Jean de Létraz, pen name of Jean Félix Deletraz, (23 February 1897 – 3 June 1954) was a French playwright, spécialising in vaudeville, who authored nearly 118 plays, among which the most famous is Bichon written in 1935.
Jean de Létraz | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Jean Félix Deletraz 23 February 1897 |
| Died | 3 June 1954 (aged 57) |
| Occupation(s) | Dramatist, screenwriter, dialoguist |
Biography
editHis first of more than 100 plays was Opium, a one-act play starring Sarah Bernhardt during World War I.[1] As well as Bichon (1935), other popular plays of his included On demande un ménage (1942), Descendez, on vous demande (1946), Moumou (1944) and La Fessée (1936).[1] He was also a screenwriter and a dialoguist. A good number of his plays have been adapted to film.
From 1942 until his death, he was managing director of the Théâtre du Palais-Royal where he directed both his own plays and others. He was also a vice-president of a Paris theatre managers' organization.[1]
His wife, Simone,[2] took over the managing of the theatre up to 1965 and staged some of his posthumous works.[3]
Novels
edit- Nicole s'éveille (with Suzette Desty, 1926)
- Nicole s'égare (with Suzette Desty, 1926/27)
- Un homme... deux femmes (with Suzette Desty, 1927)
- Douze Nuits d'amour (1927)
- Nicole s'abrite (with Suzette Desty, 1928)
- Un couple passa... (1929)
- La jeune fille et les amants (1930)
- ...tu m'aimes? (1932)
Works in the theatre
editAdapted
edit- 1931 : Chauffeur Antoinette, comedy in 4 acts by Robert Blum, based on a novel by Jean de Létraz and Suzette Desty[4][5]
Author
edit- 1934 : Mitzi-Moutzou, opérette in 3 acts, Théâtre des Capucines, 31 March
- 1935 : Bichon, three act comedy, Théâtre de la Michodière, 3 May
- 1936 : La Fessée, Théâtre de Paris
- 1939 : La Poule et le chasseur, Théâtre du Palais-Royal
- 1940 : La Familiale, Théâtre de la Michodière with François Périer
- 1942 : On demande un ménage, 3 act comedy, Théâtre du Palais-Royal, 22 October
- 1942 : Le Fantôme de Madame, Théâtre Saint-Georges, November
- 1943 : La Dame de minuit, Apollo, May
- 1943 : Épousez-nous, monsieur, 3 act play, Théâtre Michel, 21 December
- 1944 : Moumou, Théâtre du Palais-Royal, 24 May
- 1946 : Descendez, on vous demande, comedy in 3 acts, Théâtre du Palais-Royal, 16 March
- 1947 : Et vive la liberté, play in 3 acts, Théâtre des Variétés, 19 April
- 1947 : Une nuit chez vous, Madame !, Théâtre du Palais-Royal, 9 May
- 1947 : Chasse gardée, play in 3 acts, Théâtre du Palais-Royal, 9 May
- 1948 : L'Extravagante Théodora, Théâtre des Capucines, 26 May
- 1949 : Le Voyage à trois, Théâtre du Palais-Royal
- 1949 : Nous avons tous fait la même chose, Théâtre de la Potinière, 26 February
- 1950 : Les Femmes de Loth, Théâtre du Palais-Royal, March
- 1951 : Une nuit à Megève, Théâtre Michel, December
- 1952 : Monsieur de Panama, Apollo, 6 December
- 1953 : La Pucelle d'Auteuil, Théâtre du Palais-Royal
- 1955 : Elle est folle, Carole, directed by Simone de Létraz, Théâtre du Palais-Royal
Theatre director
edit- 1947 : Et vive la liberté by Jean de Létraz, Théâtre des Variétés
- 1948 : L'Extravagante Théodora by Jean de Létraz, Théâtre des Capucines
- 1949 : Le Voyage à trois by Jean de Létraz, Théâtre du Palais-Royal
- 1953 : Occupe-toi d'mon minimum by Paul Van Stalle, Théâtre du Palais-Royal
- 1953 : La Pucelle d'Auteuil by Jean de Létraz, Théâtre du Palais-Royal
- 1953 : ... La Mariée en a deux ! by Jean de Létraz, Théâtre du Palais-Royal
- 1957 : La Pucelle d'Auteuil by Jean de Létraz, Théâtre de l'Ambigu-Comique
- 1958 : Les Pieds au mur by Jean Guitton, Théâtre du Palais-Royal
- Operetta
- La Belle Saison, music by Jean Delettre
Filmography
edit- Chauffeur Antoinette, directed by Herbert Selpin (German, 1932, based on the play Chauffeur Antoinette)
- The Love Contract, directed by Herbert Selpin (English, 1932, based on the play Chauffeur Antoinette)
- Conduisez-moi Madame, directed by Herbert Selpin (French, 1932, based on the play Chauffeur Antoinette)
- Fräulein Liselott, directed by Johannes Guter (German, 1934, based on the play Glück im Haus)
- Bichon, directed by Fernand Rivers (French, 1936, based on the play Bichon)
- Odygdens belöning, directed by Gideon Wahlberg and John Lindlöf (Swedish, 1937, based on the play Bichon)
- La Fessée, directed by Pierre Caron (French, 1937, based on the play La Fessée)
- Papà per una notte, directed by Mario Bonnard (Italian, 1939, based on the play Bichon)
- Bajó un ángel del cielo, directed by Luis César Amadori (Spanish, 1942, based on the play Bichon)
- Frederica, directed by Jean Boyer (French, 1942, based on the play Épousez-nous, Monsieur)
- Adrien, directed by Fernandel (French, 1943, based on a play by Jean de Létraz)
- On demande un ménage, directed by Maurice Cam (French, 1946, based on the play On demande un ménage)
- Bichon, directed by René Jayet (French, 1948, based on the play Bichon)
- Nous avons tous fait la même chose, directed by René Sti (French, 1950, based on the play Nous avons tous fait la même chose)
- Extravagant Theodora, directed by Henri Lepage (French, 1950, based on the play L'Extravagante Théodora)
- Voyage for Three, directed by Jean-Paul Paulin (French, 1950, based on the play Le Voyage à trois)
- Descendez, on vous demande, directed by Jean Laviron (French, 1951, based on the play Descendez, on vous demande)
- Moumou, directed by René Jayet (French, 1951, based on the play Moumou)
- Une nuit à Megève, directed by Raoul André (French, 1953, based on the play Une nuit à Megève)
- Hurra – die Firma hat ein Kind, directed by Hans Richter (German, 1956, based on the play Bichon)
Screenwriter
edit- 1931 : Y'en a pas deux comme Angélique, directed by Roger Lion
- 1931 : Le Lit conjugal, directed by Roger Lion
- 1932 : The Triangle of Fire, directed by Edmond T. Gréville
- 1938 : Le Monsieur de cinq heures, directed by Pierre Caron
Television
edit- Au théâtre ce soir :
- 1969 : Bichon
- 1978 : La Fessée
- 1979 : Une nuit chez vous Madame
References
edit- ^ a b c "Obituaries". Variety. June 9, 1954. p. 63 – via Archive.org.
- ^ Simone de Létraz on lesarchivesduspectacle
- ^ Jean de Letraz directeur[permanent dead link]
- ^ Deutsches Literaturlexikon
- ^ Catalog of Copyright Entries