About

Known credits:
59
Birthday:
1895-06-09
Place of birth:
Paris, France
Website:
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Henri Diamant-Berger

Overview

Henri Diamant-Berger (9 June 1895 – 7 May 1972) was a French director, producer and screenwriter. In a career that lasted more than 50 years, he directed 48 films between 1913 and 1959, produced 17 between 1925 and 1967 and wrote 21 screenplays between 1916 and 1971.

Born in Paris, to a Jewish family, he studied to be a lawyer but was drawn to the motion picture business. He began his career when he co-directed the 1913 silent film short De film... en aiguilles with André Heuzé. In addition to writing screenplays, during the period from 1916 to 1919, Diamant-Berger also published and edited a film magazine and books about the movies. In 1918, he was hired by Pathé and sent to the United States to help set up the company's film laboratory at Fort Lee, New Jersey. Upon his return to France, Pathé had him set up a laboratory in Vincennes, as well as organize a film studio in Boulogne-Billancourt.

In 1921, Diamant-Berger directed the film serial Les Trois Mousquetaires, one of two film versions of Alexandre Dumas, père's novel The Three Musketeers released in 1921 (the other was Douglas Fairbanks' version) . For a short time in the mid-1920s, he made pictures in the USA, including the drama Fifty-Fifty (1925) starring Lionel Barrymore. He also directed the 1927 silent film Éducation de Prince. By the end of the decade he successfully made the transition to talkies.

Through his Barrymore connection, Diamant-Berger acquired the screen rights for a play produced on Broadway in 1921 written by John Barrymore's ex-wife, Blanche Oelrichs. His French language film version of the same title, Clair de lune (1932), starred Claude Dauphin and Blanche Montel. Among his notable sound films was a remake, Les Trois Mousquetaires (1932), a six-hour epic about the three musketeers for which he wrote the screen adaptation and used much of the same cast from his 1921 silent version. Diamant-Berger's other directorial efforts include two Arsène Lupin detective films in 1937. However, after directing Tourbillon de Paris in 1939, he lost eight full years to World War II. In 1951, he directed the acclaimed drama Monsieur Fabre starring Pierre Fresnay.

During the 1960s, Diamant-Berger devoted himself exclusively to producing, making several successful films, which includes La Belle Américaine (1961), Heaven Sent (1963) and The Counterfeit Constable (1964).

Henri Diamant-Berger died at age 76 in Paris.

Source: Article "Henri Diamant-Berger" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA 3.0.

Known for

Acting
1995 Le Cinéma de grand-père Actor Self (archive footage) N/A
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1927 Rue de la Paix Actor Henri Diamant-Berger N/A
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Directing
1959 The Bureaucrats Directing Director 59
Average
1957 It Happened on the 36 Candles Directing Director 58
Average
1956 My Priest Among the Poor Directing Director 58
Average
1955 La madone des sleepings Directing Director 58
Average
1953 Le Chasseur de chez Maxim's Directing Director 58
Average
1952 My Priest Among the Rich Directing Director N/A
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1951 Amazing Monsieur Fabre Directing Director 59
Average
1949 Kindergarten Directing Director N/A
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1939 Whirlwind of Paris Directing Director 59
Average
1938 A Foolish Maiden Directing Director 59
Average
1937 Arsène Lupin, Detective Directing Director 59
Average
1934 Miquette and Her Mother Directing Director 59
Average
1932 The Three Musketeers Directing Director 59
Average
1932 Moonlight Directing Director N/A
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1932 Tu m'oublieras Directing Director N/A
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1932 The Nice Adventure Directing Director N/A
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1932 The Miracle Child Directing Director N/A
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1931 It's all arranged Directing Director N/A
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1931 Alone Directing Director N/A
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1930 Monsieur Gazon Directing Director N/A
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1930 Paris by night Directing Director N/A
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1927 Rue de la Paix Directing Director N/A
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1927 Education of a Prince Directing Director N/A
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1925 Lover's Island Directing Director N/A
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1925 Fifty-Fifty Directing Director N/A
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1924 L'emprise Directing Director N/A
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1924 Le roi de la vitesse Directing Director N/A
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1923 L'Affaire de la rue de Lourcine Directing Director N/A
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1923 Par habitude Directing Director N/A
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1923 Jim Bougne, boxeur Directing Director N/A
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1923 Bad Boy Directing Director N/A
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1923 Gonzague Directing Director 58
Average
1922 Vingt ans après Directing Director N/A
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1921 The Three Musketeers Directing Director 58
Average
1917 Une soirée mondaine Directing Director N/A
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1916 Paris During the War Directing Director N/A
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Writing
1971 The Song of the Balalaika Writing Screenplay 58
Average
1959 The Bureaucrats Writing Writer 59
Average
1957 It Happened on the 36 Candles Writing Writer 58
Average
1956 My Priest Among the Poor Writing Screenplay 58
Average
1955 La madone des sleepings Writing Screenplay 58
Average
1953 Le Chasseur de chez Maxim's Writing Adaptation 58
Average
1937 Arsène Lupin, Detective Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1934 Miquette and Her Mother Writing Adaptation 59
Average
1932 The Three Musketeers Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1932 Moonlight Writing Writer N/A
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1931 The Unknown Singer Writing Story 59
Average
1927 Education of a Prince Writing Writer N/A
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1923 Par habitude Writing Writer N/A
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1922 Vingt ans après Writing Screenplay N/A
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1919 Le Petit Café Writing Writer N/A
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Production
1967 Order of the Daisy Production Associate Producer 58
Average
1963 Thank Heaven for Small Favors Production Producer 59
Average
1961 The American Beauty Production Producer 58
Average
1934 Miquette and Her Mother Production Producer 59
Average
1925 Lover's Island Production Producer N/A
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1925 The Crazy Ray Production Producer 59
Average