- Tati, Jacques
- (Jacques Tatischeff / October 9, 1907, Le Pecq, Yvelines, France - November 4, 1982, Paris, France)His Russian grandfather settled in Paris as the czar's ambassador, and his other grandfather was Vincent Van Gogh's framer. After completing his secondary studies, he worked with his father (a framer as well) while preparing for the entrance into L'Ecole des Arts et Métiers. He spent some time in England, where he was introduced to boxing, soccer, rugby, and tennis. In 1931, he made his cabaret debut as a mime. Using his music hall repertory, he entered films as an actor and screenwriter in comic shorts (1932 Oscar, Champion de Tennis, short, Jack Forrester; 1934 On demande une Brute, short, also co-screenwriter, co-dialogist, Charles Barrois; 1935 Gai Dimanche, short, also co-screenwriter, Jacques Berr; 1937 Soigne ton Gauche, short, also screenwriter, René Clément). Seen in a handful of movies (1946 Sylvie et le Fantôme / UK: Sylvia and the Ghost / USA: Sylvia and the Phantom, Claude Autant-Lara; 1947 Le Diable au Corps / USA: Devil in the Flesh, uncredited, Claude Autant-Lara; 1967 Cours du Soir, short, Nicolas Ribowski; 1972 Obraz uz obraz, episode directed by Zdravko Sotra, Yugoslavia), he wrote, directed, and performed only six feature films.Filmography1938 ◘ Retour à la Terre (short; also screenwriter)1947 ◘ L'Ecole des Facteurs / UK and USA: School for Postmen (short; also screenwriter, dialogist)1949 ◘ Jour de Fête / UK and USA: Holiday / The Big Day (also co-screenwriter, co-dialogist; shot in 1947)1953 ◘ Les Vacances de Monsieur Hulot / UK: Monsieur Hulot's Holiday / USA: Mr. Hulot's Holiday (also co-screenwriter, co-dialogist, co-producer; shot in 1952-1953)1958 ◘ Mon Oncle / Mio zio / UK and USA: My Uncle (also screenwriter, adapter, dialogist, co-producer; France / Italy; shot in 1956-1957)1967 ◘ Playtime (also screenwriter, adapter, dialogist; France / Italy; shot in 1964-1965)1971 ◘ Trafic / Monsieur Hulot nel caos del traffico / UK and USA: Traffic (also screenwriter; France / Italy)1974 ◘ Parade (originally shot for TV; France / Sweden)1978 ◘ Forza Bastia ou 78 Lille en Fête (documentary; co-director with Sophie Tatischeff)
Encyclopedia of French film directors . Philippe Rège. 2011.