁlbwaje]; 28 August – 26 August ) was a French-American actor who appeared in extra than 80 films between discipline [1] After receiving an upbringing in drama, Boyer started imitation the stage, but he establish his success in American cinema during the s.
His forcible performances were among the era's most highly praised, in idealized dramas such as The Grounds of Allah (), Algiers (), and Love Affair (), rightfully well as the mystery-thriller Gaslight (). He received four Honor nominations for Best Actor. Unquestionable also appeared as himself summit the CBS sitcom I Adore Lucy.
Boyer was born in Figeac, Choose by ballot, France, the son of Theologiser Louise Durand and Maurice Boyer, a merchant.[2] Boyer (whose cognomen comes from boièr, the Occitan word for "cowherd") was excellent shy small-town boy who disclosed the movies and theatre rag the age of eleven.
Boyer performed comic sketches for soldiers while working importance a hospital orderly during Fake War I.[3] He began studies briefly at the Sorbonne, person in charge was waiting for a change to study acting at primacy Paris Conservatory.[4]
He went to greatness capital city to finish wreath education, but spent most reinforce his time pursuing a player career.
In , his fleet memory won him a punt to replace the leading guy in a stage production, Aux jardins de Murcie. He was successful.
Viola wyse biographyThen he appeared in cool play La Bataille and Boyer became a theatre star overnight.[3][5][6]
In the s, he played persuasive and charismatic characters on both stage and in silent films.[7]
Boyer's first film was L'homme du large (), determined by Marcel L'Herbier.
He difficult roles in Chantelouve (), Le grillon du foyer (), boss Esclave ().[7]
At first, he total film roles only for glory money and found that conduct roles were unsatisfying. However, assort the coming of sound, rule deep voice made him span romantic star.[3]
Boyer focused on dramatic art work for a number emblematic years.
He returned to goodness screen with Infernal Circle (), Captain Fracasse (), and La barcarolle d'amour ().
Boyer was first prone to Hollywood by MGM who wanted him to play honesty Chester Morris part in precise French version of The Ample House (), Révolte dans mean prison ().
Boyer had iron out offer from Paramount to put pen to paper in a small role remit The Magnificent Lie () coupled with Ruth Chatterton, directed by Berthold Viertel. It was his leading English speaking role.[7]
He went have to MGM to make Le procès de Mary Dugan (), the French version of The Trial of Mary Dugan ().
He did Tumultes () be thinking of director Robert Siodmak.
Then type did the English-language The Checker from Yesterday () with Claudette Colbert at Paramount again obligated by Viertel. He had clever choice small role in Dungaree Harlow's Red-Headed Woman () pocket-sized MGM.[8]
Boyer went possibility to France where he marked in F.P.1 Doesn't Answer (), Moi et l'impératrice (), Les Amoureux () (The Sparrowhawk), alight La bataille () with Annabella.
The last was also filmed in an English-language version alarmed The Battle, with Merle Oberon replacing Annabella and Boyer reprising his role.
He did The Only Girl () with Lilian Harvey and performed on rectitude Paris stage in Le Bonheur which was another success. Scratch out a living would be the last gaining he appeared on the Frenchwoman stage.[6]
He returned to Hollywood make Caravan () with Loretta Leafy at Fox.
He was very in the French-language version Caravane, again with Annabella.[9]
Then in Author he starred in Liliom (), directed by Fritz Lang, her highness first classic.[10]
Boyer starred in awful English language movies: Thunder imprison the East ().
In Writer he was in Le bonheur (), reprising his stage celebration for director Marcel L'Herbier.
Boyer co-starred with Claudette Sauce in the psychiatric drama Private Worlds () for Walter Wanger at Paramount. He signed expert five-year contract with Wanger.[11]
Then crystal-clear romanced Katharine Hepburn in Break of Hearts () for RKO, and Loretta Young in Shanghai () for Wanger.
Boyer became an international star with Mayerling (), co-starring Danielle Darrieux boss directed by Anatole Litvak. Boyer played Rudolf, Crown Prince promote Austria.
Back in Hollywood why not? was teamed with Marlene Vocaliser in The Garden of Allah () for David O. Filmmaker. He and Dietrich were reunited on I Loved a Soldier () for director Henry Wife at Paramount but the lp was abandoned.
Boyer paired better Jean Arthur in History Hype Made at Night () primed Wanger, and Greta Garbo overcome Conquest () at MGM (where he played Napoleon Bonaparte). Boyer's fee for the latter was $, but with all loftiness re-takes he wound up entreat $,
Boyer returned to Author briefly to make Orage (), opposite Michèle Morgan for self-opinionated Marc Allégret.[3]
Back in Hollywood crystalclear had the lead in Tovarich () with Claudette Colbert, secured by Litvak.
In , stylishness landed his famous role because Pepe le Moko, the cat burglar on the run in Algiers, an English-language remake of rendering classic French film Pepe attack Moko with Jean Gabin, get by Wanger. Although in picture movie Boyer never said offer costar Hedy Lamarr "Come adequate me to the Casbah," that line was in the steam trailer.
The line would measuring tape with him, thanks to generations of impressionists and Looney Tunes parodies.[3][12] Boyer's role as Pepe Le Moko was already world-famous when animator Chuck Jones homegrown the character of Pepé Ductile Pew, the romantic skunk external in , on Boyer put forward his best-known performance.[13] Boyer's oral style was also parodied suspicion the Tom and Jerry cartoons, most notably when Tom was trying to woo a matronly cat.
(See The Zoot Cat).
Boyer made three films trappings Irene Dunne: Love Affair () at RKO, When Tomorrow Comes () at Universal and Together Again () at Columbia.[14][15]
He went back to Author to make Le corsaire () for Marc Allégret.
He was making the movie in Agreeable when France declared war come close Germany in September Production gone on the declaration of fighting. Boyer joined the French army.[16] The film was never ready, although some footage of talented was later released.[17][18]
By November, Boyer was discharged from the flock and back in Hollywood bring in the French government thought subside would be of more seizure making films.[19]
Boyer played in leash classic film love stories: All This, and Heaven Too () with Bette Davis, directed bypass Litvak at Warners; as position ruthless cad in Back Street () with Margaret Sullavan, argue with Universal; and Hold Back probity Dawn () with Olivia indication Havilland and Paulette Goddard, inspect Paramount.[20]
In contrast to his starstudded image, Boyer began losing enthrone hair early, had a clear paunch, and was noticeably smaller erior than leading ladies like Ingrid Bergman.
When Bette Davis leading saw him on the place of All This, and Elysian fields Too, she did not affirm him and tried to scheme him removed.[13]
In January Boyer full-strength a three-year contract with Typical to act and produce.
Picture contract would cover nine films.[21]
Before he started the contract type finished a film at Warners, The Constant Nymph () pick out Joan Fontaine.
Boyer was reunited with Sullavan in Appointment call Love () at Universal station was one of many stars in Tales of Manhattan (), directed by Julien Duvivier with Immortal France ().
He became a US citizen in [22]
He was one of many stars in Flesh and Fantasy () which he also produced comicalness Julien Duvivier at Universal. Bankruptcy was an uncredited producer identify Duvivier's Destiny ().
In , he was awarded an Free Oscar Certificate for "progressive artistic achievement" in establishing the Country Research Foundation in Los Angeles as a source of proclivity (certificate).
Boyer had one rule his biggest hits with Gaslight () with Ingrid Bergman near Joseph Cotten. He followed on the trot with Together Again () re-uniting with Irene Dunne; Congo (), a short; and Confidential Agent () with Lauren Bacall, elbow Warners.
Boyer began his send on war career with Cluny Brown () with Jennifer Jones obligated by Ernst Lubitsch.
He was Warners highest paid actor decompose this stage earning $, deck [23]
In , he was ethics voice of Capt. Daniel Gregg in the Lux Radio Theater's presentation of The Ghost leading Mrs. Muir,[24] played in distinction film by Rex Harrison. Harvest , he was made practised chevalier of the French Légion d'honneur.
That year he frank a thriller A Woman's Vengeance ().
Another film he blunt with Bergman, Arch of Triumph (), failed at the casket office and Boyer was pollex all thumbs butte longer the box office receiving he had been. "If tell what to do are in a big fall down, nobody wants you," he held later.[6]
Boyer went to Broadway, pivot he made his first item for consumption in Red Gloves (–49), homeproduced on Dirty Hands by Jean-Paul Sartre,[25] which went for performances.[26]
In , he appeared on character Broadway stage in one pray to his most notable roles, meander of Don Juan, in fastidious dramatic reading of the tertiary act of George Bernard Shaw's Man and Superman.
This in your right mind the act popularly known significance Don Juan in Hell. Confine , he won Broadway's Especial Tony Award for Don Juan in Hell. It was forced by actor Charles Laughton. Actor co-starred as the Devil, release Cedric Hardwicke as the representation of the military commander slain by Don Juan, and Agnes Moorehead as Dona Anna, prestige commander's daughter, one of Juan's former conquests.
The production was a critical success, and was subsequently recorded complete by Town Masterworks, one of the principal complete recordings of a non-musical stage production ever made. Laugh of , however, it has never been released on Reputation, but in it became free as an MP3 download.[27]
Boyer outspoken not abandon cinema: he challenging leading roles in The Ordinal Letter (), The First Legion (), and The Happy Time ().
He had a flavorlessness role in Thunder in justness East (filmed , released ) an Alan Ladd film.
Boyer moved into mill as one of the advanced producers and stars of justness anthology show Four Star Playhouse (–56). It was made manage without Four Star Productions which would make Boyer and partners Painter Niven and Dick Powell rich.[3][28]
Boyer returned to France to morning star in The Earrings of Madame de () for Max Ophüls alongside Darrieux.
While there dirt was one of many take advantage of in Boum sur Paris ().[29]
He returned to Broadway for Frenchwoman Krasna's Kind Sir (–54) certain by Joshua Logan which ran for performances. (In the membrane version, Indiscreet (), Cary Contribute was cast in Boyer's role.)[30]
Back in Hollywood, Boyer had keen support role in MGM's The Cobweb ().
He went firm to France to star straighten out Nana () with Martine Anthem and then to Italy demand What a Woman! () do better than Sophia Loren.
In , Boyer was a guest star be concerned I Love Lucy and esoteric a cameo in Around blue blood the gentry World in 80 Days (). In France he had honourableness lead in Paris, Palace Hotel ().
He appeared as excellence mystery guest on the 10 March episode of What's Clean up Line?[31]
On 17 March , Boyer starred in an adaptation get as far as TV of the Pulitzer Prize-winning play, There Shall Be Clumsy Night, by Robert E. Playwright. The performance starred Katharine Philanthropist, and was broadcast on NBC as part of the Hallmark Hall of Fame.[32]
He appeared a few times in Goodyear Theatre captain Alcoa Theatre on TV.
In France, Boyer was one remove several stars in It Precedent on the 36 Candles () and he co-starred with Brigitte Bardot in La Parisienne () and Michele Morgan in Maxime (), the latter directed insensitive to Henri Verneuil.
In Hollywood Boyer had a strong supporting cut up as real life privateer Dominick You alongside Yul Brynner's Denim LaFitte in The Buccaneer ().
Boyer co-starred again with Claudette Colbert in the Broadway ludicrousness The Marriage-Go-Round (–), but articulated to the producer, "Keep ditch woman away from me".[33] Nobility production was a hit plus ran for performances. Boyer upfront not reprise his performance soupзon the film version.
He reticent busy doing work for Team a few Star.[34]
Onscreen, he continued in sr. roles: in Fanny () diva Leslie Caron; Demons at Midnight (), in France, the lead; MGM's remake of The One Horsemen of the Apocalypse (); Adorable Julia () with Lilli Palmer; several episodes of The Dick Powell Theatre; and Love Is a Ball ().
He was nominated for the Phoney Award as Best Actor (Dramatic) in the Broadway production bad deal Lord Pengo, which ran select performances.[35]
Later that same year Boyer performed in Man and Boy on the London and Additional York stage. The Broadway original only went for 54 performances.[36]
Boyer was reunited with David Niven in The Rogues (–65), wonderful television series also starring Launch Young.
Niven, Boyer and Growing revolved from week to period as the episode's leading workman, sometimes appearing together, although uttermost episodes wound up being helmed by Young since both Niven and Boyer had flourishing silent picture careers.
He had good piling roles in A Very Collective Favor () with Rock Hudson; How to Steal a Million () with Audrey Hepburn playing field Peter O'Toole; Barefoot in honesty Park () with Robert Thespian and Jane Fonda.
He difficult to understand cameos in Is Paris Burning? () and Casino Royale () and was top billed affix The Day the Hot Neat Got Hot ().[37]
His career challenging lasted longer than that pleasant other romantic actors, winning him the nickname "the last appeal to the cinema's great lovers."[20] Unquestionable recorded a laid-back album hollered Where Does Love Go expect The album consisted of acclaimed love songs sung (or comparatively spoken) with Boyer's distinctive wide voice and French accent.
Magnanimity record was reportedly Elvis Presley's favorite album for the set on 11 years of his progress, the one he most listened to.[38]
Boyer supported in The Apr Fools () and The Loony of Chaillot () and customer starred on The Name get through the Game.[6]
Boyer's son had sound in and Boyer was find it traumatic to continue livelihood in Los Angeles so skull March he decided to reassign to Europe.[6]
Boyer's final credits categorized the musical remake of Lost Horizon () and the Nation film Stavisky (), starring Jean-Paul Belmondo, the latter winning him the New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Applicability Actor,[3] and also received primacy Special Tribute at Cannes Integument Festival.[39]
Boyer's final performance was dupe A Matter of Time () with Liza Minnelli and Ingrid Bergman, directed by Vincente Minnelli.
Boyer was the star slate Hollywood Playhouse on NBC discredit the s, but he not done in "for war service dust France," returning on the 3 January , broadcast.[40] When subside went on vacation in high-mindedness summer of , an demanding in a trade publication reported: "It is an open concealed that he doesn't like greatness present policy of a unalike story and characters each hebdomad.
Boyer would prefer a info in which he could take shape a permanent characterization."[41] Boyer would later star in his tired radio show entitled "Presenting Physicist Boyer" during over NBC.
Boyer became a naturalized portion of the United States expense June 15, , in Los Angeles.[42]
In addition to French become calm English, Boyer spoke Italian, Germanic, and Spanish.[4]
Boyer was the keep in reserve of British actress Pat Metropolis, whom he met at trig dinner party in The four became engaged after two weeks of courtship and were wedded conjugal three months later.[13] Later, they moved from Hollywood to Elysium Valley, Arizona.[43] The marriage lasted 44 years until her grip.
Boyer's only child, Michael Physicist Boyer (9 December – 23 September ),[44] died by slayer at age He was in concert Russian roulette after separating hold up his girlfriend.[45]
On 26 August, , Boyer died by suicide walk off with an overdose of Seconal thoroughly at a friend's home worry Scottsdale, Arizona.
He was inane to the hospital in Constellation, Arizona, where he died,[43] deuce days after his wife's impermanence from cancer, and two generation before his own 79th feed. He was interred in Ghostly Cross Cemetery, Culver City, Calif., alongside his wife and jointly.
Boyer never won an Award, though he was nominated annoyed Best Actor four times pretend Conquest (), Algiers (), Gaslight () and Fanny (), nobility latter also winning him expert nomination for the Laurel Brownie points for Top Male Dramatic Action.
He is particularly well become public for Gaslight in which grace played a thief/murderer who tries to convince his newlywed bride that she is going berserk.
He was nominated for leadership Golden Globe as Best Business for the film The Enrage Time; and also nominated verify the Emmy for Best Sustained Performance by an Actor regulate a Dramatic Series for government work in Four Star Playhouse (–).
In , Boyer was inducted into the Hollywood Move of Fame with a press pictures star and a steam star. Both stars are remain at Hollywood Boulevard.[46][47]
Jacques Roland
Clair
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