Roger Vadim Plemiannikov (; 26 January 1928 – 11 February 2000) was a French screenwriter, film director, and producer, as well as an author, artist, and occasional actor. His best-known works are visually lavish films with

erotic Eroticism () is a quality that causes sexual feelings, as well as a philosophical contemplation concerning the aesthetics of sexual desire, sensuality, and romantic love. That quality may be found in any form of artwork, including painting, sculp ...

qualities, such as '' And God Created Woman'' (1956), '' Blood and Roses'' (1960), '' The Game Is Over'' (1966), '' Barbarella'' (1968), and '' Pretty Maids All in a Row'' (1971).

Early life

Vadim was born Roger Vadim Plemiannikov (sometimes transliterated Plemiannikoff) in Paris. His father, Igor Nikolaevich Plemiannikov, a White Russian military officer and pianist, had emigrated from the

Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire that spanned most of northern Eurasia from its establishment in November 1721 until the proclamation of the Russian Republic in September 1917. At its height in the late 19th century, it covered about , roughl ...

and become a naturalized French citizen. He was a

vice consul A consul is an official representative of a government who resides in a foreign country to assist and protect citizens of the consul's country, and to promote and facilitate commercial and diplomatic relations between the two countries. A consu ...

of France to

Egypt Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...

, stationed in

Alexandria Alexandria ( ; ) is the List of cities and towns in Egypt#Largest cities, second largest city in Egypt and the List of coastal settlements of the Mediterranean Sea, largest city on the Mediterranean coast. It lies at the western edge of the Nile ...

, later posting to

Mersin Mersin () is a large city and port on the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean coast of Mediterranean Region, Turkey, southern Turkey. It is the provincial capital of the Mersin Province (formerly İçel). It is made up of four district governorates ...

, Turkey as a consul. Vadim's mother, Marie-Antoinette (née Ardilouze), was a stage actress. He had one sister, Hélène Plemiannikov (1929–2022). Although Vadim lived as a diplomat's child in Northern Africa and the Middle East in his early youth, the death of his father when Vadim was nine years old caused the family to return to France, where his mother found work running a hostel in the

French Alps The French Alps are the portions of the Alps mountain range that stand within France, located in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur regions. While some of the ranges of the French Alps are entirely in France, others, such a ...

, which functioned as a way-station for Jews and other fugitives fleeing

Nazism Nazism (), formally named National Socialism (NS; , ), is the far-right totalitarian socio-political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in Germany. During Hitler's rise to power, it was fre ...

. Vadim studied journalism and writing at the

University of Paris The University of Paris (), known Metonymy, metonymically as the Sorbonne (), was the leading university in Paris, France, from 1150 to 1970, except for 1793–1806 during the French Revolution. Emerging around 1150 as a corporation associated wit ...

, without graduating.

Film career

At age 19, he became assistant to film director

Marc Allégret Marc Allégret (22 December 1900 – 3 November 1973) was a French screenwriter, photographer and film director. Biography Born in Basel, Basel-Stadt, Switzerland, he was the elder brother of Yves Allégret. Marc was educated to be a lawyer in ...

, whom he met while working at the Theatre Sarah Bernhardt, and for whom he worked on several screenplays. He was an assistant director on Allegret's '' Blanche Fury'' (1948), a commercially unsuccessful melodrama which Allegret made for a British company in English. Vadim was one of several writers on Allegret's French-British '' The Naked Heart'' (1950), aka ''Maria Chapdelaine'', starring

Michèle Morgan Michèle Morgan (; born Simone Renée Roussel; 29 February 1920 – 20 December 2016) was a French film actress, who was a leading lady for three decades in both French cinema and Hollywood features. She is considered one of the greatest Fren ...

, as well as serving as assistant director. It was shot in French and English versions. '' Blackmailed'' (1951) was another film Allegret directed in England, starring

Mai Zetterling Mai Elisabeth Zetterling (; 24 May 1925 – 17 March 1994) was a Swedish film director, novelist and actress. Early life Zetterling was born in Västerås, Sweden to a working class family. She started her career as an actor at the age of 17 at ...

and

Dirk Bogarde Sir Dirk Bogarde (born Derek Jules Gaspard Ulric Niven van den Bogaerde; 28 March 1921 – 8 May 1999) was an English actor, novelist and screenwriter. Initially a matinée idol in films such as ''Doctor in the House (film), Doctor in the Hous ...

; Vadim was credited as one of the writers. He was also one of several writers on Allegret's, '' La demoiselle et son revenant'' (1952). Vadim did the screenplay and commentary for a documentary, ''Le gouffre de la Pierre Saint-Marti'' (1953), and was assistant director on Allegret's ''

Julietta ''Julietta'' is an opera by Bohuslav Martinů, who also wrote the libretto, in French, based on the play ''Juliette ou la Clé des songes'' (''Juliette, or The Key of Dreams)'' by the French author Georges Neveux. A libretto in Czech was later pr ...

'' (1953), a popular romance with Jean Marais,

Dany Robin Dany Robin (; 14 April, 1927 – 25 May, 1995) was a French actress of the 1950s and the 1960s. Nicknamed ‘''la petite fiancée de la France''’ (''France's little fiancée'') in the post-war years, she became one of the leading female stars ...

and

Jeanne Moreau Jeanne Moreau (; 23 January 1928 – 31 July 2017) was a French actress, singer, screenwriter, director, and socialite. She made her theatrical debut in 1947, and established herself as one of the leading actresses of the Comédie-Française. Mo ...

. Vadim wrote Allegret's '' Loves of Three Queens'' (1954), with Hedy Lamarr. Vadim had begun a relationship with model-actress

Brigitte Bardot Brigitte Anne-Marie Bardot ( ; ; born 28 September 1934), often referred to by her initials B.B., is a French former actress, singer, and model as well as an animal rights activist. Famous for portraying characters with Hedonism, hedonistic life ...

. She was given a good role in a drama directed by Allegret, '' School for Love'' (1953), aka ''Futures Vedettes'', starring Jean Marais; Vadim wrote the script with Allegret. The film was a commercial disappointment. However the next collaboration between Allegret, Bardot and Vadim, '' Plucking the Daisy'' (1956), aka ''Mam'selle Striptease'', was a huge success at the French box office. So too was '' Naughty Girl'' (1956), with Bardot. This allowed Vadim to get backing for his first movie as director. Vadim's first film as director was based on an original story of his, '' And God Created Woman'' (1956). Starring Bardot, Curt Jurgens and Christian Marquand and produced by Raoul Levy it was not only a major success in France, but around the world, and established Bardot as a global icon. Vadim followed it with '' No Sun in Venice'' (1957) starring Françoise Arnoul and Marquand, produced by Levy, which was considerably less popular than ''And God Created Woman''. Levy, Vadim and Bardot were to make ''Paris by Night'' with

Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Honorific nicknames in popular music, Nicknamed the "Chairman of the Board" and "Ol' Blue Eyes", he is regarded as one of the Time 100: The Most I ...

but Bardot refused to spend months in the US and Sinatra felt likewise about filming in France. Instead Vadim made ''

The Night Heaven Fell ''The Night Heaven Fell'' (''Les bijoutiers du clair de lune'') is an Eastmancolor 1958 French-Italian film directed by Roger Vadim. Vadim had already acquired international fame with his daring debut '' And God Created Woman'' (1956). Like its p ...

'' (1958), starring Bardot and Stephen Boyd. He was one of several writers on Allegret's popular comedy, '' Be Beautiful But Shut Up'' (1958), starring

Mylène Demongeot Mylène Demongeot (; born Marie-Hélène Demongeot ; 29 September 1935 – 1 December 2022) was a French film, television and theatre actress and author with a career spanning seven decades and more than 100 credits in French language, French, ...

. Vadims's next film was an adaptation of the book ''

Les liaisons dangereuses ''Les Liaisons dangereuses'' (; English: ''Dangerous Liaisons'') is a French epistolary novel by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos, first published in four volumes by Durand Neveu on March 23, 1782. It is the story of the Marquise Isabelle de Merteu ...

'' (1959), which he wrote and directed. It starred Moreau,

Gérard Philipe Gérard Philipe () (born Gérard Albert Philip, 4 December 1922 – 25 November 1959) was a prominent French actor who appeared in 32 films between 1944 and 1959. He came to prominence during the later period of the poetic realism movement o ...

(in his final film) and Annette Stroyberg, a Danish model who became Vadim's second wife. The film became a huge hit in France. Stroyberg was also in the vampire film '' Blood and Roses'' (1960). Vadim was reunited with Bardot for '' Please, Not Now!'' (1961), a popular comedy. He was one of several directors of the anthology film, '' The Seven Deadly Sins'' (1962). Vadim began a relationship with a young

Catherine Deneuve Catherine Fabienne Dorléac (born 22 October 1943), known professionally as Catherine Deneuve (, , ), is a French actress. She is considered one of the greatest European actresses on film. In 2020, ''The New York Times'' ranked her as one of th ...

. She starred in a segment of the anthology film '' Tales of Paris'' (1962), which was written by Vadim and directed by Allegret. She starred in a film Vadim helped write and produce, '' And Satan Calls the Turns'' (1962), and was also in '' Vice and Virtue'' (1963), which Vadim directed. Vadim had another success writing and directing for Bardot, '' Love on a Pillow'' (1962), but found less favour with '' Nutty, Naughty Chateau'' (1963) starring

Monica Vitti Maria Luisa Ceciarelli (3 November 1931 – 2 February 2022), known professionally as Monica Vitti, was an Italian actress who starred in several award-winning films directed by Michelangelo Antonioni during the 1960s. She appeared with Marcel ...

. Vadim tried another adaptation of a classic erotic text, '' La Ronde'' (1964). He said at the time, "When I make a picture about relations between people, something erotic comes through; I can't help it! But sex has been an inspiration, the greatest inspiration, since art exists." One of the film's many stars was rising American actress

Jane Fonda Jane Seymour Fonda (born December 21, 1937) is an American actress and activist. Recognized as a film icon, Jane Fonda filmography, Fonda's work spans several genres and over six decades of film and television. She is the recipient of List of a ...

who began a romantic relationship with Vadim. Vadim devised a vehicle for Fonda, '' The Game Is Over'' (1966), based on a book by

Émile Zola Émile Édouard Charles Antoine Zola (, ; ; 2 April 184029 September 1902) was a French novelist, journalist, playwright, the best-known practitioner of the literary school of Naturalism (literature), naturalism, and an important contributor to ...

. Shot in French and English versions, it was very popular in France, though less so in the US.

Dino de Laurentiis Agostino "Dino" De Laurentiis (; 8 August 1919 – 10 November 2010) was an Italian film producer and businessman who held both Italian and American citizenship. Following a brief acting career in the late 1930s and early 1940s, he moved into f ...

wanted Fonda to star in a science fiction sex comedy, '' Barbarella'' (1968) and she agreed provided Vadim would direct. Following this he directed Fonda in a segment of the omnibus horror film '' Spirits of the Dead'' (1968) along with her brother

Peter Fonda Peter Henry Fonda (February 23, 1940 – August 16, 2019) was an American actor, film director, and screenwriter. He was a two-time Academy Award nominee, both for acting and screenwriting, and a two-time Golden Globe Award winner for his a ...

. During his marriage to Fonda, Vadim would accompany her back to the US periodically while she made movies there. He directed '' Pretty Maids All in a Row'' (1971) for MGM, starring

Rock Hudson Rock Hudson (born Roy Harold Scherer Jr.; November 17, 1925 – October 2, 1985) was an American actor. One of the most popular film stars of his time, he had a screen career spanning more than three decades, and was a prominent figure in the G ...

and

Angie Dickinson Angie Dickinson (born Angeline Brown; September 30, 1931) is an American retired actress. She began her career on television, appearing in many Anthology series#Television, anthology series during the 1950s, before gaining her breakthrough rol ...

. It was a commercial disappointment. Vadim returned to France. He wrote and directed '' Hellé'' (1972), starring

Gwen Welles Gwen Welles (born Gwen Goldberg, March 4, 1951 – October 13, 1993) was an American actress. Early years Gwen Welles was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, as Gwen Goldberg. She was the daughter of clothing designer Rebecca Welles and Barton ...

, which was a flop. He was reunited with Bardot for '' Don Juan, or If Don Juan Were a Woman'' (1973), which was Bardot's penultimate movie and a commercial disappointment. Not particularly successful either were '' Charlotte'' (1974), and '' Game of Seduction'' (1976) with Sylvia Kristel and Nathalie Delon. He directed a TV movie '' Bonheur, impair et passe'' (1977), starring Danielle Darrieux. In the 1980s Vadim based himself in the US. He directed '' Night Games'' (1980), where he attempted to make a star of

Cindy Pickett Cindy Pickett (born April 18, 1947) is an American actress. She is known for her 1970s role as Jackie Marler-Spaulding on the CBS soap ''Guiding Light'' and Dr. Carol Novino on the television drama ''St. Elsewhere'' in the 1980s. Pickett, however, ...

, with whom he became romantically involved. He directed a caper film in Canada, ''

The Hot Touch ''The Hot Touch'' (also credited as ''Hot Touch'') is a 1981 Canadian crime comedy film directed by Roger Vadim. This caper film is set in the world of art forgery. An accomplished art forger and a businessman have for many years been successful ...

'' (1981), starring

Marie-France Pisier Marie-France Pisier (10 May 194424 April 2011) was a French actress, screenwriter, and director. She appeared in numerous films of the French New Wave, and twice earned the national César Award for César Award for Best Supporting Actress, Best ...

. Back in France he wrote and directed '' Surprise Party'' (1983). He directed episodes of ''

Faerie Tale Theatre ''Faerie Tale Theatre'' (also known as ''Shelley Duvall's Faerie Tale Theatre'') is an American award-winning live-action fairytale fantasy drama anthology television series created and presented by actress Shelley Duvall. The series originally ...

'' (1984) and '' Deadly Nightmares'' (1986). Vadim attempted to recapture his former success with a new version of '' And God Created Woman'' (1988), with Rebecca De Mornay. Very different from the original – it only really used the same title – it failed critically and commercially. His final years were spent working in TV, where he directed ''

Safari A safari (; originally ) is an overland journey to observe wildlife, wild animals, especially in East Africa. The so-called big five game, "Big Five" game animals of Africa – lion, African leopard, leopard, rhinoceros, African elephant, elep ...

'' (1991) and wrote and directed '' Amour fou'' (1993), starring Marie-Christine Barrault who became his final wife. She was also in '' La Nouvelle tribu'' (1996) and its sequel '' Un coup de baguette magique'' (1997), which Vadim wrote and directed.

Personal life

Romances

Vadim was "celebrated" for his romances and marriages to young beautiful actresses. In his mid-30s, he lived with the teenage

, by whom he had a son, Christian Vadim, prior to his marriage to Fonda. He was also involved with

Margaret Markov Margaret Mary Markov (born November 22, 1948) is an American retired actress. She had a supporting role in the romantic drama ''The Sterile Cuckoo'' (1969) with Liza Minnelli and co-starred in ''There Is No 13'' (1974), as well as appearing in ot ...

, Sylvia Kristel and

. Later, he cohabited with screenwriter Ann Biderman for several years, announcing their engagement in 1984, but the couple never wed.

Marriages

, 20 December 1952 – 6 December 1957 (divorced) * Annette Stroyberg, 17 June 1958 – 14 March 1961 (divorced); 1 daughter (Nathalie) b. 7 December 1957 *

, 14 August 1965 – 16 January 1973 (divorced); 1 daughter (Vanessa) b. 28 September 1968 * Catherine Schneider, 13 December 1975 – 10 June 1977 (divorced); 1 son (Vania) b. 6 April 1974 * Marie-Christine Barrault, 21 December 1990 – 11 February 2000 (his death) He also had two stepsons from his marriage to Schneider (younger sister of novelist Dominique Schneidre and heiress to the

Schneider-Creusot Schneider et Compagnie, also known as Schneider-Creusot for its birthplace in the French town of Le Creusot, was a historic iron and steel-mill company which became a major arms manufacturer. In the 1960s, it was taken over by the Belgian Empain ...

steel and armaments firm), as well as adult stepchildren from Barrault's first marriage to Daniel Toscan du Plantier. He was a friend of Vadim's, and called him "a happy man". Vadim is said to have enjoyed great satisfaction throughout his life. The films merely reflected this happiness." Nathalie, his eldest daughter, told Fonda biographer

Patricia Bosworth Patricia Bosworth (née Crum, April 24, 1933 – April 2, 2020) was an American journalist, biographer, memoirist, and actress. She was a faculty member of Columbia University’s school of journalism as well as Barnard College, and was a winne ...

: "Jane was the love of my father's life."

Writing

In addition to Vadim's theatre and film work, he also wrote several books, including the memoirs "Memoires du Diable", "Le Gout du Bonheur: Souvenirs 1940–1958" and an autobiography, ''D'une étoile à l'autre'' (''From One Star to the Next'') as well as a tell-all about his most famous exes, ''Bardot, Deneuve & Fonda: My Life with the Three Most Beautiful Women in the World'', published in 1986. "My attitude is that if this book makes me a little money it will be a tiny compensation for all the money I helped those actresses make", Vadim explained.Associated Press (30 March 1986)
"Vadim candid about reasoning behind book"
''Park City Daily News''. He also wrote several plays and books of fiction, including ''L'ange affamé''.

Death

Vadim died of

lymphoma Lymphoma is a group of blood and lymph tumors that develop from lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell). The name typically refers to just the cancerous versions rather than all such tumours. Signs and symptoms may include enlarged lymph node ...

at age 72 on 11 February 2000. Widow Barrault and ex-wives Bardot, Fonda, Schneider and Stroyberg all paid attendance at his funeral; ex-girlfriends Biderman and Deneuve were not. He is buried at St. Tropez Cemetery.

Filmography

Writer or director

*'' The Naked Heart'' (1950) *'' Blackmailed'' (1951) *'' Plucking the Daisy'' aka Mam'selle Striptease (1956) *'' And God Created Woman'' (1956) *'' Sait-on jamais?'' (1957) *''Sois belle et tais-toi/Be Beautiful but Shut up'' (1957) *'' Les Bijoutiers du Clair de Lune/The Night Heaven Fell'' (1958) *'' Les liaisons dangereuses/Dangerous Liaisons'' (1959) *'' Blood and Roses'' (1960) *'' La Bride sur le cou/Please Not Now!'' (1961) *'' Les Sept péchés capitaux/Seven Capital Sins'' (1962) *''Les Parisiennes/Beds and Broads'' (1962) *'' Love on a Pillow'' (1962) *''Un château en Suède/Castle in Sweden'' (1963) *'' Le vice et la vertu/Vice and Virtue'' (1963) *'' La Ronde/Circle of Love'' (1964) *'' La Curée/The Game is Over'' (1966) *'' Spirits of the Dead'' (1968) *'' Barbarella'' (1968) *'' Pretty Maids All in a Row'' (1971) *'' Hellé'' (1972) *'' Don Juan ou Si Don Juan était une femme'' (1973) *''La jeune fille Assassinée/The Murdered Young Girl'' (1974) *'' Une femme fidèle'' (1976) *''Bonheur, impair et passe'' (1977) *'' Jeux de Nuit/Night Games'' (1980) *''

'' (1981) *'' Surprise Party'' (1983) *''

'' (1984 TV, segment "Beauty and the Beast") *'' The Hitchhiker'' (1986 TV, segment "Dead Man's Curve") *'' And God Created Woman'' (1988) *''

'' (1991, TV movie) *''Amour fou'' (1993, TV movie) *''La Nouvelle tribu'' (1996, TV mini-series) *'' Mon père avait raison'' (1996, TV movie) *''Un coup de baguette magique'' (1997, TV movie)

Actor

* '' Pétrus'' (1946) *''School for Love'' (1955) *''

Sweet and Sour Sweet and sour is a generic term that encompasses many styles of sauce, cuisine, and cooking methods. It is commonly used in East Asia and Southeast Asia and has been used in English cuisine, England since the Middle Ages.Clarissa Dickson WDickson ...

'' (1963) *''

Ciao! Manhattan ''Ciao! Manhattan'' is a 1972 American avant garde film starring Edie Sedgwick. Written and directed by John Palmer and David Weisman, Warhol superstar Susan Bottomly (International Velvet) was initially intended to star in the film. When Sedgw ...

'' (1972) *''The Assassinated Young Girl'' (1974) *'' Rich and Famous'' (1981) *'' Into the Night'' (1985)

References

External links

*
Image of Rock Hudson, Gene Roddenberry, and Roger Vadim posing with women cast members for motion picture "Pretty Maids All in a Row", California, 1970.
''

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...

'' Photographic Archive (Collection 1429). UCLA Library Special Collections,

Charles E. Young Research Library The Charles E. Young Research Library is one of the largest libraries on the campus of the University of California, Los Angeles in Westwood, Los Angeles, California. It initially opened in 1964, and a second phase of construction was completed ...

University of California, Los Angeles The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Its academic roots were established in 1881 as a normal school the ...

. {{DEFAULTSORT:Vadim, Roger 1928 births 2000 deaths Naturalized citizens of France French film producers French male film actors French male stage actors Paris Match writers Male actors from Paris 20th-century French male actors Deaths from lymphoma in France Fonda family Film directors from Paris French people of Russian descent