Victor Francen
Victor Francen was a Belgian-born actor with a long career in French cinema and in Hollywood.
Biography
Francen was born in 1888 in Tienen, Belgium, the son of a chief of police.
According to Russian sources, he attended opera classes in Odessa before 1914.
He worked in trade in Belgium before settling in Paris, where he trained in dramatic art under Paul Mounet. His stage career in the 1920s included appearances in plays by Henri Bernstein, Georges Bataille and Edmond Rostand, which took him all over the world. After three appearances in silent films, he played the Prophet in Abel Gance's film La Fin du monde and established his career as a leading man in French films.
In 1940, he was introduced to Hollywood by Charles Boyer. He appeared prolifically in American films throughout the 1940s, then made a single, final, appearance in 1954. His debut was in 1941, in Hold Back the Dawn. Among his memorable roles were as a ship's captain in Passage to Marseille, an international intriguer in The Mask of Dimitrios, and a French adventurer in San Antonio.
Personal life
Francen was married three times, his last to the actress Mary Marquet. He died in 1977 in Saint-Cannat, Bouches-du-Rhône, France.
Complete filmography
Le doute – Le jeune écrivain Pierre AubryCrépuscule d'épouvante – Michel FortinThe Snow on the Footsteps – Marc RomenayLa Fin du monde – Martial NovalicL'aiglon – FlambeauAprès l'amour – Pierre MeyranAriane, jeune fille russe – ConstantinMélo – Marcel, l'amantBroken Wings – FabrègeLe velour – Richard VoisinThe Adventurer – Étienne RansonLe chemineau – Le chemineau / The VagabondVeille d'armes – Captain de CorlaixLa porte du large – Commandant VilletteLe roi – Le roi Jean IV de Cerdagne – en visite à ParisNuits de feu – Fedor AndreievL'appel de la vie – Le professeur RougeonDouble crime sur la ligne Maginot – Capitaine BruchotFeu! – André FrémietForfaiture – Pierre MoretJ'accuse! – Jean DiazTamara la complaisante – GrigoryLa vierge folle – Marcel ArmauryLa fin du jour – MarnyEntente cordiale – Le roi Édouard VIIL'homme du Niger – Le commandant BrévalHold Back the Dawn – Van Den LueckenThe Tuttles of Tahiti – Dr. BlondinTen Gentlemen from West Point – Florimond MasseyTales of Manhattan – Arturo BelliniMission to Moscow – Vyshinsky, chief trial prosecutorMadame Curie – President of UniversityThe Desert Song – Caid YousseffIn Our Time – Count Pawel OrwidPassage to Marseille – Capt. Patain MaloThe Mask of Dimitrios – Wladislaw GrudekThe Conspirators – Hugo Von MohrHollywood Canteen – Victor FrancenConfidential Agent – LicataSan Antonio – LegareDevotion – Constantin HegerNight and Day – Anatole GironThe Beast with Five Fingers – Francis IngramThe Beginning or the End – Dr. MarréTo the Victor – Police Inspector BeauvaisLa Révoltée – Henri DumièresLa nuit s'achève – Dr. Coudray Adventures of Captain Fabian – Henri BrissacHell and [High Water (1954 film)|Hell and High Water] – Prof. MontelBedevilled – Father Du RocherA [Farewell to Arms (1957 film)|A Farewell to Arms] – Colonel ValentiniThe [Indian Tomb (1959 film)|The Indian Tomb] – Penitent Fanny – Panisse's Elder BrotherThe Big Scare – Docteur ChabertTop Crack – Mr. Feril