Étaix, Pierre

(November 23, 1928, Roanne, Loire, France - )

   He studied drawing and was a pupil of glass artist Théodore-Gérard Hanssen before earning his living as an illustrator and stage settings painter. A circus lover from his early childhood, he presented clown numbers in Medrano and performed—sometimes as an illusionist—in famous cabarets and music halls (l'ABC, Les Trois Baudets, l'Alhambra, Bobino, l'Olympia). In 1954, he met Jacques Tati, who pre­pared the film Mon Oncle / Mio zio / UK and USA: My Uncle and hired him as a production designer, gag­man, and assistant director (the movie would be shot in 1956-1957 and released in 1958). He co-wrote most of the films that he directed with screenwriter Jean-Claude Carrière. In 1962, Le Soupirant received the Louis Delluc Prize, and the following year, he won an Academy Award for best short subject for Heureux Anniversaire. Besides his movies, he also played in Pickpocket (Robert Bresson, 1959), Tire au Flanc 62 / USA: The Army Game, uncredited, Claude de Givray, François Truffaut, 1961), Une Grosse Tête (Claude de Givray, 1962), Le Pèlerinage (short, Jean L'Hôte, 1962), Le Voleur / Il ladro di Parigi / UK: The Thief / USA: The Thief of Paris (Louis Malle, France / Italy, 1967), I Clowns / Les Clowns / Die Clowns / USA: The Clowns (as himself, Federico Fellini, Italy / France / West Germany, shot for TV, 1971), The Day the Clown Cried (Jerry Lewis, USA, shot in 1972, unre­leased), Bel Ordure (Jean Marboeuf, 1973), Sérieux comme le Plaisir (Robert Benayoun, 1975), Max mon Amour / Makkusu, mon amûru / UK and USA: Max My Love (Nagisa Oshima, France / Japan / USA, 1986), Nuit docile (Guy Gilles, 1987), Henry & June (Philip Kaufman, USA, 1990), Jardins en Automne / I Giardini in autunno (Otar losseliani, France / Italy / Russia, 2006), and Lucifer et moi (Jacques Grand-Jouan, 2008). His television credits include 1974 Show Pierre Etaix (Jean-Christophe Averty), 1980 Lundi (Edmond Séchan),

   La Métamorphose (Daniel Verhaeghe), L'Etrange Château du Docteur Lerne (Jean-Daniel Verhaeghe),

   L'Aide-Mémoire (Pierre Boutron), 1987 Les Idiots (Jean-Daniel Verhaeghe), 1989 Bouvard et Pécuchet (Jean-Daniel Verhaeghe). He also worked as a cos­tume designer (1995 Leçons de Vie, Boris Lehmann, Belgium). In 1973, he founded l'Ecole du Cirque with his wife, actress Annie Fratellini (1932-1997). Books as author and sometimes illustrator: 1977 Les Joies du Cirque (preface only, Francis Ramirez, Christian Rolot, Editions Hachette); 1981 Le Petit Napoléon illustré (co-author with Jean-Claude Carrière, Edi­tions Robert Laffont); Le Carton à Chapeau (Gilbert Salachas Editeur); 1982 Dactylographismes (Gilbert Salachas Editeur); 1982 Clowns et Farceurs (co-author only, Editions Bordas); 1983 Croquis de Jerry Lewis, Script de Jean-Claude Carrière (Gilbert Salachas Ed­iteur); 1984 Vive la Pub! (Gilbert Salachas Editeur); 1986 Star Système (Gilbert Salachas Editeur); 1996 Je hais les Pigeons (illustrated by André François, Collec­tion Nemo, Le Seuil); 2001 Karabistouilles (co-author with Marc Etaix, Editions Atlantica-Séguier); Criticons la Caméra (co-author with Marc Etaix, Editions Atlantica-Séguier); Les Hommes de... (Belles-Lettres); Il faut appeler un Clown un Clown (Editions Atlantica-Séguier); 2004 Le Clown et le Savant (co-author with Claude de Calan); 2005 Qui roule ménage sa Monture (Le Cherche-Midi Editeur). Books as illustrator only: 1958 Les Vacances de Monsieur Hulot (Jean-Claude Carrière, Editions Robert Laffont); 1959 Mon Oncle (Jean-Claude Carrière, Editions Robert Laffont); 1981 Les Petits Mots inconvenants (Jean-Claude Carri­ère, Editions Balland, reedited as Les Mots et la Chose, Le Pré aux Clercs); 1984 Buster Keaton (Slapstick); 1997 Le Cochon rose (Guy Franquet, Editions Mille et une Nuits).

 Filmography

1961 Rupture (short; co-director with Jean-Claude Carrière; also screenwriter, actor)

        ◘ Insomnie (short)

1962 Heureux Anniversaire / UK: The Anniversary (short; co-director with Jean-Claude Car­rière; also actor; producer)

        ◘ Le Soupirant / : The Suitor (also co-screenwriter, actor)

   Yoyo / USA: Yo Yo (also co-screenwriter, co-dialogist, actor)

   Tant qu'on a la Santé (also co-screenwriter, co-adapter, co-dialogist, actor)

1969 Le Grand Amour (also co-screenwriter, co-dialogist, actor)

1971 Pays de Cocagne (documentary; also screenwriter)

1987 L'Âge de Monsieur est avancé (also author of original play, screenwriter, dialogist, actor)

1990 J'écris dans l'Espace (documentary; also screenwriter)

 Television Filmography

   Souris noire (episode "Rapt")

   Méliès 88: Rêve d'Artiste (short)