Desfontaines, Henri

(Paul Henri Lapierre / November 12, 1876, Paris, France - January 7, 1931, Paris, France)

   A stage actor at theThéâtre Libre d'Antoine, he entered films playing in Pathé's productions (1908 L'Arlésienne, short, Albert Capellani; Don Juan, short, Albert Capel-lani; L'Homme aux Gants blancs, Albert Capellani; 1909 Héliogabale, short, André Calmettes; Le Roi de Rome, short, André Calmettes; La Dernière Conquête, short, Anonymous; Fleur de Pavé, short, Michel Carré, Albert Capellani; L'Héritage de Zouzou, short, Anonymous; Pau­vre Gosse, short, Anonymous; La Peau de Chagrin, short, Michel Carré; La Peur, short, Michel Carré; Le Roman d'une jeune Fille pauvre, short, Anonymous; Trakanowa et Catherine II, short, Albert Capellani; 1910 La Fin de Lin­coln, short, Camille de Morlhon; L'Orgueil, short, Anony­mous; Sous la Terreur, short, Albert Capellani; 191I Le Roman d'une pauvre Fille, short, Gérard Bourgeois; Camille Desmoulins, short, André Calmettes; La Dame aux Camélias, short, André Calmettes, Henri Pouctal; 1912 Antar, Anonymous; 1914 Le Secret du Châtelain, short, Paul Garbagni; 1916 La Faute de Pierre Vaisy, short, Jacques de Baroncelli; Soupçon tragique, short, Jacques de Baroncelli; 1918 L'Obstacle, Jean Kemm) and began directing historical dramas. After World War I, he shot comedies, melodramas, and thrillers for Eclipse and Gaumont (Pax serial) before joining the Cinéromans society, for which he filmed such serials as Belphégor. In the early 1930s, he resumed his acting career (1930 La Maison de la Flèche, Henri Fescourt; 1931 L'Aiglon, Vic­tor Tourjansky) but unfortunately died of pneumonia at age fifty-four.

 Filmography

        ◘ Hamlet (also actor)

        ◘ Résurrection (co-director with André Cal-mettes)

        ◘ Le Scarabée d'Or Un Invité d'Argent

        ◘ Hop-Frog

        ◘ Le Puits et le Pendule Le Gendre ingénieux

1911 ◘ Olivier Cromwell (short)

        ◘ La Momie / Le Roman de la Momie (short)

        ◘ Milton

        ◘ La Mégère apprivoisée

        ◘ Lésus de Nazareth (co-director with André Calmettes; also actor)

        ◘ La Femme-Cochère

        ◘ L'Assassinat d'Henri III (co-director with Louis Mercanton; also actor)

        ◘ Palstaff / USA: Sir John Falstaff

        ◘ Madame Sans-Gêne (co-director with André Calmettes)

1912 ◘ Vaincre ou mourir (short)

        ◘ Le Page

        ◘ Adrienne Lecouvreur / USA: An Actress's Romance (co-director with Louis Mercanton)

        ◘ La Chambre au Judas (short)

        ◘ Les Amours de la Reine Elisabeth / La Reine Elisa­beth / USA: Queen Elizabeth (co-director with Louis Mercanton, Gaston Roudès; also actor)

1913 ◘ Sublime Amour

        ◘ L'Homme nu

        ◘ La Carabine de la Mort (short; co-director with Paul Carbagni)

        ◘ Anne de Boleyn (co-director with Louis Mer-canton)

        ◘ Shylock, le Marchand de Venise (short)

        ◘ Le Secret de Polichinelle (short)

1914 ◘ Les Yeux du Cœur

        ◘ Le Téléphone qui accuse (co-director with Paul Carbagni; also screenwriter)

        ◘ La Reine Margot (also actor)

        ◘ Monsieur Vautour

        ◘ Le Médecin des Pauvres

        ◘ Nouvelle Aurore (short)

        ◘ La Forêt qui écoute (also actor)

        ◘ Le Dernier Rêve

        ◘ Chouchou

        ◘ Un Vol étrange Lour l'Alsace

        ◘ Les Bleus de l'Amour / USA: The Blues

        ◘ Les Enfants de France pendant la Guerre (short)

        ◘ La Suprême Epopée (compilation documentary)

        ◘ Sa Gosse

        ◘ La Marseillaise / La Naissance de la Marseillaise (short)

        ◘ Autour du Mystère (also screenwriter, actor)

1921 ◘ Les Trois Lys

        ◘ Chichinette et Cie (also screenwriter, adapter)

1922 ◘ Son Altesse

        ◘ La Fille des Chiffonniers / UK: The Girl of the Dust Bin (two parts)

1923 ◘ Madame Flirt (short)

        ◘ L'Insigne mystérieux (also screenwriter, adapter)

        ◘ L'Espionne (also screenwriter adapter)

1924 ◘ Château historique (also screenwriter, adapter)

        ◘ Vers Abecher la mystérieuse (short)

        ◘ L'Espionne aux Yeux noirs / Le Prince Aryad / Le Sang des Aïeux (eight episodes: "L'Agonie d'une Patrie", "La Patrie avant tout", "En Terre d'Exil", "Les Danseurs du Samoun", "La Vengeance de l'Espionne", "Père et Roi", "Le Baiser mortel", "L'Aube de Délivrance")

        ◘ Belphégor (four chapters: "Le Mystère du Lou­vre", "De Mystère en Mystère", "Le Fantôme noir", "Les Deux Polices")

        ◘ Le Capitaine Rascasse

1928 ◘ Poker d'As

        ◘ Le Film du Poilu, Cinq Années de la Vie d'un Fran­çais mobilise (compilation documentary)