Jean Sorel
Jean Bernard Antoine de Chieusses de Combaud de Roquebrune CAL (born 25 September 1934), known professionally as Jean Sorel, is a French actor. He was a leading man of European cinema during the 1960s and '70s, with a screen persona that often drew comparisons with Alain Delon.
Also recorded as Jean Bernard Antoine de Chieusses de Combaud-Roquebrune
Jean Sorel

Aldo Lado · Public domain
- Name
- Jean Sorel
- Birth Name
- Jean Bernard Antoine de Chieusses de Combaud de Roquebrune
- Born
- 25 September 1934
- Birthplace
- Marseille, France
- Education
- École normale supérieure
- Occupation
- Actor
- Full name
- Jean de Chieusses de Combaud Roquebrune.
- Nationality
- France
- Honours
- Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres
- Languages
- French · Italian
VALÉORINE Encyclopedia
VALÉORINE documentary reading
Documentary summary
Jean Bernard Antoine de Chieusses de Combaud de Roquebrune CAL (born 25 September 1934), known professionally as Jean Sorel, is a French actor. He was a leading man of European cinema during the 1960s and '70s, with a screen persona that often drew comparisons with Alain Delon.
Admitted source layer · organised and presented by VALÉORINE
Note VALÉORINE
Jean Sorel (born 1934) is a French actor. The actor was born Jean de Chieusses de Combaud Roquebrune in Marseille.
Languages used include French and Italian. Jean Sorel received Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 27 September 2026
VALÉORINE
Reference Check
Propose documentary evidence for Jean Sorel. A contribution is never written directly as fact: identity, source, rights and evidence gates still decide.
Sign in to contribute
World of VALÉORINE
Documentary connections
Only confirmed graph relationships appear here. Images are shown only when their identity and reuse rights both pass the documentary gate.
Documentary evidence
Documentary basis
Authority files
wikidata · Q695190 · wikipedia · Jean Sorel
In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Jean Sorel • Birth Name — Jean Bernard Antoine de Chieusses de Combaud de Roquebrune • Born — 25 September 1934 • Birthplace — Marseille, France • Education — École normale supérieure • Occupation — Actor • Years Active — 1959–present • Relatives — François de Menthon (uncle)
Early life and family
Early life and family
Sorel was born Jean Bernard Antoine de Chieusses de Combaud de Roquebrune in Marseille. His family was descended from the House of Capet. His father, Guy (Guillaume) de Combaud de Roquebrune, was a newspaper publisher and a member of the French Resistance who was killed in combat during World War II. Via his father, Sorel was the nephew of François de Menthon. Initially planning to be a diplomat, Sorel studied international relations at the École normale supérieure, and worked as an embassy clerk in French Algeria from 1956 to 1957.
Acting career
Acting career
Sorel made his debut in I Spit on Your Graves (1957), an adaptation of the notorious Boris Vian novel of the same name. After several film appearances in his native country, Sorel made his breakthrough in Italian cinema in 1960, starring in Alberto Lattuada's Sweet Deceptions and Mauro Bolognini's From a Roman Balcony. During the following two decades, Sorel starred in films like A View from the Bridge, The Four Days of Naples (both 1962), Highway Pickup (1963), Sandra (1965),The Man Who Laughs (1966), Belle de jour (1967), and Model Shop (1969). He worked with such notable directors as Luis Buñuel, Luchino Visconti, Roger Vadim, Jacques Demy, Dino Risi, Julien Duvivier, and Sidney Lumet. Early on, Sorel drew comparisons to Alain Delon in his appearance and screen persona, often playing romantic leads. Beginning in the late 1960's, Sorel appeared in several giallo films, which brought him into recognition with international horror film fans. He starred in Lucio Fulci's first two gialli One on Top of the Other and A Lizard in a Woman's Skin, The Sweet Body of Deborah and A Quiet Place to Kill with Carroll Baker, and Aldo Lado's Short Night of Glass Dolls. In 1973, Sorel played OAS leader Jean Bastien-Thiry in the thriller film The Day of the Jackal. Since 1980, he has worked mostly in television. In 1984, he starred in the play Alice par des chemins obscurs, directed by Roger Planchon at the Théâtre National Populaire. In 2016, he starred in the Élie Chouraqui film The Origin of Violence (2016).
Personal life
Personal life
• Illustration — Jean Sorel with Anna Maria Ferrero in 1966 Sorel was married to Italian actress Anna Maria Ferrero from 1962 until her death in 2018. In 2018, he married Patricia Balme.
Filmography
Filmography
• 1959: I Spit on Your Grave as Elmer • 1960: Les Lionceaux as Patrice • 1960: Sweet Deceptions as Renato • 1960: From a Roman Balcony as David • 1961: Long Live Henry IV... Long Live Love! as Prince de Condé • 1961: Amelie or The Time to Love as Alain • 1961: Gold of Rome as Massimo • 1962: A View from the Bridge as Rodolpho • 1962: Disorder as Andrea • 1962: Adorable Julia as Tom Fennel • 1962: The Four Days of Naples as Livornese (uncredited) • 1962: Hypnosis (1962 film) as Erik Stein • 1963: Germinal as Étienne Lantier • 1963: Highway Pickup as Paul Genest • 1963: Un marito in condominio as Renato Carcaterra • 1964: Amori pericolosi as Il legionario (segment "La ronda") • 1964: Circle of Love as Le comte • 1964: All About Loving as Antoine • 1965: The Dolls as Vincenzo (segment "Monsignor Cupido") • 1965: Sandra as Gianni Wald-Luzzati • 1965: Made in Italy as Orlando (segment 3 'La Donna', episode 3) • 1965: Weekend, Italian Style as Sergio • 1966: The Man Who Laughs as Angelo / Astorre Manfredi • 1966: Sex Quartet as Luigi (segment "Fata Elena") • 1967: Belle de jour as Pierre Serizy • 1967: Kill Me Quick, I'm Cold as Franco • 1968: The Sweet Body of Deborah as Marcel • 1968: Adélaïde as Frédéric Cornault • 1968: Love Problems as Giorgio • 1968: The Protagonists as Roberto • 1969: A Complicated Girl as Alberto • 1969: One on Top of the Other as Dr. George Dumurrier • 1969: L'amica as Franco Raimondi • 1969: Model Shop as Secretary • 1970: Kill the Fatted Calf and Roast It as Cesare Merlo • 1970: A Quiet Place to Kill as Maurice Sauvage • 1970: Thou Shalt Not Covet Thy Fifth Floor Neighbour as Pedro Andreu • 1971: A Lizard in a Woman's Skin as Frank Hammond • 1971: Short Night of Glass Dolls as Gregory Moore • 1971: In the Eye of the Hurricane as Paul • 1971: The Double as Giovanni • 1972: One Billion for a Blonde as Lt. Barney Holmes • 1973: The Day of the Jackal as Bastien-Thiry • 1973: Trader Horn as Emil DuMond • 1973: Murder in a Blue World as Dr. Victor Sender • 1973: The Great Kidnapping as Aloisi • 1974: La profanazione as Dr. Banti • 1975: Une vieille maîtresse (TV) as Ryno de Marigny • 1977: Death Haunts Monica as Federico • 1977: Les Enfants du placard as Berlu • 1978: L'Affaire Suisse as Paul Suter • 1978: The Man in the Rushes as Robert • 1979: The Bronte Sisters as Leyland • 1980: La Naissance du jour (TV) as Vial • 1981: Quatre femmes, quatre vies: La belle alliance (TV) as Michel • 1981: The Wings of the Dove as Lukirsh • 1981: Aimée as Pierre Ménard • 1981: Une mère russe (TV) as Le fils de 20 à 55 ans • 1982: Aspern as Jean Decaux • 1982: Le Cercle fermé (TV) as Jérôme Baron / Fabien Moreau • 1982: La Démobilisation générale (TV) as Serge Boncourt • 1982: Bonnie and Clyde Italian Style as The Captain • 1983: Par ordre du Roy (TV) as Le marquis de Ganges (segment "La marquise des Anges") • 1985: L'Herbe rouge (TV) as Wolf • 1986: Affari di famiglia (TV) as Enrico • 1986: Rosa la rose, fille publique as Gilbert • 1987: Il Burbero as Giulio Machiavelli • 1988: Le Crépuscule des loups (TV) as Werner • 1988: Le Clan (feuilleton TV) as Giorgio Stivale • 1989: Casablanca Express as Major Valmore • 1990: Speaking of the Devil as Holy father • 1990: Come una mamma (TV) • 1990: Prigioniera di una vendetta (TV series) as Marc (1990) • 1991: Millions as Leo Ferretti • 1992: Les Cœurs brûlés (TV series) • 1993: La scalata (TV series) as Alain Morrà • 1993: Una madre come te (TV) • 1995: Butterfly (TV series) • 1995: Il prezzo della vita (TV) • 1995: Fils unique • 1995: Laura (TV) • 1997: Desert of Fire (TV miniseries) as Miller • 1997: Mamma per caso (TV series) as Giorgio • 1997: Dove comincia il sole (TV series) as Antonio Amati • 1998: À nous deux la vie (TV) as David • 2004: Tout va bien c'est Noël! (TV) as Maxime • 2005: I Colori della vita (TV) • 2008: L'ultimo Pulcinella • 2014: A Good Season (TV miniseries) • 2016: Zambezia as Georges • 2016: The Origin of Violence as Charles Wagner (final film role)
Identity and origins
Identity and origins
Jean Sorel was recorded at birth as Jean de Chieusses de Combaud Roquebrune. The authorities additionally record the heading Jean Bernard Antoine de Chieusses de Combaud-Roquebrune.
Identity
Identity
Jean Sorel is recorded as actor.

Anna Maria Ferrero et Jean Sorel à la gare d'Amsterdam le 25 janvier 1966
Ron Kroon (Anefo)
![Collectie / Archief: Fotocollectie Anefo Reportage / Serie: [onbekend] Beschrijving: Aankomst Jean Sorel (filmacteur) en echtgenote Anna-Maria Ferrero (actrice) op Centraal Station te Amsterdam Datum: 25 januari 1966 Locatie: Amsterdam, Noord-Holland Trefwoorden: acteurs, filmsterren, stations Persoonsnaam: Ferrero Anna-Maria, Sorel Jean Fotograaf: Kroon, Ron / Anefo Auteursrechthebbende](https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e9/Aankomst_Jean_Sorel_%28filmacteur%29_en_echtgenote_Anna-Maria_Ferrero_%28actrice%29_op_%E2%80%A6%2C_Bestanddeelnr_918-7174.jpg/1280px-Aankomst_Jean_Sorel_%28filmacteur%29_en_echtgenote_Anna-Maria_Ferrero_%28actrice%29_op_%E2%80%A6%2C_Bestanddeelnr_918-7174.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
Collectie / Archief: Fotocollectie Anefo Reportage / Serie: [onbekend] Beschrijving: Aankomst Jean Sorel (filmacteur) en echtgenote Anna-Maria Ferrero (actrice) op Centraal Station te Amsterdam Datum: 25 januari 1966 Locatie: Amsterdam, Noord-Holland Trefwoorden: acteurs, filmsterren, stations Persoonsnaam: Ferrero Anna-Maria, Sorel Jean Fotograaf: Kroon, Ron / Anefo Auteursrechthebbende
Ron Kroon / Anefo
Primary material
Context
The circumstances in which Jean Sorel stands.
Honours
In 2011, Sorel was ascended a Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters.
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Ordre des Arts et des Lettres - Nominations et promotions du 01-2011. archive.wikiwix.com.
- 2.Passek, Jean-Loup. Dictionnaire du cinéma. Larousse. 1374. 2001.
- 3.Schifano, Laurence. Visconti: Une vie exposée. Éditions Gallimard. 2009.
- 4.Sennecey 1944. sennecey1944.com.
- 5.Ponnavoy, Jean-Louis. De CHIEUSSES de COMBAUD de ROQUEBRUNE Guillaume, Louis, Antoine, surnommé Guy. Le Maitron. Maitron/Editions de l'Atelier. 2021-10-31.
- 6.Jean Sorel – Blood and Porridge. 2022-04-12.
- 7.The Giallo Files: Short Night of the Glass Dolls. The Giallo Files.
- 8.Anna Maria Ferrero.
- 9.Jean Sorel se livre sur sa relation avec Patricia Balme : 'J'ai retrouvé le bonheur'. RTBF.
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
reference work
Secondary witnessreference work
Secondary witness
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 15 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Film memorabilia
37,604 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
- Jean SebergPerson
- Jean ShrimptonPerson
- Jean SimmonsPerson
- Jean SmithPerson
- Jean StelliPerson
- Jean TedescoPerson
- Jean TeuléPerson
- Jean TouloutPerson
Best supported in this field
For owners
Own a work by Jean Sorel?
A specialist will read what you send and tell you what the house can establish, what it cannot, and whether the object is suited to sale. There is no charge and no obligation. The object stays with you throughout; nothing is shipped to us unless it is arranged in writing beforehand.