Roland Alexandre (6 November 1927 – 1 February 1956) was a French

stage Stage, stages, or staging may refer to: Arts and media Acting * Stage (theatre), a space for the performance of theatrical productions * Theatre, a branch of the performing arts, often referred to as "the stage" * ''The Stage'', a weekly Brit ...

and

film actor An actor (masculine/gender-neutral), or actress (feminine), is a person who portrays a character in a production. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. ...

. Having established himself at the

Comédie-Française The Comédie-Française () or Théâtre-Français () is one of the few state theatres in France. Founded in 1680, it is the oldest active theatre company in the world. Established as a French state-controlled entity in 1995, it is the only state ...

, he appeared in eleven films before his early death by suicide. In 1954 he portrayed the composer

Gioachino Rossini Gioachino Antonio Rossini (29 February 1792 – 13 November 1868) was an Italian composer of the late Classical period (music), Classical and early Romantic music, Romantic eras. He gained fame for his 39 operas, although he also wrote man ...

in the film ''

House of Ricordi ''House of Ricordi'' () is a 1954 French-Italian historical film, historical biographical melodrama film based on the early history of the Italian music publishing house Casa Ricordi. It is directed by Carmine Gallone and stars Märta Torén, Mar ...

''.Mitchell p.266

Biography

After graduating from the Conservatoire, he made his stage debut, playing in

Jean Richard (actor) Jean Richard (18 April 1921 – 12 December 2001) was a French actor, comedian, and circus entrepreneur. He is best remembered for his role as Georges Simenon's ''Maigret'' in the eponymous French television series, which he played for more tha ...

, with whom he toured extensively, notably in Germany. He joined the

in 1950. Between 1951 and 1955, he took part in ten films, including

Great Man (film) ''Great Man'' (French: ''Un grand patron'') is a 1951 French drama film directed by Yves Ciampi and starring Pierre Fresnay, Renée Devillers and Jean-Claude Pascal.Monaco p.305 The film's art direction was by René Moulaert. Cast * Pierre Fresn ...

Yves Ciampi Yves Ciampi (; 9 February 1921 – 5 November 1982) was a French film director. He was married to Japanese actress Kishi Keiko from 1957 to 1975. His 1965 film ''Heaven on One's Head'' was entered into the 4th Moscow International Film Festiv ...

alongside

Pierre Fresnay Pierre Fresnay (; 4 April 1897 – 9 January 1975) was a French stage and film actor. Biography Born Pierre Jules Louis Laudenbach, he was encouraged by his uncle, actor Claude Garry, to pursue a career in theater and film. He joined the company ...

, The Lady of the Camellias (1953 film) with

Micheline Presle Micheline Presle (; born Micheline Nicole Julia Émilienne Chassagne; 22 August 1922 – 21 February 2024) was a French actress. She was sometimes billed as Micheline Prelle. Starting her career in 1937, she starred or appeared in over 150 films ...

, and

Napoléon (1955 film) ''Napoléon'' is a 1955 French List of historical drama films, historical epic film written and directed by Sacha Guitry, which depicts major events in the life of Napoleon (Daniel Gélin as a young man, Raymond Pellegrin in later life; the switch ...

by and with

Sacha Guitry Alexandre-Pierre Georges "Sacha" Guitry (; 21 February 188524 July 1957) was a French stage actor, film actor, director, screenwriter, and playwright of the boulevard theatre (aesthetic), boulevard theatre. He was the son of a leading French ac ...

. Depressed after the death of his father, to whom he was very close, he took his own life at the age of 28.Biographie sur L'Encinémathèque
/ref> He was once engaged to Juliette Gréco.

Selected filmography

* '' Great Man'' (1951) * '' Pleasures of Paris'' (1952) * ''

Midnight Witness ''Midnight Witness'' (French: ''Le témoin de minuit'') is a 1953 French crime drama film directed by Dimitri Kirsanoff and starring Henri Guisol, Claude May and Catherine Erard. Phillips p.110 The film's sets were designed by the art director ...

'' (1953) * ''

The Lady of the Camellias ''The Lady of the Camellias'' (), sometimes called ''Camille'' in English, is a novel by Alexandre Dumas fils, Alexandre Dumas ''fils''. First published in 1848 and subsequently Theatrical adaptation, adapted by Dumas for the Drama, stage, the pl ...

'' (1953) * ''

'' (1954) * '' Das Fräulein von Scuderi'' (1955) * '' The Duratons'' (1955)

References

Bibliography

* Mitchell, Charles P. ''The Great Composers Portrayed on Film, 1913 through 2002''. McFarland, 2004.

External links

* 1927 births French male stage actors French male film actors Male actors from Paris 1956 suicides 1956 deaths Suicides in Paris {{france-film-actor-1920s-stub