Alexandre Rignault

• Name — Alexandre Rignault • Born — 14 February 1901 • Birthplace — Paris, France • Died — 2 April 1985 • Place of death — Saint-Mandé, France • Occupation — Actor • Years Active — 1931–1985

He was born on February 14, 1901 in Paris 5th, at his parents' home, rue Guy-de-La-Brosse. His father was a mechanic, and his mother was a housewife. In the mid-1920s, after having worked in various professions, he desired to become an actor. Attracted to the theater, he wrote to Louis Jouvet to offer his services. Jouvet received him and hired him to play the utility in his troupe. For about fifteen years, Rignault was cast in works by Nicolas Gogol, Marcel Achard and Jules Romains, and participated in the creation of three plays by Jean Giraudoux: Amphitryon 38 (1929), Intermezzo (1933), at the Comédie des Champs-Élysées, and Ondine (1939) at the Théâtre de l'Athénée. After World War II, he was still seen in several plays, by Paul Claudel among others, presented at the Théâtre du Vieux-Colombier. For his film debut in 1931, he played the art critic Langelard in Jean Renoir's La Chienne, a social drama with Janie Marèse and Michel Simon. Rignault, although he never had leading roles, happily played all sorts of jobs on screen: foreman, innkeeper, postman, policeman, doctor, gamekeeper, priest, notary, sharecropper, barker, peasant, etc. He became known to the general public in 1937, playing King Henry VIII in Christian-Jaque's François Ier, starring Fernandel. From the end of the 1950s, Alexandre Rignault made frequent appearances on television. He played, among others, Count Robert de Clermont in Les Rois maudits (1972) by Claude Barma and the patriarch Gregor Kovalic in the Châteauvallon saga (1985), a role that closed his prolific career. He is buried in the Montparnasse cemetery (25th division, large cemetery, 15 west, 6 north).

Film • Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1931 — La Chienne • 1933 — A Man's Neck — Joseph Heurtin • Knock • The Orderly • 1934 — The Adventurer • Liliom • 1935 — Justin de Marseille • The Crew • 1937 — Courrier sud • Francis the First • The Forsaken • 1938 — Rasputin • The Woman from the End of the World • The Girls of the Rhône • 1939 — Fort Dolorès • Midnight Tradition • 1940 — Serenade • 1941 — Volpone • 1942 — Colonel Pontcarral • 1943 — The Count of Monte Cristo • L'Éternel retour • Strange Inheritance • 1945 — The Last Metro — Bourgeot • 1947 — Fantômas • 1948 — Ruy Blas • Memories Are Not for Sale • 1949 — Emile the African • 1950 — Les joueurs • Bibi Fricotin • 1951 — The Lady from Boston • The Prettiest Sin in the World • Andalusia • 1952 — Dans la vie tout s'arrange • Full House • Piédalu Works Miracles • 1953 — The Return of Don Camillo • 1954 — Leguignon the Healer • 1956 — The Adventures of Gil Blas • 1959 — Marie of the Isles • 1959 — Quay of Illusions • 1960 — Eyes Without a Face • 1962 — The Gentleman from Epsom • 1964 — Angélique, Marquise des Anges • 1971 — Le Prussien • 1972 — Figaro-ci, Figaro-là • 1972 — Not Dumb, The Bird • 1975 — Number Two