Pierre Wolff born ( January 1st 1865

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

, France – july 27th 1944 16th arrondissment, Paris, France ) was a French playwright.

Biography

Pierre Wolff was a Jewish writer, who wrote numerous plays, as well as some libretti for operettas. He was the nephew of journalist Albert Wolff. His dramas were characterized by bitingly ironic observation of contemporary life, and by witty dialogue.Frank Moore Colby; Talcott Williams, editors (1918) "Wolff, Pierre"
''The New International Encyclopædia'', Vol. 23, p. 671
Dodd, Mead and Co., New York One of his earliest plays, ''Jacques Bouchard'' (1890) which was performed at

Théâtre Libre The Théâtre Libre (; "Free Theatre") was a theatre company that operated from 1887 to 1896 in Paris, France. Origins and History Théâtre Libre was founded on 30 March 1887 by André Antoine (actor), André Antoine. The primary goal of the ...

, was such a flop that even his famous uncle lambasted it, but his subsequent plays were received with enthusiasm. He had great success with the adultery-themed comedy '' The Secret of Polichinelle'', which played in over 80 cities including in the United States, and also with ''Le Ruisseau''. Nazimova performed in ''Les Marionnettes'' when it was produced in the United States.

Works

Plays

* ''Le Cheval d'Aristote'' 1890 * ''Jacques Bouchard'', 1890 * ''Leurs filles'', 1891 * ''Les Maris de leurs filles'' 1892 * ''Celles qu'on respecte'', 1892 * ''Celles qu'on aime'', 1895 * ''Fidèle!'', 1895 * ''Amants et maîtresses'' 1896 * ''Le Boulet'', 1898 * ''Le Béguin'', 1900 * ''Vive l'armée!'', 1901 * ''Sacré Léonce!'', 1901 * ''Le Cadre'', 1902 *''Celles qu'on respecte'' 1903 * '' The Secret of Polichinelle'', 1903 * ''L'Âge d'aimer'' 1905 * ''Le Ruisseau'', 1907''Le Ruisseau''
(1907) * ''Le Lys'', 1908 * ''La Cruche'', or ''J'en ai plein le dos de Margot'' 1909 * ''Les Marionnettes'' 1910 * ''L'Amour défendu'' 1911 * ''Les Deux Gloires'' 1916 * ''Le Voile déchiré'' 1919 * ''Les Ailes brisées'' 1920 * ''Le Chemin de Damas'' 1921''Le Chemin de Damas''
(1922) * ''Une sacré petite blonde'' with André Birabeau 1921 * ''Les Deux amants'' 1922 * ''L'École des amants'' 1923 * '' After Love'', with

Henri Duvernois Henri Duvernois (4 March 1875 in Paris - 30 January 1937 in Paris) was a French novelist, playwright and screenwriter. Filmography *''La Guitare et le Jazz-band'', directed by Gaston Roudès (1923, based on the play ''La Guitare et le Jazz-b ...

1924 * ''Le Renard'', 1925 * ''Deux hommes'', 1 act, 1926 * ''Dibengo'', with Henri Duvernois 1925 * ''Le Dernier Client'', 1 act, 1928 * ''Dix minutes sur la terre'', rewrite 1929 *'' L'Invité'', 1 act 1929 * ''La Belle de nuit'' 1932 * ''Les Deux vieilles'', 1 act, 1932 * ''L'Inroulable'', 1 act

Librettist

* ''Le Temps d'aimer'', operetta in 3 actes, with Henri Duvernois, lyrics Hugues Delorme, music

Reynaldo Hahn Reynaldo Hahn de Echenagucia (9 August 1874 – 28 January 1947) was a Venezuelan-born French composer, conductor, music critic, and singer. He is best known for his songs – ''mélodies'' – of which he wrote more than 100. Hahn was born ...

1926 * ''Moineau'', operetta in 3 actes, with Henri Duvernois, lyrics Léon Guillot de Saix, music

Louis Beydts Louis Beydts (/bets/) was a French composer, music critic and theatre director, born 29 June 1895 in Bordeaux and died on 15 August 1953 at Caudéran in Gironde. Life and career His father was a wine-merchant who played the flute, while his mother ...

, 1931

Filmography

*', directed by

Émile Chautard Émile Chautard (7 September 1864 – 24 April 1934) was a French-American film director, actor, and screenwriter, most active in the silent era. He directed more than 100 films between 1910 and 1924. He also appeared in more than 60 films ...

(1918, based on the play ''Les Marionnettes'') *''

The Virtuous Model ''The Virtuous Model'' is a 1919 American silent drama film directed by Albert Capellani and starring Dolores Cassinelli, Helen Lowell, and May Hopkins. The film's sets were designed by the French art director Henri Ménessier. Cast * Dolo ...

'', directed by

Albert Capellani Albert Capellani (23 August 1874 – 26 September 1931) was a French film director and screenwriter of the silent film, silent era. He directed films between 1905 and 1922. One of his brothers was the actor-sculptor Paul Capellani, and anoth ...

(1919, based on the play ''Le Ruisseau'') *'' The Secret of Polichinelle'', directed by

René Hervil René Hervil (1881–1960) was a French actor, screenwriter and film director.Goble p.322 Most of his films were made during the silent era. He directed the ''Maud'' series of films between 1912 and 1915 starring the Anglo-French actress Aimée Ca ...

(1923, based on the play '' The Secret of Polichinelle'') *'' After Love'', directed by

Maurice Champreux Maurice Champreux (1893–1976) was a French film director, cinematographer and film editor, editor.Goble p.129 Biography Maurice Champreux married with Isabelle Feuillade. She is the daughter of famous French film director Louis Feuillade. Maur ...

(1924, based on the play '' After Love'') *'' The Lily'', directed by

Victor Schertzinger Victor L. Schertzinger (April 8, 1888 – October 26, 1941) was an American composer, film director, film producer, and screenwriter. His films include ''Paramount on Parade'' (co-director, 1930 in film, 1930), ''Something to Sing About (1937 fi ...

(1926, based on the play ''Le Lys'') *', directed by

(1929, based on the play ''Le Ruisseau'') *'' When Love Is Over'', directed by

Léonce Perret Léonce Joseph Perret (14 March 1880 – 12 August 1935) was a prolific and innovative French film actor, director and producer.The Museum of Modern Art(retrieved 7 June 2007) He also worked as a stage actor and director. Often described as avan ...

(1931, based on the play '' After Love'') * '' Broken Wings'', directed by

André Berthomieu André Berthomieu (; 16 February 1903 – 10 April 1960) was a French screenwriter and film director. He was married to the actress Line Noro. Selected filmography Director * '' Not So Stupid'' (1928) * '' The Crime of Sylvestre Bonnard'' (1929) ...

(1933, based on the play ''Les Ailes brisées'') * '' Beauty of the Night'', directed by (1934, based on the play ''La Belle de nuit'') *', directed by

Christian-Jaque Christian-Jaque (byname of Christian Maudet; 4 September 1904 – 8 July 1994) was a French filmmaker. From 1954 to 1959, he was married to actress Martine Carol, who starred in several of his films, including ''Lucrèce Borgia'' (1953), ''M ...

(1936, based on the play ''Sacré Léonce'') *'' The Secret of Polichinelle'', directed by

(1936, based on the play '' The Secret of Polichinelle'') *', directed by

Gustaf Molander Gustaf Harald August Molander (18 November 1888 – 19 June 1973) was a Swedish actor and film director. His parents were director Harald Molander, Sr. (1858–1900) and singer and actress Lydia Molander, ''née'' Wessler, and his brother was t ...

(Sweden, 1936, based on the play '' The Secret of Polichinelle'') *', directed by

Maurice Lehmann Maurice Lehmann (May 14, 1895 – May 17, 1974) was a French actor, director and producer of the stage and screen. He starred in the 1923 film ''Koenigsmark (1923 film), Koenigsmark'' in which he played the title role.Goble p.36 In 1956 Cannes F ...

(1938, based on the play ''Le Ruisseau'') *'' After Love'', directed by

Maurice Tourneur Maurice Félix Thomas (; 2 February 1876 – 4 August 1961), known as Maurice Tourneur (), was a French film director and screenwriter. Life Born Maurice Félix Thomas in the Épinettes district (17th arrondissement of Paris), his father was a w ...

(1948, based on the play '' After Love'')

Screenwriter

*'' La route est belle (The Road Is Fine)'', directed by

Robert Florey Robert Florey (September 14, 1900 – May 16, 1979) was a French-American director, screenwriter, film journalist and actor. Florey directed more than 50 films, the best known likely being the Marx Brothers first feature ''The Cocoanuts'' (1929 ...

(1930) *'' Un carnet de bal (Life Dances On)'', directed by

Julien Duvivier Julien Duvivier (; 8 October 1896 – 29 October 1967) was a French film director and screenwriter. He was prominent in French cinema in the years 1930–1960. Amongst his most original films, chiefly notable are ''La Bandera (film), La Bandera'', ...

(1937) *'' Abus de confiance (Abused Confidence)'', directed by

Henri Decoin Henri Decoin (18 March 1890 – 4 July 1969) was a French film director and screenwriter, who directed more than 50 films between 1933 and 1964. He was also a swimmer who won the national title in 1911 and held the national record in the 500 ...

(1938) *'' Retour à l'aube (Return at Dawn)'', directed by

(1938) *''

Serenade In music, a serenade (; also sometimes called a serenata, from the Italian) is a musical composition or performance delivered in honour of someone or something. Serenades are typically calm, light pieces of music. The term comes from the Ital ...

'', directed by Jean Boyer (1940) *'' The Man Who Seeks the Truth'', directed by

Alexander Esway Alexander Esway (20 January 1895 – 23 August 1947) was a Hungarian-born film director, screenwriter, and producer. Life and career Esway was born Sándor Ezry in Budapest. In the late 1920s and early 1930s he worked as a director and screenwri ...

(1940) *'' Bring On the Girls'', directed by

Sidney Lanfield Sidney Ivanovich Lanfield (April 20, 1898 – June 20, 1972) was an American film director known for directing romances and light comedy films and later television programs. The one-time jazz musician and vaudevillian star started his first di ...

(1945) - Loosely based on ''The Man Who Seeks the Truth'' *'' Abuso de confianza'', directed by Mario C. Lugones (Argentina, 1950) - Remake of ''Abused Confidence''

References

External links

Review of ''L'Age d'aimer''
"The Sea-Coast of Bohemia" (June 10, 1905) ''The Outlook'', Vol. 15, p. 830 {{DEFAULTSORT:Wolff, Pierre 20th-century French dramatists and playwrights Writers from Paris 1944 deaths 1865 births