POIRET, JEAN

(1926-1992)

Actor, director, and screenwriter. Jean Poiret was born in Paris. He debuted as a stage actor at the Théâtre de l'Athénée and later performed in music halls withMichel Serrault. One of his first appearances in cinema was inMichel Boisrond'sCette sacrée gamine(1956), a film starringBrigitte Bardotthat also featured Serrault in a small role. Poiret and Serrault played small and supporting roles in Roger Pierre and Jean-Marc Thibault'sLa Vie est belle(1956), Jean Boyer'sLa Terreur des dames(1956), Maurice Cloche'sAdorables demons(1957), Philippe Agostini'sLe Naïf aux quarante enfants(1958), Raoul André'sClara et les méchants(1958), Boyer'sNina(1959), Jean Berry'sOh!Qué mambo(1959),Henri Diamant-Berger'sMessieurs les ronds de cuir(1959), and Clément Duhour'sVous n'avez rien à déclarer? (1959).Poiret costarred with Serrault in Cloche's short filmÇa aussi c'est Paris(1957) and inSacha Guitry'sAssassins et voleurs(1957).

In the 1960s, Poiret played alongside Serrault in several films, among them Raymond Bailly'sMa femme est une panthère(1960), Norbet Carbonnaux'sLa Gamberge(1962), Boisrond'sComment réussir en amour(1962), Jacques Pintoeau'sDurs à cuire(1964), Jacques Poitrenaud'sLa Tête du client(1965), Rigaud'sLes Baratineurs(1965), and André'sLe Grande bidule(1967),Ces messieurs de la famille(1967), andCes messieurs de la gâchette(1969). Poiret acted in films without Serrault, such as Pierre Chevalier'sAuguste(1961), Boyer'sC'est pas moi,c'est l'autre(1962), and Roland Quignon'sAux frais de la princesse(1969). He was a favorite of directorJean-Pierre Mocky, acting inLes Vièrges(1963),Un drôle de paroissien(1963),La Grande frousse(1964),La Bourse et la vie(1966), andLa Grande lessive(1968). In the 1970s, Poiret played in Marcel Camus'sLe Mur de l'Atlantique(1970) and again alongside Serrault in Pierre Tchernia'sLa Guele de l'autre(1979), for which he wrote the script.

Poiret is perhaps best known internationally as the author ofLa Cage aux folles, first a stage play in 1973 for the Théâtre du palais royal. It became the famous 1978 film directed byEdouard Molinarothat starred Serrault. Poiret's work on the script brought him an Oscar nomination. He worked on the scripts of other films, including Michel Drach'sLa Bonne occase(1964), Molinaro'sLa Cage aux folles II(1980), andGeorges Lautner'sJoyeuses Pâques(1984). In the 1980s, Poiret would pair again with Serrault inJean Yanne'sLiberté,égalité,choucroute(1985) and Mocky'sLe Miraculé(1987). He played leading roles inClaude Chabrol'sPoulet au vinaigre(1985) andInspecteur Lavardin(1986), Gérard Krawczyk'sJe hais les acteurs(1986), and Francis Girod'sLacenaire(1990). He later appeared in German director Christoph Boll'sSisi und der Kaiserkess(1991). Poiret directed one film,Le Zèbre(1992), which he also scripted. It was nominated for aCésarfor Best First Film.