Gruel, Henri

(November 5, 1923, Mâcon, Saône-et-Loire, France - )

   He entered films working with Arcady, an SFX specialist. Besides his directing career, he created the sound effects of several films, including 1968 Astérix et Cléopâtre / UK: Asterix and Cleopatra / Australia: Astérix: Astérix and Cleopatra (animation, René Goscinny, Lee Payant, Albert Uderzo), Tintin et le Temple du Soleil / De Zonnentempel / UK: Tintin and the Temple of the Sun / USA: Seven Crystal Balls and the Prisoners of the Sun (animation, Eddie Lateste, France / Belgium / Switzerland), 1971 Daisy Town (animation, René Goscinny, France / Belgium), 1972 Tintin et le Lac des Requins / Kuifje en het haalenmeer (animation, Raymond Leblanc, Belgium / France), 1974 Les Gaspards / De rare Snuiters / UK: The Holes / USA: The Down-in-the-Hole Gang (Pierre Tchernia, France / Belgium), 1980 Le Roi et l'Oiseau / UK and USA: The King and the Mockingbird (Paul Grimault), and 1985 Gwen, le Livre de Sable (animation, Jean-François Laguionie). Other credits (as composer): 1971 Fantorro, le dernier Justicier (animated short, Jan Lenica); 1975 L'Empreinte (animated short, Jacques Cardon). Retired in the south of France, he founded an animation film school for children.

 Filmography

        ◘ Martin et Gaston (animated short; also com­poser)

        ◘ Gitanos et Papillons (animated short)

        ◘ Le Voyage de Badabou (animated short; also cinematographer, composer)

        ◘ La Rose et le Radis (animated short)

        ◘ Le Voyageur (animated short)

        ◘ LaJoconde / LaJoconde: Histoire d'une Obsession (documentary; short)

        ◘ Cœur de Cristal (animated short)

        ◘ Les Illuminations (animated short)

        ◘ Mayola (short; co-director with Nicolas Schoeffer)

1959 ◘ Un Atome qui vous veut du bien (animated short)

        ◘ L'Horrible, bizarre et incroyable Aventure de Mon­sieur Tête (animated short; co-director with Jan Lenica)

        ◘ Les plus beaux Fruits du Monde (short)

        ◘ Notre Dame de Paris (animated short)

        ◘ Le Rendez-vous d'Asnières (short)

        ◘ Le Roi du Village / Bikini pericolosi (France / Italy)

1966 ◘ Les Contes Zaghaura (animated short)

1976 ◘ Les Douze Travaux d'Astérix / UK and USA: The Twelve Tasks of Asterix / Australia: The Adventures of Asterix / Australia DVD: Asterix's Twelve Tasks (animation; co-director with René Goscinny, Albert Uderzo, Pierre Watrin; also sound effects)

1978 ◘ La Ballade des Dalton (animation; co-director with René Goscinny, Morris, Pierre Watrin; also sound effects)