Jean Marais

Jean Marais photo taken by Carl Van Vechten, 1947

Jean Marais, born Jean-Alfred Villain-Marais (December 11, 1913 - November 8 1998) was a French actor, and the lover of Jean Cocteau. He starred in several movies directed by Cocteau, most famously Beauty and the Beast (1946). In the 1950s, Marais became a star of swashbuckling pictures, enjoying great box office popularity in France. He performed his own stunts. After 1970, Marais's on-screen performances became few and far between, as he preferred concentrating on his stage work. He kept performing on stage until his eighties, also working as a sculptor. He was featured in the 1995 documentary "Screening at the Majestic", which is included on the 2003 DVD release of the restored print of Beauty and the Beast.[1]

Personal life

Jean Marais never hid nor flaunted his affair with Cocteau, which began in 1937. They remained close friends till Cocteau's death. Marais was actually bisexual, and later stated in an interview that he had had an affair with his Orpheus co-star Marie Déa. He had avoided publicity since he had the reputation of being gay and didn't want their story to be ridiculed as a sham.

He was born in Cherbourg, Manche. He died in Cannes, Alpes-Maritimes.

Filmography, as actor includes

* L'Épervier (1933), directed by Marcel L'Herbier
* Étienne (1933), directed by Jean Tarride
* Dans les rues (1933), directed by Victor Trivas
* Le Scandale (1934)
* L'Aventurier (1934), directed by Marcel L'Herbier
* Le Bonheur (1935), directed by Marcel L'Herbier
* Les Hommes nouveaux (1936), directed by Marcel L'Herbier
* Nuits de feu (1936), directed by Marcel L'Herbier
* Abus de confiance (1937), directed by Henri Decoin
* Drôle de drame (1937), directed by Marcel Carné
* Le Pavillon brûle (1941), directed by Jacques de Baroncelli
* Le Lit à colonnes (1942), directed by Roland Tual
* Carmen (1942), directed by Christian-Jaque
* L'Éternel retour (1943), directed by Jean Cocteau and Jean Delannoy
* Voyage sans espoir (1943), directed by Christian-Jaque
* La Belle et la Bête (1946), directed by Jean Cocteau and Jean Delannoy
* Les Chouans (1946)
* Ruy Blas (1947), directed by Pierre Billon
* L'Aigle à deux têtes (1947), directed by Jean Cocteau
* Aux yeux du souvenir (1948), directed by Jean Delannoy
* Le Secret de Mayerling (1948), directed by Jean Delannoy
* Les Parents terribles (1948), directed by Jean Cocteau
* Orphée (1949), directed by Jean Cocteau
* Coriolan (1950)
* Le Château de verre (1950), directed by René Clément
* Les Miracles n'ont lieu qu'une fois (1950), directed by Yves Allégret
* Nez de cuir (1951), directed by Yves Allégret
* La Maison du silence (1952)
* L'Appel du destin (1952), directed by Georges Lacombe
* Les Amants de minuit (1953)
* Dortoir des grandes (1953), directed by Henri Decoin
* Julietta (1953)
* Le Comte de Monte Cristo (1953)
* Le Guérisseur (1954)
* Si Versailles m'était conté (1954), directed by Sacha Guitry
* Futures vedettes (1955), directed by Marc Allégret
* L'Amour sous l'électrode (1955), directed by Jean Cocteau
* Napoléon (1955), directed by Sacha Guitry
* Goubbiath (1955)
* Toute la ville accuse (1955)
* Elena et les hommes (1956), directed by Jean Renoir
* Si Paris m'était conté (1956)
* Typhon sur Nagasaki (1957), directed by Yves Ciampi
* SOS Noronha (1957)
* Amour de poche (1957), directed by Pierre Kast
* La Vie à deux (1957)
* Nuits blanches (Le Notti bianche) (1957), directed by Luchino Visconti
* La Tour, prends garde ! (1957), directed by Georges Lampin
* Chaque jour a son secret (1958)
* Le Bossu (1959), directed by André Hunebelle
* Austerlitz (1960), directed by Abel Gance
* Le testament d'Orphée (1959), directed by Jean Cocteau
* Le Capitan (1960), directed by André Hunebelle
* La Princesse de Clèves (1961), directed by Jean Delannoy
* Capitaine Fracasse (1961), directed by Pierre Gaspard-Huit
* Ponce Pilate (1961), directed by Gian Paolo Callegari
* Le Miracle des loups (1961), directed by André Hunebelle
* Napoléon II l'Aiglon (1961)
* L'Enlèvement des Sabines (1961)
* Le Masque de fer (1962), directed by Henri Decoin
* Les Mystères de Paris (1962), directed by André Hunebelle
* L'honorable Stanislas, agent secret (1963)
* Patate (1964), directed by Robert Thomas
* Fantomas (1964), directed by André Hunebelle
* Thomas l'imposteur (1964), directed by Georges Franju
* Le gentleman de Cocody (1965), directed by Christian-Jaque
* Pleins feux sur Stanislas (1965)
* Train d'enfer (1965)
* Fantomas se déchaîne (1965), directed by André Hunebelle
* Le Saint prend l'affût (1965)
* 7 hommes et une garce (1966), directed by Bernard Borderie
* Fantomas contre Scotland Yard (1966), directed by André Hunebelle
* Le Paria (1968)
* La Provocation (1969)
* Le Jouet criminel (1969), directed by Adolfo Arrieta
* Peau d'âne (1970), directed by Jacques Demy
* Jean Marais artisan du rêve (1975), documentaire
* Vaincre à Olympie (1976), documentaire ?
* Chantons sous l'Occupation (1976), documentaire directed by André Halimi
* Chirico par Cocteau (1981), directed by Pascal Kané
* Ombre et secret (1982)
* Parking (1985), directed by Jacques Demy
* Les Enfants du naufrageur (1991), directed by Jérôme Foulon
* Les Misérables du XXe siècle (1994)
* Beauté volée (Stealing Beauty) (1995), directed by Bernardo Bertolucci

External links

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