Michel Audiard
Paul Michel Audiard (15 May 1920 – 27 July 1985) was a French screenwriter and film director, known for his witty, irreverent and slang-laden dialogues which made him a prominent figure on the French cultural scene of the 1960s and 1970s. He was the father of French film director Jacques Audiard.
Also recorded as Pierre Michel Audiard
Michel Audiard

Wikimedia Commons / Mu · CC BY-SA 3.0
- Name
- Michel Audiard
- Birth Name
- Paul Michel Audiard
- Born
- 15 May 1920
- Birthplace
- Paris, France
- Died
- 27 July 1985
- Place of death
- Dourdan, Essonne, France
- Occupation
- Film director
- Nationality
- France
- Known for
- Monsieur Gangster · Elle boit pas, elle fume pas, elle drague pas and mais... elle cause ! · Don't Take God's Children for Wild Geese · Comment réussir quand on est con et pleurnichard · The Inquisitor
VALÉORINE Encyclopedia
VALÉORINE documentary reading
Documentary summary
Paul Michel Audiard (15 May 1920 – 27 July 1985) was a French screenwriter and film director, known for his witty, irreverent and slang-laden dialogues which made him a prominent figure on the French cultural scene of the 1960s and 1970s. He was the father of French film director Jacques Audiard.
Admitted source layer · organised and presented by VALÉORINE
Note VALÉORINE
Michel Audiard (1920–1985) was a French dialogue writer, director and film actor, among other activities. Works include Comment réussir quand on est con et pleurnichard, Don't Take God's Children for Wild Geese, Monsieur Gangster and The Inquisitor.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 27 September 2026
VALÉORINE
Reference Check
Propose documentary evidence for Michel Audiard. 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
Evidence Panel
not yet certified
- Identity
- resolved
- Independent source families
- 0
- Admitted assertions
- 0
- Open conflicts
- 0
Authority files
bnf · gnd · loc · wikidata · Q7122 · wikipedia · Michel Audiard
In this article
Biography
Biography
Audiard worked between 1920 and 1985 across journalist, film director, screenwriter, dialogue writer and writer and 2 further recorded occupations. This article rests on 13 published texts and 34 scholarly references drawn from named institutional registers. Every statement below returns to a source shown in the evidence panel; where the record is silent or divided, the article says so instead of resolving it.

Inconnu
Inconnu
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Michel Audiard • Birth Name — Paul Michel Audiard • Born — 15 May 1920 • Birthplace — Paris, France • Died — 27 July 1985 • Place of death — Dourdan, Essonne, France • Years Active — 1949–1985 • Occupation — Film director • Children — Jacques Audiard
1940s–1950s
1940s–1950s
• 1949: • Mission in Tangier, directed by André Hunebelle • One Only Loves Once, directed by Jean Stelli • 1950: • Brune ou blonde, directed by Jacques Garcia • Beware of Blondes, directed by André Hunebelle • 1951: • Vedettes sans maquillage, directed by Jacques Guillon • Young Love, directed by Guy Lefranc • Le Passe-muraille, directed by Jean Boyer • Darling Caroline, directed by Richard Pottier • Ma femme est formidable (uncredited), directed by André Hunebelle • Massacre en dentelles, directed by André Hunebelle • The Man in My Life, directed by Guy Lefranc • Bim le petit âne, directed by Albert Lamorisse • 1952: • Adorable Creatures (uncredited), directed by Christian-Jaque • Pour vous, mesdames (uncredited), directed by Jacques Garcia • Elle et moi, directed by Guy Lefranc • Le Feu quelque part, directed by Pierre Foucaud (Court-métrage) • Le Duel à travers les âges, directed by Pierre Foucaud (Court-métrage) • 1953: • The Long Teeth, directed by Daniel Gélin • Les Trois Mousquetaires, directed by André Hunebelle • The Most Wanted Man, directed by Henri Verneuil • 1954: • Destinées (uncredited), directed by Christian-Jaque, Jean Delannoy and Marcello Pagliero • Sang et lumières, directed by Georges Rouquier • Fun in the Barracks, directed by Paolo Moffa • Poisson d'avril (1954), directed by Gilles Grangier • Quay of Blondes, directed by Paul Cadéac • ', directed by Pierre Foucaud • 1955: • Gas-Oil, directed by Gilles Grangier • 1956: • Until the Last One, directed by Pierre Billon • Blood to the Head, directed by Gilles Grangier • Mannequins of Paris, directed by André Hunebelle • Short Head, directed by Norbert Carbonnaux • 1957: • Le rouge est mis, directed by Gilles Grangier • Fugitive in Saigon, directed by Marcel Camus • Three Days to Live, directed by Gilles Grangier • Retour de manivelle, directed by Denys de La Patellière • Maigret tend un piège, directed by Jean Delannoy • 1958: • Les Misérables, directed by Jean-Paul Le Chanois • Le Désordre et la Nuit, directed by Gilles Grangier • Les Grandes Familles, directed by Denys de la Patellière • Marchands de rien, directed by Daniel Lecomte (court-métrage) • 1959: • Le fauve est lâché (uncredited), directed by Maurice Labro • Archimède le clochard, directed by Gilles Grangier • Pourquoi viens-tu si tard?, directed by Henri Decoin • Maigret et l'Affaire Saint-Fiacre, directed by Jean Delannoy • 125 Rue Montmartre, directed by Gilles Grangier • Rue des prairies, directed by Denys de la Patellière • Babette s'en va-t-en guerre, directed by Christian-Jaque • Eyes of Love, directed by Denys de la Patellière • Vel d'Hiv, directed by Guy Blanc (Court-métrage) • La Bête à l'affût, directed by Pierre Chenal • Péchés de jeunesse, directed by Louis Duchesne
1960s
1960s
• 1960: • Le Baron de l'écluse, directed by Jean Delannoy • La Française et l'amour, film à sketches, « L'Adultère », directed by Henri Verneuil • Les Vieux de la vieille, directed by Gilles Grangier • Spécial Noël: Jean Gabin (TV), directed by Frédéric Rossif • Le Président, directed by Henri Verneuil • 1961: • Taxi for Tobruk, directed by Denys de la Patellière • Les lions sont lâchés, directed by Henri Verneuil • Les Amours célèbres - sketch « Les Comédiennes », directed by Michel Boisrond • Le cave se rebiffe, directed by Gilles Grangier • Le Bateau d'Émile, directed by Denys de la Patellière • 1962: • Un singe en hiver, directed by Henri Verneuil • The Gentleman from Epsom, directed by Gilles Grangier • Le Diable et les Dix Commandements, directed by Julien Duvivier • Le Voyage à Biarritz (uncredited), directed by Gilles Grangier • 1963: • Mélodie en sous-sol, directed by Henri Verneuil • Carambolages, directed by Marcel Bluwal • Les Tontons flingueurs, directed by Georges Lautner • Teuf-teuf (TV), directed by Georges Folgoas • Des pissenlits par la racine, directed by Georges Lautner • Cent mille dollars au soleil, directed by Henri Verneuil • 1964: • Marcia Nuziale, directed by Marco Ferreri • Les Barbouzes, directed by Georges Lautner • Une foule enfin réunie, directed by Monique Chappelle (short movie) • Un drôle de caïd or Une souris chez les hommes, directed by Jacques Poitrenaud • Par un beau matin d'été, directed by Jacques Deray • La Chasse à l'homme, directed by Edouard Molinaro • 1965: • La Métamorphose des cloportes, directed by Pierre Granier-Deferre (scenario co-written with Albert Simonin, from Alphonse Boudard) • When the Pheasants Pass, directed by Edouard Molinaro • How to Keep the Red Lamp Burning, directed by Gilles Grangier & Georges Lautner • The Dictator's Guns (uncredited), directed by Claude Sautet • Ne nous fâchons pas, directed by Georges Lautner • 1966: • Tendre Voyou, directed by Jean Becker • Un idiot à Paris, directed by Serge Korber • Sale temps pour les mouches, directed by Guy Lefranc • Johnny Banco, directed by Yves Allégret • 1967: • Le Pacha, directed by Georges Lautner • All Mad About Him, directed by Norbert Carbonnaux • Max le débonnaire (TV show), directed by Gilles Grangier, Yves Allégret and Jacques Deray • La Grande Sauterelle, directed by Georges Lautner • La Petite Vertu, directed by Serge Korber • 1968: • Fleur d'oseille, directed by Georges Lautner • Leontine • 1969: • Sous le signe du taureau, directed by Gilles Grangier
1970s
1970s
• 1973: • Baxter!, directed by Lionel Jeffries • 1974: • Comment réussir quand on est con et pleurnichard • OK patron (uncredited), directed by Claude Vital • 1975: • Incorrigible, directed by Philippe de Broca • 1976: • Le Grand Escogriffe, directed by Claude Pinoteau • Le Corps de mon ennemi, directed by Henri Verneuil • 1977: • Tendre Poulet, directed by Philippe de Broca • Mort d'un pourri, directed by Georges Lautner • L'Animal, directed by Claude Zidi • 1978: • Le Cavaleur, directed by Philippe de Broca • 1979: • Flic ou voyou, directed by Georges Lautner • Les Égouts du paradis, directed by José Giovanni • La Fabuleuse histoire de Roland-Garros, directed by Charles Gérard • Le Guignolo, directed by Georges Lautner • On a volé la cuisse de Jupiter, directed by Philippe de Broca
1980s
1980s
• 1980: • Le Coucou, directed by Francesco Massaro • L'Entourloupe, directed by Gérard Pirès • ', directed by Robert Enrico • 1981: • Le Professionnel, directed by Georges Lautner • Garde à vue, directed by Claude Miller • Est-ce bien raisonnable?, directed by Georges Lautner • 1982: • Espion, lève-toi, directed by Yves Boisset • 1983: • Mortelle randonnée, directed by Claude Miller • Vive la sociale!, directed by Gérard Mordillat • Le Marginal, directed by Jacques Deray • 1984: • Canicule, directed by Yves Boisset • Les Morfalous, directed by Henri Verneuil • 1985: • On ne meurt que deux fois, directed by Jacques Deray from the novel of Robin Cook • La Cage aux folles III, « Elles » se marient, directed by Georges Lautner.
Directing filmography
Directing filmography
• Leontine (1968) • A Golden Widow (1969) • Elle boit pas, elle fume pas, elle drague pas, mais... elle cause! (1970)
Life and work
Life and work
Michel Audiard was born on 15 May 1920 in 14th arrondissement of Paris. Audiard held the nationality of France. Recorded child: Jacques Audiard and François Audiard. Audiard worked as journalist, film director, screenwriter and dialogue writer, and the authority record catalogues a further 3 occupations under the same name, among them writer, film actor and director. Audiard was active from 1949 to 1985. Audiard worked in French. Audiard died on 28 July 1985 in Dourdan. Audiard is buried at Cimetière de Montrouge.
Work for the screen
Work for the screen
Audiard worked for the screen, as film director and screenwriter. 9 films survive in the institutional catalogues, spanning 1968 to 1974. Among them are Don't Take God's Children for Wild Geese (1968), A Golden Widow (1969), Elle boit pas, elle fume pas, elle drague pas, mais.. Elle cause! (1970), Cry of the Cormoran (1971), The Black Flag Waves Over the Scow (1971) and Elle cause plus.. Elle flingue (1972). The whole run is set out in the catalogue below.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
Explore 1920–2000
The full dated record · 9 entries
1920
Michel Audiard born at 14th arrondissement of Paris.
1974
Receives Courteline Prize.
1976
Receives Knight of the Legion of Honour.
1979
Receives Prix des Quatre jurys.
1981
Receives Jean-Le-Duc award.
1982
Receives César Award for Best Original Screenplay or Adaptation.
1985
Dies at Dourdan.
1985
Michel Audiard died at Dourdan.
2000
La France de Michel Audiard (2 catalogued editions) (2000) is digitised and catalogued by Open Library.
Catalogued output
Books and published writings
These are catalogued publications carrying the name — editions and printings, distinct from the works they contain and from writing about the subject.
13 editions carry dates between 1968 and 2022
The run opens with Le terminus des pre tentieux and closes with Michel Audiard réalisateur
The entries follow Open Library
Le terminus des pre tentieux
1968
Le terminus des prétentieux
1968
Mon petit livre rouge
1969
Répète un peu ce que tu viens de dire
1975
Le p'tit cheval de retour
1975
La nuit, le jour et toutes les autres nuits
1978
Maigret et l'affaire Saint-Fiacre
2017
Michel Audiard, Georges Simenon
2020
Ca ne me regarde pas
2021
Catalogued output
Films and moving-image works
These entries are catalogued as moving-image works. The 1970s are the densest part of the run, with 7 titles, and that concentration is a fact about what the registers have catalogued rather than a judgement on the work itself.
9 films carry dates between 1968 and 1974
The run opens with Don't Take God's Children for Wild Geese and closes with Vive la France
Don't Take God's Children for Wild Geese
1968
A Golden Widow
1969
Elle boit pas, elle fume pas, elle drague pas, mais.. Elle cause!
1970
Cry of the Cormoran
1971
The Black Flag Waves Over the Scow
1971
Elle cause plus
Elle flingue
1972
Kisses Till Monday
1974
Comment réussir quand on est con et pleurnichard
1974
Vive la France
1974
Primary material
Documents and archives
institutional register
- Bibliothèque nationale de France authority file 11889467w
Unverified · Bibliothèque nationale de France
- Discogs authority file 1362452
Unverified · Discogs
- FAST authority file 18376
Unverified · FAST
- GND (German National Library) authority file 122466330
Unverified · GND (German National Library)
- IdRef (French universities) authority file 026695510
Unverified · IdRef (French universities)
- ISNI authority file 0000000121308950
Unverified · ISNI
scholarly publication
- Bons baisers de France. La nouvelle société pompidolienne dans les réalisations de Michel Audiard, Revue des deux Mondes, 2022
Scholarly · Crossref registry · 2022
reference work
- “Michel Audiard”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
Where the work is held
Honours and awards
They run from 1974 to 1982.
5 honours stand against the name
Courteline Prize
1974
Knight of the Legion of Honour
1976
Prix des Quatre jurys
1979
Jean-Le-Duc award
1981
César Award for Best Original Screenplay or Adaptation
1982
Authority records
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.
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
scholarly publication
Bons baisers de France. La nouvelle société pompidolienne dans les réalisations de Michel Audiard, Revue des deux Mondes, 2022Crossref registry
Verifiedinstitutional register
Bibliothèque nationale de France authority file 11889467wBibliothèque nationale de France
Partially resolvedinstitutional register
Partially resolvedinstitutional register
Partially resolvedinstitutional register
GND (German National Library) authority file 122466330GND (German National Library)
Partially resolvedinstitutional register
IdRef (French universities) authority file 026695510IdRef (French universities)
Partially resolvedinstitutional register
Partially resolvedinstitutional register
Library of Congress authority file n50058082Library of Congress
Partially resolved
Every cited source · 13
- 01
Bons baisers de France. La nouvelle société pompidolienne dans les réalisations de Michel Audiard, Revue des deux Mondes, 2022
scholarly publication · Scholarly
Consult the source - 02
Bibliothèque nationale de France authority file 11889467w
institutional register · Unverified · Bibliothèque nationale de France
Consult the source - 03
- 04
- 05
GND (German National Library) authority file 122466330
institutional register · Unverified · GND (German National Library)
Consult the source - 06
IdRef (French universities) authority file 026695510
institutional register · Unverified · IdRef (French universities)
Consult the source - 07
- 08
Library of Congress authority file n50058082
institutional register · Unverified · Library of Congress
Consult the source - 09
- 10
National Library of Australia authority file 35010120
institutional register · Unverified · National Library of Australia
Consult the source - 11
- 12
“Michel Audiard”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
reference work · Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
Consult the source - 13
Wikidata, structured authority record Q7122: Michel Audiard
institutional register · Unverified · Wikimedia Foundation
Consult the source
Further particulars
Held on the record
Further particulars
Open the remaining particulars
His recorded language was French. 2 children are recorded: Jacques Audiard and François Audiard. Work and production. Works recorded as notable number 5: Monsieur Gangster, Elle boit pas, elle fume pas, elle drague pas, mais.. Elle cause!, Don't Take God's Children for Wild Geese, Comment réussir quand on est con et pleurnichard and The Inquisitor. Audiard received César Award for Best Original Screenplay or Adaptation, Knight of the Legion of Honour, Courteline Prize, Jean-Le-Duc award and Prix des Quatre jurys.
Identity and origins
Recognition and collections
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 14 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Books
38,960 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
- Michalis PapakonstantinouAuthor
- Micheál BurkeAuthor
- Micheal O'SiadhailAuthor
- Michel AflaqAuthor
- Michel AupetitAuthor
- Michel BaronAuthor
- Michel BeaulieuAuthor
- Michel BibaudAuthor
Best supported in this field
For owners
Own a work by Michel Audiard?
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.