Oury, Gerard

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OURY, GERARD

OURY, GERARD (1919–2006), dramatic artist, author, film director. Oury was born in Paris. He is one of the leading directors of comedies in the French film industry and has worked with all the great comedians of France. He began his career as an actor in Paris with the Comédie Française in 1939/40, but had to abandon it upon the Nazi conquest. He spent 1943 to 1945 in Geneva, and only returned to the Comédie Française in 1961. Some of his films have featured Jewish characters or elements. Among his many successful films, many featuring Louis de Funes, are Le Corniaud (1964), La Grande Vadrouille (1966), Le Cerveau (1968), La Folies des Grandeurs (1971), Les Aventures de Rabbi Jacob (1973), and L'As des As (1982).

[Gideon Kouts]