Julien Carette

Character actor Julien Carette found a niche in the early days of French film and occupied it through a distinguished career that lasted over thirty years and 100 films. Born Julien Victor in Paris at the end of the 19th century, he worked in a variety of odd jobs before finally discovering his true calling as an entertainer. Like many of his peers in those days, his work in music halls and small theaters lead to him breaking into film. His first full-length feature appearance was in 1931's "American Love," and apparently he made quite an impression because he never wanted for movie work after that. With his strong presence and pronounced Paris accent, Carette was easy to cast in roguish or comic roles in movies set in the French capital or as distinctly Parisian characters. Perhaps the highest-profile work the actor appeared in was Jean Renoir's classic anti-war movie "Grand Illusion"(1937). The film, which spotlighted Carette in a small but showy part as a brash actor, was the first foreign work to be nominated for a Best Picture Oscar. That appearance very much pleased his director, and Carette played roles in many of Renoir's subsequent films. These include the French Revolution period drama "Le Marseillaise" (1938) and the classic 1939 high society satire "The Rules of the Game."