Jacques Prévert

He published his first book in 1946.

• Name — Jacques Prévert • Born — 4 February 1900 • Birthplace — Neuilly-sur-Seine, France • Died — 11 April 1977 • Place of death — Omonville-la-Petite, France • Occupation — Poet, screenwriter • Genre — Poetry • Movement — Poetic realism

Prévert was born in Neuilly-sur-Seine and grew up in Paris. After receiving his Certificat d'études upon completing his primary education, he quit school and went to work in Le Bon Marché, a major department store in Paris. In 1918, he was called up for military service in the First World War. After this, he was sent to the Near East to defend French interests there.

• Illustration — Prévert's grave, next to that of Alexandre Trauner He died of lung cancer in Omonville-la-Petite, on 11 April 1977. He had been working on the last scene of the animated movie Le Roi et l'Oiseau (The King and the Mockingbird) with his friend and collaborator Paul Grimault. When the film was released in 1980, it was dedicated to Prévert's memory, and on opening night, Grimault kept the seat next to him empty. His dog Auto was given to a family friend after his death.

When Prévert was attending primary school, he at first hated writing. Later, he participated actively in the Surrealist movement. Together with the writers Raymond Queneau and Marcel Duhamel, he was a member of the Rue du Château group. He was also a member of the agitprop theater company Groupe Octobre where he helped craft a left-wing cinema in support of the causes of the Popular Front. Prévert remained supportive of left-wing causes throughout his life. In 1971, he wrote a poem in support of the communist Angela Davis after her arrest. • Illustration — A large number of educational institutions bear the name of Jacques Prévert (Here, the lycée Jacques-Prévert in Boulogne-Billancourt) Prévert's poems were collected and published in his books: Paroles (Words) (1946), Spectacle (1951), La Pluie et le beau temps (Rain and Good Weather) (1955), Histoires (Stories) (1963), Fatras (1971) and Choses et autres (Things and Others) (1973). His poems are often about life in Paris and life after the Second World War. They are widely taught in schools in France, and frequently appear in French language textbooks published worldwide. Some, such as "Déjeuner du Matin", are also often taught in American upper-level French classes, for the students to learn basics. Some of Prévert's poems, such as "Les feuilles mortes" ("Autumn Leaves"), "L'Addition", "La grasse matinée" ("Sleeping in"), "Les bruits de la nuit" ("The sounds of the night") and "Chasse à l'enfant" ("The hunt for the child") were set to music by Joseph Kosma—and in some cases by Germaine Tailleferre of Les Six, Christiane Verger, Marjo Tal, and Hanns Eisler. They have been sung by prominent French vocalists, including Marianne Oswald, Yves Montand, and Édith Piaf, as well as by the later American singers Joan Baez and Nat King Cole. In 1961, French singer-songwriter Serge Gainsbourg paid tribute to "Les feuilles mortes" in his own song "La chanson de Prévert". "Les feuilles mortes" was also translated into German by the German poet and Liedermacher (singer-songwriter) Wolf Biermann, titled "Welke Blätter", and was performed by him and others. The British remix DJs Coldcut released their own version in 1993. Another German version has been published and covered by Didier Caesar (alias Dieter Kaiser), which he named "Das welke Laub". "Les feuilles mortes" also bookends Iggy Pop's 2009 album Préliminaires. Prévert's poems are translated into many languages worldwide. Many translators have translated his poems into English. The poet and translator Suman Pokhrel has translated some of his poems into Nepali.

Prévert wrote the scenarios and sometimes the dialogue in the following films: • Baleydier (1932) • Ciboulette (1933) • Hotel Free Exchange (1934) • If I Were Boss (1934) • Le Crime de monsieur Lange (1936) • 27 Rue de la Paix (1936) • Moutonnet (1936) • Drôle de drame (1937) • Quai des brumes (1938) • Ernest the Rebel (1938) • Les Disparus de Saint-Agil (1938) (fr) • Le Jour se lève (1939) • The Mysterious Mr. Davis (1939) • Remorques (1941) • Les Visiteurs du soir (1942) • A Woman in the Night (1943) • Summer Light (1943) • Goodbye Leonard (1943) • Les Enfants du paradis (1945) • Les Portes de la nuit (1945) • The Bellman (1945) • Le Petit Soldat (The Little Soldier) (short animated film, 1947), with Paul Grimault, after The Steadfast Tin Soldier by Hans Christian Andersen • Mystery Trip (1947) • The Lovers of Verona (1949) • La Bergère et le ramoneur (The Shepherdess and the Chimney Sweep) (animated film, 1953), with Paul Grimault after tale by Hans Christian Andersen, later revised and finished as Le Roi et l'oiseau • The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1956) • Le Petit Claus et le Grand Claus (fr), by Pierre Prévert, after the tale Little Claus and Big Claus by Hans Christian Andersen (live action and animation, 1964) • Le diamant (The diamond) (short animated film, 1970), with Paul Grimault, complement to L'Aveu of Costa-Gavras • Le Chien mélomane (The Music-Loving Dog) (short animated film, 1973), with Paul Grimault • Le Roi et l'oiseau (animated film, 1980), with Paul Grimault

Jacques Prévert was recorded at birth as Jacques André Marie Prévert. The authorities additionally record the headings Zh. Prever, Zhak Prever and Jacques Prevert. His recorded language was French. He married Janine Tricotet and Simone Dienne.