LOUIS JOURDAN
Name: Louis Jourdan
Born: 19 June 1919 Marseille, France
Louis Jourdan (born June 19, 1919) is a French film actor. He is known for his
roles in several Hollywood films, including Gigi (1958) and Octopussy (1983).
Jourdan was born as Louis Gendre in Marseille, France, the son of Yvonne (née
Jourdan) and Henry Gendre, a hotel owner. He was educated in France, Turkey
and England, and trained as an actor at the École Dramatique, making his film
debut in 1939.
Following the German occupation of France during World War II, he continued to
make films but after refusing to participate in Nazi propaganda films, he joined
the French Resistance; his father was arrested by the Gestapo. After the 1944
liberation of France by the Allies, Jourdan married Berthe Frederique, with whom
he had a son.
In 1947 Jourdan accepted an offer from a Hollywood studio to appear in The
Paradine Case, an Alfred Hitchcock drama starring Gregory Peck. There he became
friends with several stars who shared his love of croquet. After a number of
American films, most notably the 1954 romantic drama Three Coins in the Fountain,
he made his Broadway debut in the lead role in Billy Rose' drama, The Immoralist.
He returned to Broadway for a short run in 1955 and that year made his U.S.
television debut as Inspector Beaumont in the series Paris Precinct.
During the 1950s Jourdan made several international films, including playing the
male lead in The Bride is Too Beautiful opposite Brigitte Bardot. However, he
may be best remembered as the romantic lead opposite Leslie Caron and Maurice
Chevalier in the 1958 film version of the Colette novel, Gigi. The film earned
nine Academy Awards, including Best Picture.
Louis Jourdan as Kamal Khan in Octopussy
In later years Jourdan also appeared on television, such as 1977's Count Dracula
for the BBC, and the 1978 Columbo episode, Murder Under Glass, where he played a
killer caught by the eponymous, unorthodox, rumpled American detective,
Inspector Columbo.
In 1983, he was cast as the villainous Kamal Khan in the James Bond film,
Octopussy. In 1984 he played the role of Pierre de Coubertin in The First
Olympics: Athens 1896, a TV series about the 1896 Summer Olympics.
Name: Louis Jourdan
Born: 19 June 1919 Marseille, France
Louis Jourdan (born June 19, 1919) is a French film actor. He is known for his
roles in several Hollywood films, including Gigi (1958) and Octopussy (1983).
Jourdan was born as Louis Gendre in Marseille, France, the son of Yvonne (née
Jourdan) and Henry Gendre, a hotel owner. He was educated in France, Turkey
and England, and trained as an actor at the École Dramatique, making his film
debut in 1939.
Following the German occupation of France during World War II, he continued to
make films but after refusing to participate in Nazi propaganda films, he joined
the French Resistance; his father was arrested by the Gestapo. After the 1944
liberation of France by the Allies, Jourdan married Berthe Frederique, with whom
he had a son.
In 1947 Jourdan accepted an offer from a Hollywood studio to appear in The
Paradine Case, an Alfred Hitchcock drama starring Gregory Peck. There he became
friends with several stars who shared his love of croquet. After a number of
American films, most notably the 1954 romantic drama Three Coins in the Fountain,
he made his Broadway debut in the lead role in Billy Rose' drama, The Immoralist.
He returned to Broadway for a short run in 1955 and that year made his U.S.
television debut as Inspector Beaumont in the series Paris Precinct.
During the 1950s Jourdan made several international films, including playing the
male lead in The Bride is Too Beautiful opposite Brigitte Bardot. However, he
may be best remembered as the romantic lead opposite Leslie Caron and Maurice
Chevalier in the 1958 film version of the Colette novel, Gigi. The film earned
nine Academy Awards, including Best Picture.
Louis Jourdan as Kamal Khan in Octopussy
In later years Jourdan also appeared on television, such as 1977's Count Dracula
for the BBC, and the 1978 Columbo episode, Murder Under Glass, where he played a
killer caught by the eponymous, unorthodox, rumpled American detective,
Inspector Columbo.
In 1983, he was cast as the villainous Kamal Khan in the James Bond film,
Octopussy. In 1984 he played the role of Pierre de Coubertin in The First
Olympics: Athens 1896, a TV series about the 1896 Summer Olympics.