Born at Cannes, in 1951 he became first actor at the "Théâtre national populaire".

Gérard Philipe, is quite possibly the most celebrated - and best-looking - male French film star of the 1940s and 1950s, he was also a very talented actor and highly regarded by his peers.

Despite his tremendous commercial success, he often appeared in unconventional and experimental films.

In 1951, Philipe married Nicole Fourcade with whom he had two children. He died from liver cancer at age 36, while shooting a Bunuel film, "La Fièvre monte a El Pao" (1959).

In 1961, the government of France issued a postage stamp in his honor. Also very popular in Germany, a theater has also been named for him in Berlin.

His work includes: Theatre Le Cid La mandragola Lorenzaccio Le prince de Homburg

Movies Le diable au corps (1946) La beauté du diable (1949) Fanfan-la-Tulipe (1952) Les aventures de Till l'Éspiègle (1956, he was also director) Montparnasse 19 (1958) Les liaisons dangereuses (1959).