Jacques Brunius
Jacques B. Brunius was a French actor, director and writer, who was born in Paris and died in Exeter, UK. He was cremated in Sidmouth, with a tribute by Mesens.
Assistant director to Luis Buñuel on L'Âge d'or, he appeared in more than 30 movies, using several alternate names: Jacques Borel, J.B. Brunius, Jacques-Bernard Brunius, Jacques Brunius, Brunius, J.B.Brunius. He acted in many of the early, more political, movies of his friend Jean Renoir. During World War II he broadcast from England to France over Radio Londres. He married French-English actress Cecile Chevreau in 1951. Their son Richard was born in 1956.
Member of the surrealist group in France and then in England, with his friend E.L.T. Mesens, Conroy Maddox, Ithell Colquhoun, Simon Watson Taylor and Roland Penrose. Brunius attacked Toni del Renzio, who was married to Colquhoun and who was attempting to reanimate an inactive English group in 1942–3. Brunius' countersigned the tract Idolatry and Confusion, which condemned and mocked del Renzio unjustifiably. In reality, Mesens feared a takeover of the group leadership by del Renzio.
He never missed an opportunity to defend surrealism, and participated in many a radio show. In 1959, he undertook a vigorous defense of the poetic valor of nursery rhymes.
The text was published by John Lyle in Transformation n°7 under the title .
Filmography
Actor
- 1930: L'Âge d'or, dir. Luis Buñuel.... Passer-by in the street
- 1932: L'affaire est dans le sac, dir. Pierre Prévert.... Adrien, le client au béret
- 1934: L'Hôtel du libre échange.... Le monsieur du train
- 1936: Le Crime de Monsieur Lange, dir. Jean Renoir .... Mr. Baigneur
- 1936: Moutonnet
- 1936: Partie de campagne , dir. Jean Renoir .... Rodolphe
- 1936: La Vie est à nous .... Le président du conseil d'administration
- 1937: Le Temps des cerises .... Le petit-fils du directeur
- 1938: Le Schpountz, dir. Marcel Pagnol.... L'Accessoiriste
- 1938: La Bête humaine, dir. Jean Renoir .... Un garçon de ferme
- 1940: The Mondesir Heir.... Le médecin
- 1950: The Wooden Horse.... André
- 1951: The Dream of Andalusia
- 1951: Andalousie
- 1951: The Changing face of Europe.... Narrator, as himself
- 1951: Une fille à croquer
- 1951: The [Lavender Hill Mob], dir Charles Crichton .... Customs Official
- 1952: 24 Hours of a Woman's Life.... Concierge, Pension Lisa
- 1953: South of Algiers .... Kress
- 1953: Sea Devils.... Fouche
- 1953: Always a Bride.... Inspector
- 1953: Laughing Anne .... Frenchie
- 1954: Forbidden Cargo.... Det. Pierre Valance - French police
- 1955: To [Paris with Love].... Monsieur Marconne
- 1955: Captain Gallant of the Foreign Legion .... Pakka
- 1955: The Cockleshell Heroes.... French Fisherman
- 1955: Barbie .... Mr. Morrisot
- 1956: Wicked as They Come .... Inspector Caron
- 1956: House of Secrets .... Lessage
- 1957: True as a Turtle .... Monsieur Charbonnier
- 1957: Dangerous Exile.... De Chassagne
- 1958: Orders to Kill.... Cmndt. Morand
- 1960: The Miracle of St. Phillipe .... The Mayor
- 1960: The [Four Just Men (TV series)|The Four Just Men] .... The Mayor
- 1961: Mon frère Jacques, dir. Pierre Prévert.... himself
- 1961: The Greengage Summer .... M. Joubert
- 1964: The Yellow Rolls-Royce.... Duc d'Angoulême
- 1965: Le Chant du monde
- 1965: Return from the Ashes.... 1st Detective
Director
- 1953: The Blakes Slept Here
- 1952: Brief City
- 1952: To The Rescue
- 1951: The Changing Face of Europe
- 1939: Violons d'Ingres
- 1936: La Vie est à nous
Assistant director
- 1930: L'Âge d'or, dir. Luis Buñuel.
- 1929: Le Requin
Radio Producer
- 1954 February 7 : Le docteur Miracle, two operas by Bizet and Lecocq, BBC Third Programme
- 1966 Christmas Day : Special Day on Lewis Carroll, France Culture