Caza, Christian

(Khatchik Hovsep Kazazian / September 20, 1930, Constantinople [now Istanbul], Turkey-May 9, 1979, Paris, France)

   Of Armenian origin, he entered films as an actor under the pseudonym of Michel Ardan. From 1946 (Martin Roumagnac / USA: The Room Upstairs, Georges La-combe) to 1975 (Quand la Ville s'éveille, Pierre Grasset), he played supporting roles in about thirty movies, in­cluding Claude Sautet's Classe tous Risques / Asfalto che scotta/ USA: The Big Risk (France / Italy, 1960) and Laslo Benedek's Recours en Grâce / Tra due donne (France / Italy, 1960). In the early 1960s, he created his own pro­duction company, Les Productions Belles Rives, which notably co-financed comedies (1971 La Grande Java, as production manager, also co-screenwriter, Philippe Clair; Les Bidasses en Folie / UK: The Five Crazy Boys, Claude Zidi; 1973 La Brigade en Folie, also co-screenwriter, Philippe Clair) and more ambitious films (1966 Les Grandes Gueules / Una vampata di violenza / UK: Jailbird's Vacation / USA: The Wise Guys, Robert Enrico, France / Italy; 1971 Franz, Jacques Brel, France / Belgium; Les Assassins de l'Ordre / Inchiesto su un delitto della polizia, Marcel Carné, France / Italy).

 Filmography

1974 ◘ La Grande Nouba (also production manager)

1979 ◘ Les Bidasses en Vadrouille (also co-adapter, co-dialogist, production manager)