Georges Marchal

Georges Marchal, 1948

Georges Marchal (10 January 1920 – 28 November 1997) was a French actor.

Born Georges Louis Lucot in Nancy, Meurthe-et-Moselle, France, the strikingly handsome Marchal was discovered in the early-1940s by director Jean Grémillon. By the early 1950s, he had become one of the top male stars of French cinema, second only, perhaps, to actor Jean Marais. He was also a favorite leading man of filmmaker Luis Buñuel, appearing in the director's films La voie lactée, Belle de jour, Cela s'appelle l'aurore, and La mort en ce jardin.

In 1951, Marchal married French actress Dany Robin and together they were a popular couple, playing in the movies La Passagère (1949), La Voyageuse inattendue, Le plus joli péché du monde, Jupiter directed by Gilles Grangier (1952), and Quand sonnera midi directed by Edmond T. Gréville (1958).

On television, Marchal played Claude Jade's father in the TV-series The Island of Thirty Coffins, and appeared as Richelieu, and Philippe IV, and in adaptations of Balzac, Hugo, George Sand and Colette.

Divorced from Dany Robin since 1969, Marchal married Michele Heyberger in 1983. He had two children, Robin and Frédérique. Marchal retired in 1989 and died, age 77, on 28 November 1997 in Maurens, Dordogne, France.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Director Cast Notes
1941 Premier rendez-vous Jean de Vaugelas Henri Decoin Danielle Darrieux, Louis Jourdan Uncredited
1942 Le Lit à colonnes Olivier de Verrières Roland Tual Fernand Ledoux
The Man Who Played with Fire Bernard Jean de Limur writer: Pierre Bost
Summer Light Julien Jean Grémillon Madeleine Renaud, Pierre Brasseur, Madeleine Robinson writer: Jacques Prévert
1943 Vautrin Lucien de Rubempré Pierre Billon Michel Simon, Madeleine Sologne novel: Honoré de Balzac,
screenplay: Pierre Benoît, Pierre Billon
Pamela René Bergerin Pierre de Hérain Fernand Gravey, Renée Saint-Cyr novel: Victorien Sardou
1945 False Alarm Bernard Dalban Jacques de Baroncelli Josephine Baker, Micheline Presle
Blondine Astara Henri Mahé Nicole Maurey, Michèle Philippe
1946 Dawn Devils Lieutenant Claude Legrand Yves Allégret Simone Signoret
1947 The Seventh Door Ali André Zwoboda
Torrents Yann Getersen Serge de Poligny
Bethsabée Capitaine Georges Dubreuil Léonide Moguy Danielle Darrieux, Jean Murat, Paul Meurisse novel: Pierre Benoît
1948 La figure de proue François Martineau Christian Stengel
1949 Last Love Alain Fontenay Jean Stelli Annabella, Jean Debucourt writer: Françoise Giroud
At the Grand Balcony Jean Fabien Henri Decoin Pierre Fresnay writer: Joseph Kessel
The Passenger Pierre Kerjean Jacques Daroy Dany Robin
1950 The Unexpected Voyager Marc Lanson Jean Stelli
The Last Days of Pompeii Lysias Marcel L'Herbier Micheline Presle
Thirst of Men Sergent Léon Bouvard Serge de Poligny Dany Robin
1951 The Prettiest Sin in the World Jacques Lebreton Gilles Grangier
Gigolo Marceau Le Guern Roger Richebé Arletty, Nicole Courcel writers: Jean Aurenche, Maurice Blondeau
The Seven Dwarfs to the Rescue The Black Prince Paolo William Tamburella Rossana Podestà
Messalina Gaius Silius Carmine Gallone María Félix
1952 Twelve Hours of Happiness Jupiter' L'inconnu - l'évadé de lasile psychiatrique Gilles Grangier
1953 Les amours finissent à l'aube Didier Guéret Henri Calef
Les Trois Mousquetaires D'Artagnan André Hunebelle Yvonne Sanson, Gino Cervi, Bourvil, Claude Dauphin novel: Alexandre Dumas,
screenplay and dialogue: Michel Audiard
1954 Royal Affairs in Versailles Louis XIV Sacha Guitry Sacha Guitry, Claudette Colbert, Orson Welles, Édith Piaf, Jean Marais, Gérard Philipe, Micheline Presle Marchal plays the young Louis XIV - and Guitry the older king
Theodora, Slave Empress Justinian I Riccardo Freda Gianna Maria Canale, Irene Papas
The Contessa's Secret Lucio Falengo Georges Combret Yvonne De Carlo, Paul Meurisse, Rossano Brazzi
The Count of Bragelonne Raoul de Bragelonne Fernando Cerchio Dawn Addams, Jacques Dumesnil novel: Alexandre Dumas,
adaptation: Alexandre Astruc
La soupe à la grimace Frank Keany Jean Sacha Maria Mauban, Dominique Wilms
1955 Eighteen Hour Stopover L'inspecteur Bério René Jolivet
Cherchez la femme Paul Mercier Raoul André
1956 The Adventures of Gil Blas Gil Blas René Jolivet Barbara Laage, Jacques Castelot novel: Alain-René Lesage
Cela s'appelle l'aurore Doctor Valerio Luis Buñuel Lucia Bosé novel: Emmanuel Roblès
Death in the Garden Shark Luis Buñuel Simone Signoret, Charles Vanel, Michel Piccoli
1957 Marchands de filles Mister John Maurice Cloche
1958 Girls of the Night Charly Maurice Cloche Nicole Berger
Quand sonnera midi Michel Dumartin Edmond T. Gréville
The Warrior and the Slave Girl Asclepius Vittorio Cottafavi Gianna Maria Canale, Ettore Manni
1959 Sheba and the Gladiator Consul Marcus Valerius Guido Brignone Anita Ekberg, Chelo Alonso, Gino Cervi, Jacques Sernas writer : Sergio Leone
Winter Holidays Georges Tardier Camillo Mastrocinque Alberto Sordi, Michèle Morgan, Vittorio De Sica
Wild Cats on the Beach Maurice Mont-Bret Vittorio Sala Alberto Sordi, Giovanna Ralli, Elsa Martinelli
Legions of the Nile Mark Antony Vittorio Cottafavi Linda Cristal, Ettore Manni
1960 Prisonniers de la brousse [fr] Fred Hersant Willy Rozier
The Dam on the Yellow River John Bell Renzo Merusi [it] Anita Ekberg
Austerlitz Maréchal Jean Lannes Abel Gance Pierre Mondy, Orson Welles, Jack Palance, Jean Marais, Claudia Cardinale, Vittorio De Sica, Leslie Caron
1961 The Colossus of Rhodes Peliocles Sergio Leone Rory Calhoun, Lea Massari
Napoleon II, the Eagle General Gustav von Neipperg Claude Boissol Bernard Verley, Jean Marais novel: André Castelot
1962 Ulysses Against the Son of Hercules Ulysses Mario Caiano Mike Lane
The Secret Mark of D'Artagnan Duke of Montserrat Siro Marcellini George Nader, Magali Noël, Massimo Serato
Le Naufragé du Pacifique [fr] Robinson Crusoe Jeff Musso
1964 L'étrange auto-stoppeuse Jean Darcy
1965 The Dirty Game Serge Terence Young, Christian-Jaque, Carlo Lizzani Henry Fonda, Robert Ryan, Bourvil, Annie Girardot, Robert Hossein, Vittorio Gassman, Peter van Eyck
1966 Dacii Cornelius Fuscus Sergiu Nicolaescu Pierre Brice, Marie-José Nat
1967 Belle de Jour Duke Luis Buñuel Catherine Deneuve, Jean Sorel, Michel Piccoli
1969 The Milky Way The Jesuit Luis Buñuel Paul Frankeur, Laurent Terzieff
1972 Faustine et le Bel Été Julien Nina Companeez Muriel Catala
1977 Closet Children Father Benoît Jacquot Brigitte Fossey, Lou Castel, Jean Sorel
1982 A Captain's Honor General Keller Pierre Schoendoerffer Nicole Garcia, Jacques Perrin, Georges Wilson, Charles Denner

Television

Year Title Role Director Cast Notes
1969 Tout pour le mieux Salvo Manfroni Jeannette Hubert Jean Desailly, Giani Esposito, Denise Grey, Eléonore Hirt play: Luigi Pirandello
1970 Le lys dans la vallée M. de Mortsauf Marcel Cravenne Delphine Seyrig, Richard Leduc, Alexandra Stewart novel: Honoré de Balzac
1971 Quentin Durward Crèvecoeur Gilles Grangier Amadeus August, Marie-France Boyer novel: Sir Walter Scott
L'homme qui rit Lord David Jean Kerchbron novel: Victor Hugo
1972 Les six hommes en question Major Lytton Abder Isker play: Frédéric Dard and Robert Hossein
Les Rois maudits
(The Accursed Kings) 		Philippe le Bel Claude Barma
1974 Paul et Virginie The governor Pierre Gaspard-Huit Véronique Jannot novel: Henri Bernardin de Saint-Pierre
1976 The Gallant Lords of Bois-Doré Sylvain de Bois Doré Bernard Borderie Yolande Folliot, Michel Albertini, Philippe Lemaire, François Maistre, Jean-François Poron novel: George Sand
1977 Vaincre à Olympie Milo of Croton Michel Subiela Jean Marais
1978 Claudine [fr] Renaud Edouard Molinaro Marie-Hélène Breillat, Jean Desailly novel: Colette and Willy,
adaptation : Danièle Thompson
Gaston Phébus Corbeyran Bernard Borderie Jean-Claude Drouot, France Dougnac, Nicole Garcia novel: Gaston et Myriam de Béarn
1979 The Island of Thirty Coffins Antoine d'Hergemont Marcel Cravenne Claude Jade novel : Maurice Leblanc
1981 Cinq-Mars Richelieu Jean-Claude Brialy Pierre Vaneck, Paul Blain, Madeleine Robinson, Jacques Duby writers: Jean-Claude Brialy and Didier Decoin
Maigret se trompe Professor Gouin Stéphane Bertin Jean Richard, Macha Méril novel: Georges Simenon
1985 Meurtres pour mémoire Pasquier Laurent Heynemann Christine Boisson, Christophe Malavoy novel: Didier Daeninckx
Châteauvallon Gilbert Bossis Chantal Nobel, Luc Merenda, Raymond Pellegrin
1986 Le coeur cambriolé Professor Thurel Michel Subiela short story: Gaston Leroux
1989 Les grandes familles Urbain de la Monnerie Edouard Molinaro Michel Piccoli, Pierre Arditi, Roger Hanin, Evelyne Bouix, Jean Desailly, Bulle Ogier novel and screenplay: Maurice Druon
(final appearance)