- Louis Jourdan, Rue de l’Estrapade, France, 1952. Yes, Delphine, Hollywood’s favourite Frenchman (of the 50s/60s) did make French films as well. Realisateur Jacques Becker, however, was never satisfied with Jourdan’s work. Nor was Becker’s lover Anne Wadement, whose script was autobiographical. Becker’s own favourite, Daniel Gélin, was busy directing one film and acting in two others – so he took a short role.
- Alain Delon, Quand la Femme s’en mele, France, 1957. Vidal was the producer’s choice. Realisateur Yves Allegret fought for the debut of… Delon: “My love affair with the cinema began due to a love affair with a woman – and on the set, I was a fish in water. I’d found my metier.”
- Jean-Paul Belmondo, La Francaise et l’amour, 1959. Realisateur Henri Verneuil’s original cast for his Adultery sketch (Daniel Gelin, Annie Girardot, Vidal) fell apart on the sudden death of Vidal from a heart attack, not to mention drugs.
- Paul Merurisse, La française et l’amour, France-Italy, 1960. Vidal’s untimely death (at 40 ) meant a total change of prodigious scenarist Michel Audiatd’s trio of Daniel Gelin as the lover of Annie Girardot as Vidal’s wife… Meurisse took over with Jean-Paul Belmondo and Dany Robin as the lovers. Girardot stayed aboard – in the next stage, Christian-Jacque’s Le Divorce.
Birth year: 1919Death year: 1959Other name: Casting Calls: 4