René Dary
René Dary (19 July 1905 – 6 October 1974) was a French film actor. Dary began his career as a child actor. Young Clément Mary, as was his original name, was born 18 July 1905 in Paris 6th arrondissement. He got his chance in the Spring of 1910 when he was only five. His father Abélard Mary had put in his head to go and promote himself and his two young kids as extras at the Gaumont studio. Mary, who had been an actor, had become a rundown clown in bars because of his gambling and kept things going with some furniture trade. He had set his hopes for his kids, and gambled well this time, as they were all hired for a peplum, Les Derniers Jours de Babylone. Young Clément's native playfulness, his histrionic acting making him older than he was, his borrowed street talk, and his ease on the set to charm everyone, from actors to technicians, soon began to attract the attention of producer-director Louis Feuillade. Feuillade tested him and designed a whole series around him, the Bébé series. All in all Mary would play in 74 Bébé comedies between 1910 and 1912, according to Braquet (76 between December 1910 and February 1913, according to Lacassin, while IMDb lists 73 titles), such as Bébé apache, Napoléon, Bébé et les cosaques, Bébé en Maroc etc. Feuillade permitted little Mary to do anything forbidden at home. Often his character would be a spoiled brat, have impossible tantrums and pester all adults around him, but he could also help children and old people in distress, showing his good heart after all. Often his mother would be played by Renée Carl, a leading Gaumont actress in her own. And often the child was placed in adult situations, as millionaire, marriage candidate or underworld 'apache'. For over two years Bébé was the best known child actor worldwide. The extremely good box office made papa Mary wealthy too, but his money hunger caused also the downfall of his son. Abélard bought a small cinema in Ménilmontant and called it Bébé-Cinéma, counting on a franchise by Gaumont to show his son's films. This was the limit for Feuillade, who was already fed up with the pretense of the father's self-promotion as his son's manager and his continuous demands for raises for his son. Besides, Clément was reaching an age where his cuteness as child actor was passing. Already mid-1912 another young kid had been picked up in Belleville, near the studios, and had started as supporting actor to Clément in the film Bébé adopte un petit frère, but replaced him completely in March 1913 (February 1913, according to Francis Lacassin) under the character name of Bout-de-Zan (a name he already wore as Bébé's co-actor). Abélard went to court against Gaumont. The court ruled that the breach of contract was just, but also that Mary was allowed to continue acting as Bébé at Pathé's subsidiary Eclectic Films, and he did so until 1916. Yet, it was no competition for Gaumont's Bout-de-Zan. As Abel mentions, Bout-de-Zan was more plebeian while Bébé was 'au fond' bourgeois as type. Still, in the end Poyen did some 50 films for Gaumont, less than Mary.
Known For
Credits
- 1978 ·Encyclopédie audiovisuelle du cinémaas Self (archive footage)
- 1969 ·Goto, Island of Loveas Gomor
- 1967 ·Risky Businessas le maire
- 1967 ·Fire of Loveas Marois
- 1967 ·Horizonas Father
- 1965 ·A Trap for Cinderellaas Doctor Doulin
- 1965 ·Operation Diplomatic Passportas Chef de la D.S.T.
- 1965 ·Belphegor, or the Phantom of the Louvreas Commissaire Ménardier
- 1963 ·La Routeas Mathieu
- 1963 ·Règlements de compteas
- 1962 ·Jusqu'à plus soifas Bardin
- 1961 ·Napoléon II, the Eagleas
- 1961 ·Skin and Bonesas Director
- 1961 ·Daniella by Nightas Lanzac
- 1961 ·L'Exécutionas Lavaur
- 1960 ·The Loves of Herculesas Il generale
- 1960 ·The Delinquentsas Le Goff
- 1959 ·Tonight We Killas Franz
- 1959 ·Discoramaas Self
- 1958 ·Sins of Youthas L'oncle Léon Bertier
- 1954 ·Touchez Pas au Grisbias Henri Ducros dit Riton
- 1950 ·Fugitive from Montrealas Pierre Chambrac
- 1950 ·A Certain Misteras Le Pouce, membre de la bande
- 1949 ·The Unknown N° 13as
- 1949 ·Suzanne and Her Brigandsas
- 1949 ·Five Red Tulipsas Pierre Lusanne
- 1948 ·Cité de l'espéranceas Pierre Maufranc
- 1948 ·Le diamant de cent sousas Clive Morgan
- 1947 ·The Fugitiveas Fred
- 1946 ·120, rue de la Gareas Nestor Burma
- 1945 ·Bifur 3as Georges
- 1944 ·Children of Chaosas Jean Victor
- 1943 ·À la Belle Frégateas
- 1943 ·Homeportas René
- 1942 ·Eight Men in a Castleas Mr. Paladine
- 1942 ·Mélodie pour toias
- 1942 ·Forte têteas René Rocher
- 1941 ·After the Stormas René Sabin
- 1940 ·Moulin Rougeas Lequérec
- 1940 ·Le café du portas
- 1939 ·L'Esprit de Sidi-Brahimas Jean Varin
- 1939 ·Nord-Atlantiqueas Barnes, second in command
- 1938 ·The Rebelas Pimaï
- 1938 ·Un fichu métieras Jean-Paul
- 1938 ·S.O.S. Saharaas
- 1938 ·The Postmaster's Daughteras Captain
- 1937 ·À nous deux, madame la vieas
- 1936 ·Hélèneas Marcel
- 1934 ·Sidonie Panacheas
- 1912 ·Tom Thumbas Le petit Poucet
- 1912 ·Bébé fait du spiritismeas Bébé
- 1912 ·Napoléon, Bébé, and the Cossacksas Bébé
- 1912 ·Bébé soigné son pèreas Bébé
- 1912 ·Jimmy Pulls The Triggeras Bébé
- 1912 ·Bébé veut payer ses dettesas Bébé
- 1912 ·Bébé, victime d'une erreur judiciaireas Bébé
- 1912 ·Bébé n’aime pas sa conciergeas Bébé
- 1912 ·Bébé jugeas Bébé
- 1911 ·Bébé Corrects His Fatheras Baby
- 1911 ·Bébé veut imiter Saint-Martinas
- 1911 ·Bébé Runs After His Watchas Bébé
- 1911 ·Bébé Runs After His Watchas
- 1911 ·Bébé a le béguinas Bébé
- 1911 ·Bébé sur la Canebièreas Bébé
- 1911 ·Bébé nègreas Bébé
- 1910 ·Baby Fishermanas Bébé
- 1910 ·Bébé apacheas Bébé
- 1910 ·La trouvaille de Bébéas
- 1910 ·Bébé's Masterpiecesas Bébé