Jules Berry
Born
February 9, 1883
Died
April 23, 1951 (68 years old)
Known For
Acting
Place of Birth
Poitiers, Vienne, France
Jules Berry (born Marie Louis Jules Paufichet; 9 February 1883 – 23 April 1951) was a French actor.
Berry and his two brothers were born to parents who sold hardware and settled in Poitou. The family moved to Paris in 1888. Berry completed his studies at the Lycée Louis-le-Grand and then graduated from École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts.
It was during his studies that Berry developed an interest in the theater. Following an audition, he was hired by the Théâtre Antoine-Simone Berriau to act in La Mort du duc d'Enghien by Léon Hennique, and Le Perroquet vert by Arthur Schnitzler.
Later he performed at the Théâtre de l'Ambigu-Comique and the Théâtre de l'Athénée. During a tour in Lyon, he was noticed by Jean-François Ponson, who hired him for a period of 12 years at the Théâtre royal des Galeries Saint-Hubert in Brussels. Audiences in Brussels gave him a warm welcome, where he played in productions such as Le Mariage de mademoiselle Beulemans.
Berry subsequently performed in 30 successful plays for Marcel Achard, Alfred Savoir, Louis Verneuil, and Roger Ferdinand. One of Berry's first movie roles was the silent film Oliver Cromwell (1911) directed by Henri Desfontaines. His first appearance in a talking picture was Mon coeur et ses millions (1931) with Suzy Prim. Over the course of his career, Berry acted in 89 motion pictures.
Bombastic, extravagant, and whimsical, Berry was as flamboyant as any entertainer of the period, including Pierre Brasseur. Berry is often considered one of the greatest actors in the history of French cinema.
Among Berry's best films are: The Crime of Monsieur Lange by Jean Renoir, Les Visiteurs du Soir by Marcel Carné, Le Jour Se Lève by Marcel Carné, Strange Inheritance by Louis Daquin, Baccara by Yves Mirande, 27 Rue de la Paix by Richard Pottier and L'Habit vert by Roger Richebé.
Berry ended his film career in 1951 to interpret the texts of Jacques Prévert.
Berry was romantically involved with actresses Jane Marken, Suzy Prim, and Josseline Gaël. He and Gaël had a daughter named Michelle in 1939.
A compulsive gambler, Berry frequented casinos and horse races. In April 1951, Berry was admitted to the Hôpital Broussais, where he died of a heart attack caused by treatment for rheumatism. He is buried in the Père Lachaise Cemetery (division 80).
Source: Article "Jules Berry" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA 3.0.

The Image Book
(archive footage)
2018
Encyclopédie audiovisuelle du cinéma
Self (archive footage) · (1 episode)
1978
Stars Never Die
Self (archive footage)
1957

Les Maîtres-nageurs
Chamboise
1951

The Rear-Wheel Drive Gang
The Baron of Puy de la Margelle
1950

Tête blonde
Frédéric Octave Pancrace Truche
1950

Without Trumpet or Drum
Saint-Rosay,le cousin écossais d'André
1950

Not Any Weekend for Our Love
Le baron Richard de Valirman
1950

Portrait of a Murderer
Pfeiffer
1949

Strange Tales
Fortunato
1949

Si jeunesse savait...
Charles Vigne
1948

The Crowned Fish Tavern
Léo
1947

Distress
Frontenac
1947

Dreams of Love
Belloni
1947

La Troisième Dalle
Professor Barbaroux
1946

The Murderer Is Not Guilty
Jules Berry
1946

Mr. Gregoire Runs Away
Charles Tuffal
1946

Messieurs Ludovic
Mr. Mareuil
1946

Star Without Light
Billy Daniel
1946

Dorothy Looks for Love
Mr. Pascal
1945

Le mort ne reçoit plus
1944
Behold Beatrice
Richelière
1944

T'amerò sempre
Oscar
1943

Tristi amori
Il conte Ettore Arcieri
1943

Le Soleil de minuit
Forestier
1943

The London Man
Brown
1943

Marie-Martine
Novelist Loïc Limousin
1943

Le Voyageur de la Toussaint
Plantel
1943
The White Truck
Shabbas
1943

The Big Fight
Charlie
1942

Little Nothings
Lefèvre (uncredited)
1942

The Devil's Envoys
The Devil
1942

L'assassin a peur la nuit
Jérôme
1942

Soyez les bienvenus
The player
1942

Retour au bonheur
1942

La Symphonie fantastique
Schlesinger
1942

Chambre 13
1942

Parade in 7 Nights
Inspector Calas
1941

Face au destin
Claude Davenay
1941

L'Embuscade
Armand Limeuil
1941
L'An 40
Stanislas
1941

After the Storm
Alex Krakow
1941

The Mondesir Heir
Waldemar, le mage
1940

Paris - New-York
Manager Sinclair
1940

The Duraton Family
Sammy Walter
1940

Daybreak
M. Valentin
1939

His Uncle from Normandy
1939

Cas de conscience
1939

Behind the Facade
Alfredo d'Avila, dancer of these ladies
1939

Deputy Eusèbe
Félix Jacassar
1939

Final Accord
Baron Larzac
1938

Café de Paris
Fleury
1938

The Midnight Airplane
L'inspecteur Leroy
1938

The Woman of Monte Carlo
Count Messirian
1938

Clodoche
1938

The Woman Thief
Sadoc Torner
1938

Hercule
Vasco
1938

The West
Max - Le portier
1938

Les Deux Combinards
Jacques Barisart
1938

Crossroads
Lucien Sarrow
1938

Balthazar
1937

A Picnic on the Grass
Pierre Haguet
1937

The Green Dress
Parmeline
1937

The Kings of Sport
Acteur
1937

Le Club des Aristocrates
Serge de Montbreuse
1937

Arsène Lupin, Detective
Barnett, alias Arsène Lupin
1937

Champs-Elysees
Maxime Germont
1937

La Bête aux sept manteaux
1937

A Man to Kill
Commissioner Raucourt
1937

French White Cargo
Moreno
1937

Mr. Nobody
Monsieur Personne
1936

Adventure in Paris
Michel Levasseur
1936

27, rue de la Paix
Denis Grand
1936
Rigolboche
Berry
1936

Wolves Between Them
1936

Disk 413
Captain Richard Maury
1936

A Hen on a Wall
Henri Sornin
1936

The Crime of Monsieur Lange
Batala
1936

The Fleeing Dead
Hector Trignol
1936

Baccara
André Leclerc
1935

Touche-à-tout
Bressac
1935
Et moi, j'te dis qu'elle t'a fait de l'oeil
André Courvalin
1935
Jeunes filles à marier
Philippe
1935
Une femme chipée
Doctor Germont
1934

Arlette et ses papas
1934

King of Hotels
1932

Quick
Quick, Music Clown
1932

My Heart and Its Millions
Franck Crighton
1931

L'Argent
Huret
1928