Philipe, Gérard

Born Dec. 4, 1922, in Cannes; died Nov. 25, 1959, in Paris. French actor.

Philipe made his theater debut in 1942. In 1943–44 he studied at the Paris Conservatory. In 1951 he became an actor at the National Popular Theater. In his best part, Rodrigue in Corneille’s Le Cid (1951), he was the very embodiment of nobility, chivalry, and selfless duty. His other parts included the title roles in Kleist’s The Prince of Homburg, Musset’s Lorenzaccio, and Hugo’s Ruy Blas.

Philipe began acting in films in 1943. He gave romantic interpretations of characters in The Devil in the Flesh, The Idiot (Prince Myshkin), and Juliette, or The Key to Dreams. He also enjoyed great success in portraying strong, spirited characters, for example, Fabrizio in The Charterhouse of Parma and young Faust in The Beauty of the Devil; his most important film role was the title role in Fanfan La Tulipe (1952). In his characterizations Philipe combined heroic zeal with romantic melancholy and a lively sense of humor. Philipe also appeared in the films The Red and the Black (as Julien Sorel), Montparnasse, 19, and Grand Maneuvers.