François Périer

Versatile, gimlet-eyed, soulful-looking François Périer was one of France's most prolific leading men and character lead for almost six decades. Born François Pilu in Paris on November 10, 1919, he was the son of a wine shop manager. In 1934, the young teenager wrote to legendary actor Louis Jouvet, who subsequently assisted his entering the Cours Simon and Le Conservatoire dramatic institutions for study. A rising avant-garde stage actor by 1938, François moved directly into film, apprenticing as a featured player in such films as Mother Love (1938) starring Michel Simon and Arletty; Hotel du Nord (1938) with Annabella, Jean-Pierre Aumont and mentor Jouvet; La fin du jour (1939) (The End of the Day) with Simon and Jouvet; Le veau gras (1939) (The Fatted Calf) spotlighting Elvire Popesco; and Nightclub Hostess (1939) starring Michèle Morgan With World War II in full swing in Europe, François found himself in good company with some of most renowned directors of the day, including Pier