Sacha Pitoëff

Sacha Pitoëff

Born: March 11, 1920
Died: July 21, 1990
in Genève, Switzerland
Sacha Pitoëff (born Alexandre Pitoëff; 11 March 1920 – 21 July 1990) was a Swiss-born French actor and stage director.

Pitoëff was born in Geneva, Switzerland, on 11 March 1920, the son of Russian-born parents Ludmilla (née Smanova) and Georges Pitoëff. Both of his parents were born in the city of Tbilisi (in modern-day Georgia), then a part of the Russian Empire. The Pitoëffs were prominent actors in France, Georges was a founding member of the Cartel des Quatre (Group of Four), a group including Louis Jouvet, Charles Dullin, and Gaston Baty, dedicated to rejuvenating the French theatre.

Sacha graduated from Lycée Pasteur in Neuilly-sur-Seine, outside Paris. He studied acting and stage direction under Jouvet at the Théâtre de l'Athénée.

During World War II, the younger Pitoëff followed his mother back to Switzerland, where he played his earliest roles. After the war he returned to Paris, becoming general manager at the Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord. He made his directorial debut with a 1950 staging of Uncle Vanya, which proved both a critical and commercial success.

He became a fixture of Parisian theatre in the 1960s, becoming the director of his own troupe. His repertoire included works by Jean Genet, Eugène Ionesco, Hugo Claus, Robert Musil, Anna Langfus and Anton Chekhov. With Romy Schneider, he staged The Seagull, Uncle Vanya and Three Sisters at Théâtre de l'Œuvre.

In 1967, he achieved his greatest success with a well-regarded production of Luigi Pirandello's Henry IV, which he directed and starred in, with Claude Jade.

Pitoëff played his first film role in 1952, in the omnibus film The Seven Deadly Sins. Appearing in over 50 films, he is probably best known for his performance in Alain Resnais's enigmatic Last Year at Marienbad (1960), as the unnamed man who may or may not be Delphine Seyrig's husband.

He was featured in roles of various sizes in such films as Henri-Georges Clouzot's Les Espions (1957), Peter Ustinov's Lady L (1965), René Clément's Is Paris Burning? (1966), and Jacques Demy's Donkey Skin (1970). He also appeared in several Hollywood productions, including Anatole Litvak's Anastasia (1956) and The Night of the Generals (1967), Mark Robson's The Prize (1963) and Dick Clement's To Catch a Spy (1971).

Toward the end of his acting career, he began appearing in horror films. His final role was as the bookseller Kazanian in Dario Argento's Inferno (1980).

For the last ten years of his life, Pitoëff was a professor at the National School of Theatre Arts and Techniques (ENSATT) in Lyon, where his students included Gérard Depardieu, Jean-Roger Milo and Niels Arestrup.

Pitoëff was married to French actress Luce Garcia-Ville, until her death by suicide in 1975. He had two siblings, actress Svetlana Pitoëff and writer Aniouta Pitoeff.

His height and distinctively-gaunt, lanky appearance may have been a consequence of Marfan syndrome.

Having suffered from depression in the final years of his life, he died in Paris at Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital on 21 July 1990, at the age of 70.

Source: Article "Sacha Pitoëff" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA 3.0.

Movies for Sacha Pitoëff...

Patrick Still Lives
Title: Patrick Still Lives
Character: Dr. Herschell
Released: May 15, 1980
Type: Movie
A group of strangers are summoned to the secluded home of Patrick, a young man rendered comatose after a freak accident, but soon find themselves falling victim to Patrick's mysterious psychic powers and murderous rage.
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Inferno
Title: Inferno
Character: Kazanian
Released: February 7, 1980
Type: Movie
A young man returns from Rome to his sister's satanic New York apartment house.
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Subversion
Title: Subversion
Character: Le Président
Released: May 28, 1979
Type: Movie
A blind, paralyzed president uses his remarkable hearing and his corrupt daughter to keep his country in line. His beautiful, clever daughter works her own agenda while striving to be the equal of men. She appoints herself Chief of Firefighters and then commits arson to ensure that her job is needed.
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Dossier 51
Title: Dossier 51
Character: Minerve 1 (voix)
Released: August 30, 1978
Type: Movie
French diplomat Dominique Auphal is put under surveillance by an unnamed secret service. They wish to find a weakness in his life in order to control him politically. Auphal becomes "File no. 51": his private life is spied, analysed and commented.
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Barry of the Great St. Bernard
Title: Barry of the Great St. Bernard
Character: Sergeant
Released: January 30, 1977
Type: Movie
A Wonderful World of Disney TV movie based on the true story of famed Saint Bernard dog, Barry, who rescued dozens of stranded travelers in the Swiss Alps.
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The Carpathian Castle
Title: The Carpathian Castle
Character: Gortz
Released: December 19, 1976
Type: Movie
In 1898, strange things happen in a castle not far from the small village of Werst in the Carpathian mountains of Transylvania. Twenty years earlier, the castle had been abandoned due to some nefarious dealings there but a shepherd sees smoke coming out of the chimney, which stirs up the village with whispers Chort (a demon) is now occupying the place. Count Franz de Télek, a visitor to the area, becomes intrigued by all this turmoil and decides to investigate. Made for French television and based on the 1892 Jules Verne novel of the same name.
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Title: The New Avengers
Released: October 22, 1976
Type: TV
The New Avengers is a British secret agent fantasy adventure television series broadcast during 1976 and 1977. It is a sequel to the 1960s series The Avengers and was developed by Albert Fennell and Brian Clemens. A joint United Kingdom-France-Canada production, the show picks up the adventures of John Steed and his team of Avengers fighting evil plots and world domination. Whereas in the original series Steed had almost always been partnered with a woman, in the new series he had two partners: Mike Gambit, a top agent, crack marksman and trained martial artist, and Purdey, a former trainee with The Royal Ballet who was an amalgam of many of the best talents from Steed's previous female partners.
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Title: La Poupée sanglante
Released: September 17, 1976
Type: TV
Paris, 1925. Bénédict Masson, bookbinder and poet, is secretly in love with his neighbor, Christine. Christine works at the strange Coulteray mansion where the marquise accuses her husband of being a vampire. But Bénédict has other preoccupations: six of his apprentices have disappeared without a trace.
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Title: Les Grands Détectives
Character: Arkabad
Released: April 21, 1975
Type: TV
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Antigone
Title: Antigone
Character: Tiresias
Released: December 21, 1974
Type: Movie
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The Oil War Will Not Happen
Title: The Oil War Will Not Happen
Character: Essaan
Released: January 2, 1974
Type: Movie
Directed by Souheil Ben-Barka.
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Diary of a Suicide
Title: Diary of a Suicide
Character: Le geôlier
Released: March 22, 1973
Type: Movie
On a Mediterranean cruise, a young man hired as a tour guide is intrigued by the beauty of a female interpreter hiding behind her sunglasses. He makes advances to her by venturing into a series of strange stories.
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Title: Graf Luckner
Character: Doktor Morgan
Released: February 20, 1973
Type: TV
Between the first and second World Wars, we portray glorified and renown naval sea officer Felix Graf von Lucker and his fictitious ship Niobe, which is the 1887 built Amphitrite from Southampton. Von Luckner is famous for his tactical genius in the first World War, especially sinking 14 enemy ships and only losing one crewman, whilst always seeking a peaceful outcome - making him the ideal seaman.
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Catch Me a Spy
Title: Catch Me a Spy
Character: Stefan
Released: September 6, 1971
Type: Movie
While on vacation, a woman's husband is taken by the Russian government. After one attempt fails, she begins looking for a suitable spy to capture and trade in exchange for her husband, but she develops an attraction to the one she thinks is a good candidate.
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Title: Samedi soir
Character: Self
Released: January 9, 1971
Type: TV
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Lancelot du Lac
Title: Lancelot du Lac
Character: l'ennemi (voice)
Released: December 25, 1970
Type: Movie
This story is set in the 13th century, in Britain, where Lancelot, who was raised by Vivian, the Lady of the Lake, becomes one the Knight of the Round Tables and falls secretly in love with Guinevere, the wife of King Arthur, for whom he wants to accomplish many deeds.
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Donkey Skin
Title: Donkey Skin
Character: Le premier ministre
Released: December 20, 1970
Type: Movie
A fairy godmother helps a princess disguise herself so she won't have to marry her father.
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Le Bal du comte d'Orgel
Title: Le Bal du comte d'Orgel
Character: Prince Naroumof
Released: June 30, 1970
Type: Movie
Nobles try desperately to cling to the crumbling aristocracy in the days following World War I. The Count (Jean-Claude Brialy) and his Countess Mahe (Sylvia Fennec) delight in throwing lavish costume balls. The couple develops a friendship with a young boy who delights in the parties thrown by the noble couple. Love soon blooms between the Countess and the boy as she searches for something more than a string of endless parties and social affairs. The masquerades are an attempt to freeze time and hold on to the nostalgia of a bygone era. For fear of losing her, the Count allows the Countess to continue her love affair.
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Katmandu
Title: Katmandu
Character: Head of the organization
Released: September 26, 1969
Type: Movie
A rebellious socially-conscious man travels to Nepal to find his dead-beat dad. There, he meets Jane, a beautiful hippie girl hooked on drugs. He's forced to steal artefacts for his father's slimy employer to earn money to help Jane.
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La ville en haut de la colline
Title: La ville en haut de la colline
Character: Egisthe
Released: January 1, 1969
Type: Movie
Adaptation for TV of the Jean-Jacques Varoujean play.
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Spray of the Days
Title: Spray of the Days
Character: Pharmacist
Released: April 21, 1968
Type: Movie
Chick fell in love with Alise because of a shared passion for writer Jean-Sol Partre who gradually devoured their relationship. Soon after, Colin, the main character, also falls in love with a young girl, Chloe, but after their marriage she soon suffers from a strange illness: a water lily grows in her lungs.
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Lagardère
Title: Lagardère
Character: Philippe de Gonzague
Released: April 4, 1968
Type: Movie
A young man, Lagardère, discovers that a plot is afoot to assassinate the Duke of Nevers. He warns him and flees with his daughter, Aurore. Fifteen years pass. Lagardère has raised Aurore as his own, but her mother seeks her out and has her abducted by her men. With the help of two friends, Lagardère rescues the girl and confronts her kidnappers.
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The Golden Claws of the Cat Girl
Title: The Golden Claws of the Cat Girl
Character: Saratoga
Released: February 9, 1968
Type: Movie
Françoise looks like a sexy kitten by day, but is a silent she-wolf by night, making very clever robberies of gold jewels. Despite the interest, and competition, from Bruno, she ends a lonely she-wolf.
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Le système Fabrizzi
Title: Le système Fabrizzi
Character: Antonio Fabrizzi
Released: September 29, 1967
Type: Movie
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Title: Graf Yoster gibt sich die Ehre
Character: Prof. Ourbiche
Released: September 15, 1967
Type: TV
Graf Yoster gibt sich die Ehre [French title: Le comte Yoster a bien l'honneur] is a TV series which followed the adventures of the title’s amateur gentleman detective. It was a success in particular in Germany and in France. Originally the show was a German production in black-and-white but it evolved into a European co-production in colour.
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The Night of the Generals
Title: The Night of the Generals
Character: Doctor
Released: January 29, 1967
Type: Movie
A German intelligence officer investigates a prostitute's killing in Warsaw during World War II. He lands on three major Nazi generals as suspects, two of whom are also involved in a plot to kill Adolf Hitler.
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Is Paris Burning?
Title: Is Paris Burning?
Character: Joliot-Curie
Released: October 26, 1966
Type: Movie
Near the end of World War II, Gen. Dietrich von Choltitz receives orders to burn down Paris if it becomes clear the Allies are going to invade, or if he cannot maintain control of the city. After much contemplation Choltitz decides to ignore his orders, enraging the Germans and giving hope to various resistance factions that the city will be liberated. Choltitz, along with Swedish diplomat Raoul Nordling, helps a resistance leader organize his forces.
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Lady L
Title: Lady L
Character: Bomb-throwing revolutionary
Released: December 17, 1965
Type: Movie
Lady L is an elegant 80-year-old woman who recalls her amorous life story, including past loves and lusty, scandalous adventures she has lived through.
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The Prize
Title: The Prize
Character: Dranyi
Released: December 25, 1963
Type: Movie
A group of Nobel laureates descends on Stockholm to accept their awards. Among them is American novelist Andrew Craig, a former literary luminary now writing pulp detective stories to earn a living. Craig, who is infamous for his drinking and womanizing, formulates a wild theory that physics prize winner Dr. Max Stratman has been replaced by an impostor, embroiling Craig and his chaperone in a Cold War kidnapping plot.
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The Doll
Title: The Doll
Released: November 7, 1962
Type: Movie
An avant-garde political satire that takes place in a mythical country in South America. The dictator has been replaced by a look-alike revolutionary, and the dictator's wife has been replaced by a robot.
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The Denunciation
Title: The Denunciation
Character: Malferrer
Released: July 18, 1962
Type: Movie
Michel Jussieu, a film producer, returns one morning to the cabaret where he forgot his sweater. He discovers the corpse of an extreme right-wing journalist, but immediately he is knocked out. He wakes up in the police station ...
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Title: Bonne nuit les petits
Character: Dada (voix)
Released: June 2, 1962
Type: TV
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Vengeance of the Three Musketeers
Title: Vengeance of the Three Musketeers
Character: Felton
Released: October 25, 1961
Type: Movie
To avenge her defeat and with the help of the Cardinal's army leader Rochefort, the treacherous Milady de Winter kidnaps both D'Artagnan and Constance, in order to spur a war between the French and the English, as per the Cardinal's wish.
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Last Year at Marienbad
Title: Last Year at Marienbad
Character: M – The Other Man with the Lean Face, The Husband
Released: May 25, 1961
Type: Movie
In a strange and isolated chateau, a man becomes acquainted with a woman and insists that they have met before.
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Captain Fracasse
Title: Captain Fracasse
Character: Matamore
Released: April 21, 1961
Type: Movie
A ruined Baron Philippe de baron, meets one day a troupe of traveling actors led by Herod. Attracted by the one who plays the role of the ingenue: Isabella, and by the dynamism and enthusiasm of his companions, he takes the place of the deceased poet of the troupe. And during performances, Philippe became the captain Sunder. For his part, Isabelle loves Philip, but does not consider marriage, nobility him missing, she refuses to harm the career of Baron. And one day, the Duke of Vallombrosa, seduced by Isabella, finds himself challenged to a duel by Philippe for touching the girl. Defeated, he launched his men against Sunder, then removes Isabelle. The actors throw themselves then to storm the castle where she is being held. This time Vallombrosa was seriously injured, and the duke's own father, rushed to the scene, Isabelle discovers the girl he had once been an actress. Nothing stands now the union of Sunder and Isabella, under the tender gaze of the actors Herod and Scapin.
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Mum's the Word
Title: Mum's the Word
Character: Jo
Released: April 26, 1960
Type: Movie
Martin is a nurse in a private clinic in Paris. The victim of a serious concussion, an unidentified casualty, arrives in the emergency room one night. He is operated on immediately. When he wakes up, half-unconscious, he tells Martin a confused story about stealing jewels from a maharajah visiting Marseille... before falling into total amnesia. Real and fake policemen interrogate Martin, gangsters kidnap him to get him to reveal precious information, but... the nurse keeps his mouth shut!
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The Gambler
Title: The Gambler
Character: Afpley
Released: October 26, 1958
Type: Movie
In 1866, a young Muscovite named Alexei Ivanovitch arrives in Baden Baden, then the gambling capital of Austria, and is soon engaged by General Zagorianski to look after his children. Alexei discovers that his employer is a compulsive gambler who has been almost ruined by his addiction. The only money the General has is provided by the Marquis de Grieux, an adventurer who intends to marry Zagorianski’s sister, Pauline. In doing so, de Grieux hopes to profit from the vast inheritance that will come the General’s way from his Aunt Antonina, who is presently very ill. Alexei is appalled by this society which lives only for money. He loves Pauline and wants to take her to a healthier place, but when she refuses to marry him, he begins to gamble at the casino…
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That Night
Title: That Night
Character: L'homme shakespearien (uncredited)
Released: September 11, 1958
Type: Movie
Jean, who is the artistic director of a fashion magazine, is married to a very pretty cover girl, Sylvie. They both work for André Reverdy, a very cynical man, who openly covets Sylvie.
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A Tale of Two Cities
Title: A Tale of Two Cities
Character: Gaspard
Released: February 7, 1958
Type: Movie
British barrister Sydney Carton lives an insubstantial and unhappy life. He falls under the spell of Lucie Manette, but Lucie marries Charles Darnay. When Darnay goes to Paris to rescue an imprisoned family retainer, he becomes entangled in the snares of the brutal French Revolution and is himself jailed and condemned to the guillotine. But Sydney Carton, in love with a woman he cannot have, comes up with a daring plan to save her husband.
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The Spies
Title: The Spies
Character: Leon
Released: October 10, 1957
Type: Movie
A doctor at a run-down psychiatric hospital is offered a large sum of money to shelter a new patient. Soon the place is full of suspicious and secretive characters, all apparently international secret agents trying to find out who and what the patient is.
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Anastasia
Title: Anastasia
Character: Piotr Ivanovich Petrovin
Released: December 13, 1956
Type: Movie
Russian exiles in Paris plot to collect ten million pounds from the Bank of England by grooming a destitute, suicidal girl to pose as heir to the Russian throne. While Bounin is coaching her, he comes to believe that she is really Anastasia. In the end, the Empress must decide her claim.
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Title: Sherlock Holmes
Released: October 18, 1954
Type: TV
The first American television series of Sherlock Holmes adventures aired in syndication in the fall of 1954. The 39 half-hour mostly original stories were produced by Sheldon Reynolds and filmed in France by Guild Films, starring Ronald Howard as Holmes and Howard Marion Crawford as Watson. Archie Duncan appeared in many episodes as Inspector Lestrade. Richard Larke, billed as Kenneth Richards, played Sgt. Wilkins in about fifteen episodes. The series' associate producer, Nicole Milinaire, was one of the first women to attain a senior production role in a television series.
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Rasputin
Title: Rasputin
Character: Le chef de la police
Released: July 19, 1954
Type: Movie
Gregory Iefommovich Raspoutine is a monk with healing powers and a liking for debauchery who manages to insinuate himself into the court of the Romanoffs thanks to Princess Dikvona. Being the only person able to heal he son of Czar Nicolas II and Czarina Alexandra from his hemophilia, he becomes a very powerful man, which infuriates many.A group of nobles, determined to save the monarchy, start conspiring to murder him.
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The Seven Deadly Sins
Title: The Seven Deadly Sins
Character: The pianist (segment "Pride") (uncredited)
Released: March 27, 1952
Type: Movie
A compilation of segments covers the seven deadly sins of greed, wrath, envy, pride, lust, sloth, and gluttony.