Encyclopedia of French Film Directors

actor Pierre Renoir. From 1947 to 1952, he played
with various theater troupes, including the Grenier-
Hussenot Company. Hired by Gérard Philipe and
Jean Vilar, he joined the prestigious TNP (Théâtre
National Populaire), for which he did his fi rst stage
directing in 1953. With the passing years, he became
one the most important French stage directors. From
1950 (Maître après Dieu / USA: Skipper Next to God,
Louis Daquin) to Mesrine, l’Ennemi public Numéro 1
(Jean-François Richet), he played in about 100 fi lms,
mostly in supporting roles. His portrayal of the amnesic
in Une aussi longue Absence / L’inverno ti fara tornare
/ USA: The Long Absence (Henri Colpi, France / Italy,
1961) was internationally praised, and he was nominated
for the BAFTA Award (best foreign actor). In
1963, he succeeded Jean Vilar as the head of TNP. An
autobiographical book was born from the interviews
he gave to journalists Claude Baignères and Sylvie
Pérez (Le Fil d’Or, Editions Fayard, 2008).
Filmography
1989 La Vouivre (also screenwriter, adapter, dialogist)
Television Filmography
1975 Léopold le Bien-Aimé (also adapter)
1982 Chênes et Lapins angora
WORETH, ERIC (April 19, 1960, Toulon, Var,
France–)
Of Belgian descent, he dropped out of high school
at age eighteen to enroll in a dancing school (four
hours a day for two years). Then he took acting
courses and spent a lot of time at the Cinémathèque
Française. He worked as an extra in about
forty fi lms, including Robert Bresson’s L’Argent / UK
and USA: Money (France / Switzerland, 1983), before
directing his fi rst video short with a black-and-white
camera. He also fi lmed commercials and musical
videos and played in a TV movie (2003 Anomalies
passagères, Nadia Farès).
Filmography
1983 Jamais si (video short; also screenwriter)
1987 Big Bang (short; also screenwriter, dialogist)
1988 René Lalu (short; also screenwriter, dialogist)
1991 Oostende (also original story)
1992 Etude sur le Mouvement: 1 L’Indicible (short)
1994 Etude sur le Mouvement: 2 Intériorité (short)
1998 Ca ne se refuse pas (also co-screenwriter, codialogist)
Television Filmography
1990– Confessions secrètes (documentary; short)
1991
1995 Combat de Femme (episodes “Cauchemar
d’une Mère,” “Une Femme dans la Nuit”; also
co-screenwriter, co-adapter, co-dialogist)
1996 Deux Justiciers dans la Ville (episode “Erreur
de Jeunesse”)
1998 Cellule de Crise (pilot)
En Quête d’Identité
2000 72 Heures (2 52' pilot)
2001 Tel Père, telle Flic
2002 Chère Fantôme (episode “Gabriel et Valentine”)
2003 Julia Ferenzi, une Amie en Or (also co-screenwriter,
co-dialogist; shot in 2001)
Alex Santana (episode “Le Prix d’une Vie”)
2004 Les Nouvelles parisiennes (pilot)
2006 La Crim’ (episodes “N.I.,” “Mort d’Homme,” “Le
Goût du Crime,” “Duel,” “Noces rouges”)
Alex Santana, Négociateur (episode “Guet-
Apens”)
WORMS, MICHEL (1932–2003)
WULSCHLEGER, HENRY • 1019
A former assistant director to Georges Franju (1951
Hôtel des Invalides, short; Le Grand Méliès, short), he
co-adapted for him Thomas l’Imposteur / UK and
USA: Thomas the Impostor (1965) with the author of
the novel, Jean Cocteau, as co-screenwriter. His only
directing effort was also a literary adaptation (from
Michel Butor).
Filmography
1970 La Modifi cation / La moglie nuova (also coscreenwriter,
co-adapter; France / Italy)
WULSCHLEGER, HENRY (Deceased in 1939)
His fi rst efforts as a fi lmmaker were comic shorts
starring a totally forgotten comedian, Zinel (Snob
series). After World War I, he worked as a cinematographer
(1918 Après lui, Gaston Leprieur, Maurice de
Féraudy) and assistant director (1927 Le Manoir de la
Peur / L’Homme noir / USA: The Manor House of Fear,
Alfred Machin; 1929 Le Capitaine Fracasse / USA: Captain
Fracasse, Alberto Cavalcanti). After co-directing
several silent movies with Alfred Machin, he shot his