Daniel Yves Alfred Gélin (19 May 1921 – 29 November 2002) was a French film and television actor.
Early life Gélin was born in Angers, Maine-et-Loire, the son of Yvonne (née Le Méner) and Alfred Ernest Joseph Gélin.
When he was ten, his family moved to Saint-Malo where Daniel went to college until he was expelled for 'uncouthness'. His father then found him a job in a shop that sold cans of salted cod. It was seeing the shooting of Marc Allégret's film Entrée des artistes that triggered his desire to go to Paris to train to be an actor. He trained at the Cours Simon in Paris before entering the Conservatoire national supérieur d'art dramatique . There he met Louis Jouvet and embarked on a theatrical career. He made his first film appearance in 1940 in Miquette and for several years was an extra or played small roles in French films. He appeared with Jean Gabin and Marlene Dietrich in Martin Roumagnac (1946).
Career He won his first leading role in Rendez-vous de juillet (1949). From that time, he went on to appear in more than 150 films, including Max Ophüls' films La Ronde (1950) and Le Plaisir (1952), Jacques Becker's Édouard et Caroline (1951), Sacha Guitry's films Si Versailles m'était conté (Royal Affairs in Versailles) (1954) and Napoléon (1955), Alfred Hitchcock's The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956), Jean Cocteau's Le Testament d'Orphée (1960), Le souffle au cœur (Murmur of the Heart) (1971), and La Nuit de Varennes (That Night in Varennes) (1982). He also wrote and directed one film, The Long Teeth, in 1952.
Gélin was a leading man in French cinema during the 1950s, but his career declined with the coming of the New Wave. He worked in theater for several years, but later found new success on screen as a character actor. He appeared extensively in French films and television productions from the 1970s until his death, often playing cynical characters or grumpy old men.Daniel Gélin, Bibliothèque du film
Personal life In 1946, Gélin married actress Danièle Delorme with whom he had a son, actor, director and producer Xavier Gélin. They divorced in 1954. While still married to Delorme, he had an affair with 17-year-old model Marie Christine Schneider that produced a daughter, Maria Schneider. Due to his status as a married man, Gélin could not recognize Maria as his daughter. He visited the child several times but eventually severed his relationship with her mother. Maria Schneider and Daniel Gélin reconnected when she was sixteen and came to visit him. They remained in contact, although their relationship was irregular.Vanessa Schneider, Tu t'appelais Maria Schneider, Grasset, 2018, pp. 21-31, 186-188, 191-192
Gélin was married to model Sylvie Hirsch from 1954 until their divorce in 1968. This marriage produced three children: Pascal (who died aged one year), Fiona, and Manuel, the latter two also becoming actors. In 1973, he married Lydie Zaks, with whom he had a daughter, Laura.
Death Gélin died in Paris on 29 November 2002 of kidney failure.
Filmography
Year Title Role Director Notes1940MiquetteJean BoyerRadio SurprisesMarcel AboulkerUncredited1941Premier rendez-vousMonsieur Chauveau-LaplaceHenri DecoinUncredited1942The Strangers in the HouseHenri DecoinUncreditedSoyez les bienvenusJacques de BaroncelliThe Murderer Lives at Number 21PolicemanHenri-Georges ClouzotUncredited1943 Lucrèce Un collégienLéo Joannon1944Les Petites du quai aux fleursMarc AllégretUncredited1945Les Cadets de l'océanPhilippe DermantesJean Dréville1946The Temptation of BarbizonMichelJean StelliA Friend Will Come TonightPierre RibaultRaymond BernardMartin RoumagnacLe surveillant du collège – épris de BlancheGeorges LacombeOuvert pour cause d'inventaireAlain Resnais1947 Sybille's NightStanyJean-Paul Paulin Mirror Charles LussacRaymond LamyThe Woman in RedSaladinLouis Cuny1948The Murdered ModelLéopoldPierre de Hérain1949Le Paradis des pilotes perdusLieutenant VilleneuveGeorges LampinRendezvous in JulyLucien BonnardJacques Becker1950La RondeAlfredMax Ophüls God Needs MenJoseph Le BerreJean Delannoy1951Edward and CarolineÉdouard MortierJacques Becker Dirty Hands Hugo BarineFernand Rivers, Simone BerriauYoung LoveJean BompartGuy LefrancTraité de bave et d'éternitéHimselfIsidore Isou1952Le PlaisirJean, the young painterMax Ophüls(segment "Le Modèle")Adorables CréaturesAndré NobletChristian-JaqueLa Minute de véritéDaniel PrévostJean Delannoy1953The Long TeethLouis CommandeurHimselfRue de l'EstrapadeRobertJacques BeckerVoice of SilenceAndrea Sanna / L'ancien prisonnierGeorg Wilhelm PabstThe SlaveMichel LandaYves Ciampi1954Royal Affairs in VersaillesJean CollinetSacha GuitryStain in the SnowFrank FriedmayerLuis SaslavskyPublic OpinionPaolo JaierMaurizio Corgnati and Goffredo AlessandriniLove in a Hot ClimateRicardo GarciaGeorges Rouquier and Munoz SuayOn Trial (L'affaire Maurizius)Léonard MauriziusJulien DuvivierThe Cheerful SquadronIl soldato Frédéric d'HéricourtPaolo MoffaWoman of RomeMinoLuigi Zampa1955The Lovers of LisbonPierre RoubierHenri VerneuilNapoléonNapoleon (as a young man)Sacha Guitry1956Maid in ParisAntoine du MerletPierre Gaspard-HuitThe Man Who Knew Too MuchLouis BernardAlfred HitchcockPlucking the DaisyDaniel RoyMarc AllégretGeorges BernierRalph BaumI'll Get Back to KandaraBernard CormièreVictor Vicas1957Fugitive in SaigonPaul HorcierMarcel Camus Three Days to LiveSimon BelinGilles GrangierRobert MontillonDenys de La Patellière Charming BoysAlain CartierHenri Decoin1958 The Daughter of HamburgPierreYves AllégretSuivez-moi jeune hommeMichel CorbierGuy Lefranc1959Ce corps tant désiréGuillaume FéraudLuis SaslavskyJulie the RedheadÉdouard Lavigne / Jean LavigneClaude Boissol1960Carthage in FlamesPhégorCarmine GalloneTestament of OrpheusL'interne / The internJean CocteauUncreditedLe tre eccetera del colonnelloLieutenant VillardClaude Boissol1961La Proie pour l'ombreEric KraemmerAlexandre Astruc The Season for LoveJacques Saint-FordPierre KastDans la gueule du loupUn droguéJean-Charles DudrumetReveille-toi chérieMasure1962Girl on the RoadLe comédienJacqueline AudryThe Longest DayMinor RoleKen Annakin(French Version) (scenes deleted)1963Règlements de compteNickyPierre ChevalierPortuguese VacationDanielPierre KastThree Girls in ParisRaymondGabriel Axel1964La Bonne SoupeRaymondRobert ThomasCherchez l'idoleUn invité au spectacle de Sylvie VartanMichel BoisrondUncredited1965The Sleeping Car Murdersthe veterinaryConstantin Costa-GavrasUncreditedThe Hour of TruthDavidHenri Calef1966 Witness Out of HellBora PetrovićŽika Mitrović Two Girls from the Red StarBallardSammy DrechselThe SultansLéoJean DelannoyLine of DemarcationDoctor Jacques LafayeClaude ChabrolLiving It UpBernardPierre Gaspard-HuitIs Paris Burning?Yves BayetRené ClémentBlack SunGuy RodierDenys de La Patellière1968La TrêveArnoClaude Guillemot The Most Beautiful MonthLe capitaine du GénieGuy Blanc1969SloganEvelyne's fatherPierre GrimblatHallucinations sadiquesCharlesJean-Pierre BastidDétruire, dit-elleBernard AlioneMarguerite Duras1970La servanteDr. Robert MarboisJacques-Paul Bertrand1971Murmur of the Heart Charles ChevalierLouis MalleSwedish Fly GirlsAndréJack O'Connell1972Aimez-vous les uns les autres... mais pas tropPaul RoccardDaniel MoosmannFar from DallasJeanPhilippe Toledano1973The Police Serve the Citizens?BreraRomolo Guerrieri1974Un linceul n'a pas de pochesLaurenceJean-Pierre MockyArianeLe comédienPierre-Jean de San Bartolomé1975Dialogues of Exiles -Raoul RuizTrop c'est tropUn flicDidier Kaminka1977Nous irons tous au paradisBastienYves RobertUrgent ou À quoi bon exécuter des projets puisque le projet est en lui-même une jouissance suffisanteHimself1978L'honorable sociétéMax de MarcillyAnielle WeinbergerThe Suspended VocationMalagridaRaoul Ruiz1979Qu'il est joli garçon l'assassin de papaDon GomezMichel Caputo1980L'oeil du maîtreSamuelStéphane Kurc1981Signé FuraxBroutechouxMarc SimenonPeacetime in ParisGérard CourantPredrag Golubovic1982Guy de MaupassantGustaveMichel DrachThat Night in VarennesMonsieur de WendelEttore Scola1985Les EnfantsEnricoMarguerite Duras1986KellermannMichael Verhoeven1987Via Monte NapoleoneElena's fatherCarlo VanzinaSécurité publiqueMartino MorandoGabriel Benattar1988DandinMonsieur de SotenvilleRoger PlanchonLife Is a Long Quiet RiverLe docteur MavialÉtienne ChatiliezItinéraire d'un enfant gâtéPierrot DuvivierClaude Lelouch1990Mister FrostSimon ScolariPhilippe SetbonPromotion canapéLe responsable des Inspecteurs JusticeDidier Kaminka1991Mauvaise FilleFernandRégis FrancRoland GrumaudAlessandro CaponeUn type bienDocteur AvrilLaurent Bénégui1992Les Eaux dormantesLe docteur NedelecJacques Tréfouel1993Coup de jeuneGaudeamus à 70 ansXavier GélinDe force avec d'autresL'autre lui-mêmeSimon ReggianiRoulez jeunesse !Jean MoulinierJacques FanstenLes MarmottesLéoÉlie ChouraquiLes TénorsMaître Léon MontlucetFrancis de Gueltzl1994Des feux mal éteintsLe monsieur de la plageSerge MoatiMonsieur MireilleAlain BerbérianPushing the LimitsHimselfThierry Donard1995FugueusesBrunoNadine Trintignant1996Fantôme avec chauffeurLe passeurGérard OuryLes BidochonLe père BidochonSerge KorberHommes, femmes, mode d'emploithe widowerClaude Lelouch1997ObsessionXavier FabrePeter Sehr
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