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Jean Marais – great French actor

Jean Marais - great French actor

Jean Marais – great French actor


Jean Marais was a great French actor, who played many wonderful roles. In addition, he is known as a director, writer, artist, sculptor, stuntman.
Jean-Alfred Villain-Marais was born on December 11, 1913 in Cherbourg into the family of a veterinarian. But he almost did not remember his father, because his parents divorced when he was only five years old. At the age of six little Jean went to the cinema and immediately decided to become an actor. But the dream was not realized at once. He had to work at a small factory. The talented young man didn’t like the life of a simple worker. So, he became a pupil of the photographer. Having received the necessary experience, Jean Marais began to make photo-reports for the Paris fashion magazines and unexpectedly received an offer to work as a demonstrator of fashionable clothes. On the podium Jean felt himself confident.

The athletic grace of the body, graceful manners made him irresistible. He tried himself on stage in the Paris theater Atelier. The salary was not paid there, but they allowed to take free acting lessons. During that time, he met Jean Cocteau, a famous French poet, writer, screenwriter and director. Jean Cocteau was delighted with the beauty of young Marais. He gave the young actor the main roles in his performances Orpheus, Knights of the Round Table and King Oedipus. At the same time, Cocteau said to the young man: “I must warn you that if you play in my plays, everyone will say that you are my friend.” Jean Marais was embarrassed at first, and then said: “I will be very proud of this!” So, the love story of a young actor and a great maestro began. Cocteau introduced him to the Parisian bohemia, famous filmmakers. In 1937 Marais began to star in films, first in episodes, and then in the lead roles. Marais and Cocteau were together until the death of the maestro in 1963. After the death of his friend Marais was in deep depression and only intensive work in films saved him.
Alain Delon and Jean Marais

Alain Delon and Jean Marais


In August 1939, the Second World War began. France declared war on Germany. Jean voluntarily went to the front. There he became a petrol tank driver and took part in hostilities. Under bombs and artillery fire, he brought fuel to the French tankmen. He drove his tank truck along the minefield, as the rest of the roads were blocked by the enemy. For this feat he received the Military Cross. Curiously, the actor did not see anything heroic in his behavior. On the contrary, it seemed obvious and normal to him.
In June 1940, France was defeated and capitulated. Jean returned to Paris and took up acting again. However, when in 1944 the American and British troops landed in the territory of France, the actor returned to the army. He voluntarily joined the French division of General Leclerc and took part in the hostilities until the German troops were expelled from the territory of France.
The long-awaited glory came to Jean Marais in 1943 after his role in the film The Eternal Return. It is interesting that in this film he acted with his dog. He found it during the war and the dog became his faithful and beloved friend.
The actor had a lot of fans, but he did not fall ill with star fever and always treated himself very critically.
Attractive Jean Marais

Attractive Jean Marais


The actor had starred in many films: The Count of Monte Cristo, The Paris Secrets, Family Relations, Escaping Beauty and many, many others. In the film about Fantômas Marais played two main roles at once – Fantômas and journalist who pursues him. Unfortunately, Fantômas was his last big role in the movie.
Theater became the real passion in the last period of his life. The actor had played almost the entire classical repertoire – from Sophocles and Shakespeare to Moliere and Bernard Shaw. He participated in theatrical productions in the US and Japan.
At the same time, he was fond of design and sculpture. When Pablo Picasso saw the early sculptures by Marais, he was surprised how a man with such a talent could waste his time playing in the films and theater.
At the end of his life, the actor wrote memoirs My Four Truths and The Stories of My Life.
Jean Marais died on 8 November 1998 in Cannes.

Jean Marais – great French actor

Awesome Jean Marais

Awesome Jean Marais

Beauty and the Beast with Jean Marais

Beauty and the Beast with Jean Marais

Daniel Delorme and Jean Marais

Daniel Delorme and Jean Marais

Double-headed Eagle

Double-headed Eagle

Eternal Return

Eternal Return

Famed Jean Marais

Famed Jean Marais

Famous Jean Marais

Famous Jean Marais

Fantomas

Fantomas

Gorgeous Jean Marais

Gorgeous Jean Marais

Great Jean Marais

Great Jean Marais

Handsome Jean Marais

Handsome Jean Marais

Jean Cocteau and Jean Marais

Jean Cocteau and Jean Marais

Jean Cocteau and Jean Mare

Jean Cocteau and Jean Mare

Jean Marais and Georges Reich

Jean Marais and Georges Reich

Jean Marais and his adopted son Serge Ayala

Jean Marais and his adopted son Serge Ayala

Jean Marais in childhood

Jean Marais in childhood

Jean Marais in the army

Jean Marais in the army

Jean Marais in the film Fantomas

Jean Marais in the film Fantomas

Jean Marais with fans

Jean Marais with fans

Jean Marais with his mother

Jean Marais with his mother

Jean-Paul Belmondo, Jean Marais and Alain Delon

Jean-Paul Belmondo, Jean Marais and Alain Delon

Le Bossu

Le Bossu

Lia Amanda and Jean Marais in the film The Count of Monte Cristo

Lia Amanda and Jean Marais in the film The Count of Monte Cristo

Maria Casares and Jean Marais

Maria Casares and Jean Marais

Marlene Dietrich and Jean Marais

Marlene Dietrich and Jean Marais

Michelle Morgan and Jean Marais

Michelle Morgan and Jean Marais

Mila Pareli - the only official wife of Jean Marais

Mila Pareli – the only official wife of Jean Marais

On the set of the film Orpheus, 1950

On the set of the film Orpheus, 1950

Popular Jean Marais

Popular Jean Marais

Princess of the Cleves

Princess of the Cleves

Prominent Jean Marais

Prominent Jean Marais

Renowned Jean Marais

Renowned Jean Marais

Serge Reggiani, Jean Cocteau and Jean Marais. 1941

Serge Reggiani, Jean Cocteau and Jean Marais. 1941

Talented Jean Marais

Talented Jean Marais

Testament of Orpheus

Testament of Orpheus

The Eternal Return

The Eternal Return

The last years of the legendary actor

The last years of the legendary actor

Well known Jean Marais

Well known Jean Marais

Wonderful Jean Marais

Wonderful Jean Marais

Yvonne de Bray and Jean Marais in Terrible Parents

Yvonne de Bray and Jean Marais in Terrible Parents

Tomb of Jean Marais

Tomb of Jean Marais

Art by Jean Marais

Frame for the mirror

Frame for the mirror

Georges Reich

Georges Reich

Histoires de ma vie

Histoires de ma vie

Jean Cocteau bust

Jean Cocteau bust

Jean Cocteau

Jean Cocteau

Jean Genet

Jean Genet

Jean Marais with a portrait of Jean Cocteau

Jean Marais with a portrait of Jean Cocteau

Marais, 1974

Marais, 1974

Michel Simon

Michel Simon

Outstanding Jean Marais

Outstanding Jean Marais

Picture by Jean Marais

Picture by Jean Marais

Picture by Jean Marais

Picture by Jean Marais

Sculpture by Jean Marais

Sculpture by Jean Marais

Sculpture by Jean Marais

Sculpture by Jean Marais

Sculpture by Jean Marais

Sculpture by Jean Marais

Silvia Monfort

Silvia Monfort