Rivers, Fernand

(François Large / September 6, 1879, Saint-Léger, Rhône, France - August 17, 1960, Nice, Alpes-Maritimes, France)

   A stage and music hall performer since 1897, he started his motion picture career in 1902 as an extra and landed his first leading role in a Pathé production (Cache-toi dans la Malle!, short, Anonymous). He be­came a comic star as Plouf (eleven films shot in 1917 and 1918). After directing many movies from 1912 to 1921, he wrote revues and managed a theater. In 1933, he created his own film production and release company, Les Films Fernand Rivers, and resumed his directing career. He notably produced Mister Flow / UK: Compliments of Mr. Flow / USA: Mr. Flow (Robert Siodmak, 1936), La Tour de Nesle / La torre del piacere / La torre di Nesle (Abel Gance, France / Italy, 1955), Le Sang à la Tête (Gilles Grangier), and Les Dragueurs / UK: Young Have No Morals / USA: The Chasers (Jean-Pierre Mocky).

 Filmography

1912 ◘ Le Bracelet-Montre (short; also actor)

        ◘ Tout ce qui brille n'est pas Or (short)

        ◘ L'Héritage de Cécile (short; also screenwriter)

        ◘ Il faut que Jeunesse se passe (short)

        ◘ Les Apparences sont trompeuses (short)

        ◘ L'Excès en tout est un Défaut (short)

        ◘ Gonzague (short; also screenwriter, actor)

        ◘ L'Habit ne fait pas le Moine (short; also screenwriter)

        ◘ Quand il y en a pour Deux (short; also screenwriter, actor)

        ◘ Si Vieillesse savait! (short; also screenwriter, actor)

        ◘ Trop gratter cuit (short; also screenwriter, actor)

1917 ◘ Et l'on revient toujours (short; also adapter, actor)

        ◘ Plouf fait son Voyage de Noces à Deauville (short; also screenwriter, actor)

        ◘ Le Prince Plouf (short; also actor)

        ◘ Plouf rate son Mariage (short; also actor)

        ◘ Ce que Femme veut (short)

        ◘ Esprit es-tu là? (short; also adapter, actor)

        ◘ Plouf a eu Peur (short; also actor)

        ◘ Ça tourne

        ◘ Le Duel de Plouf (short; also actor)

1921 ◘ Quand les Feuilles tomberont (co-director with Marcel Simon; also adapter)

1934 ◘ Le Maître des Forges (supervised by Abel Gance; also co-screenwriter, co-adapter, producer)

        ◘ La Dame aux Camélias (supervised by Abel Gance; also producer)

1935 ◘ Le Chemineau / USA: The Open Road (also producer)

        ◘ Lasteur (co-director with Sacha Guitry; also producer)

        ◘ Bonne Chance (co-director with Sacha Guitry; also producer)

1936 ◘ Bichon (also producer)

        ◘ Les Deux Gosses (also producer, lyricist)

1937 ◘ Boissière (also producer)

        ◘ Le Fauteuil 47 (also producer)

        ◘ Le Concierge revient de suite (short)

1938 ◘ Quatre Heures du Matin (also producer)

        ◘ La Présidente (also producer)

        ◘ La Goualeuse (also producer)

        ◘ Berlingot et Cie (also producer)

        ◘ L'Embuscade (also producer)

        ◘ Le Roi des Galéjeurs (also producer)

        ◘ L'An 40 (movie destroyed in 1941 by order of Vichy censorship after one showing in Marseille)

1944 ◘ La Rabouilleuse (also producer)

1946 ◘ Cyrano de Bergerac (also screenwriter, adapter, producer)

        ◘ Le Maître de Forges (also screenwriter, adapter, dialogist, producer)

        ◘ Ces Dames aux Chapeaux verts (also screenwriter, adapter, producer)

        ◘ Tire au Flanc (also screenwriter, adapter, producer)

        ◘ Les Mains sales / USA: Dirty Hands (also co-screenwriter, co-adapter, producer)