Gérard Barray (2 November 1931 – 15 February 2024) was a French actor.[1]

Gérard Barray
Born(1931-11-02)2 November 1931
Died15 February 2024(2024-02-15) (aged 92)
Marbella, Spain
OccupationActor
Notable workOpen Your Eyes

Early life and education edit

Gérard Barray was born in Toulouse on 2 November 1931. His parents split up quickly and his mother, who came from Montauban, decided to return to her hometown with her little boy. Around the age of 15, he discovered a passion for jazz; he participated in a few shows in nightclubs while pursuing his studies and obtained a bachelor's degree at the Faculty of Toulouse.[which?] Camille Ricard, an actress and teacher at the Conservatory of Toulouse, who advised him to go to Paris with a letter of recommendation for a friend, Noël Roquevert. Barray enrolled at the Cours Simon, a drama school in Paris. Four years later, Gérard Barray won the Jury Prize.[citation needed]

Career edit

It will then excel in the roles of knights with a big heart.[clarification needed] He starred as D'Artagnan, Pardaillan, Surcouf and Scaramouche. In total he appeared [clarification needed] in a dozen feature films of that genre, most of which were box-office successes, widely known abroad. Besides films swashbuckling as Pardaillan and Scaramouche and adventure films like Surcouf, Barray turned police commissioner in two San Antonio movies.[2] In 1969, he starred beside young actress Claude Jade in Le Témoin. He played Van Britten, a mysterious museum curator who seduces a young English teacher. It was his last major role.

For Claude Berri he played in Le Cinéma de papa [fr] (1970) as Richard, a super star and rather temperamental actor. His comeback in 1997 was in Alejandro Amenábar's Abre los ojos as Devernois, a TV man.[3]

Later life and death edit

Gérard Barray was appointed an Officer in the Order of Arts and Letters in January 2010.[4] He died in Marbella, Spain, on 15 February 2024, at the age of 92.[5]

Selected filmography edit

Year Title Role Director
1961 Captain Fracasse the Duke of Vallombreuse Pierre Gaspard-Huit
The Three Musketeers d'Artagnan Bernard Borderie
The Corsican Brothers Giovanni Sagona Anton Giulio Majano
1962 Le Chevalier de Pardaillan [fr] Chevalier Jean de Pardaillan Bernard Borderie
1963 Shéhérazade Renaud de Villecroix Pierre Gaspard-Huit
The Adventures of Scaramouche [fr] Scaramouche / Robert Lafleur Antonio Isasi-Isasmendi
1964 Gibraltar Frank Jackson Pierre Gaspard-Huit
Hardi Pardaillan! Chevalier Jean de Pardaillan Bernard Borderie
1965 The Treasure of the Aztecs Comte Alfonso di Rodriganda y Sevilla Robert Siodmak
The Pyramid of the Sun God Comte Alfonso di Rodriganda y Sevilla Robert Siodmak
1966 Agent X-77 Orders to Kill Serge Vadile, agent X 13 Maurice Cloche
The Sea Pirate Robert Surcouf Sergio Bergonzelli, Roy Rowland
Tonnerre sur l'océan Indien [fr] Robert Surcouf Sergio Bergonzelli, Roy Rowland
Sale temps pour les mouches [fr] Commissaire San-Antonio Guy Lefranc
1967 Zärtliche Haie Gregory Michel Deville
1968 Adriatic Sea of Fire Michel Masic Alexandre Astruc
Béru et ces dames [fr] Commissaire San-Antonio Guy Lefranc
1969 The Witness Van Britten Anne Walter
1997 Open Your Eyes Duvernois Alejandro Amenábar
2000 Sexy Beast a Spanish official Jonathan Glazer

References edit

  1. ^ "Gérard Barray". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 18 September 2008. Retrieved 21 December 2015.
  2. ^ DDM. "Montauban a salué Gérard Barray, héros de films de cape et d'épée". La Dépêche. Retrieved 21 December 2015.
  3. ^ "Movie Reviews". The New York Times. 31 March 2022.
  4. ^ "Nominations dans l'Ordre des Arts et Lettres - janvier 2009". The French Government. Retrieved 21 December 2015.
  5. ^ "Gérard Barray". Cine Artistes. Retrieved 16 February 2024.

External links edit