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Pierre Richard Willm

Pierre Richard Willm

1895 - 1983

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The actor Pierre Richard Willm was born as Alexander Pierre Richard in Bayonne.

He began his acting career in 1911 with a first appearance at the "Le Théâtre du Peuple" in Bussang where he later acted again when he already was a famous movie actor.

During World War I he served in the army, afterwards he worked as a sculptor (among others he took part in the sculptor competition for the VIII Olympique Games 1924) before he started his professional theater career. 
It followed engagements at the Odeon in Paris and during this time he adopted his pen name - a combination of the names of his father and his mother.

After years at the theater he entered the film business where he became a demanded actor as lover, hero or adventurer in no time.

Many well-known French directors of the 30s worked together with him and also in Germany Pierre Cihard Willm was engaged preferentially for the French version of German movies.

To his most popular movies of the 30s belong "Tout sa vie" (30), "Les vacances du diable" (31), "Kiki" (32), "Baby" (33), "La maison dans la dune" (34), "Barcarolle" (35), "Stradivarius" (35), "L'argent" (36), "La dame de Malacca" (37), "La principessa Tarakanova" (38), "Le roman de Werther" (38) and "La loi du nord" (39).

Pierre Richard Willm worked a last time for the cinema during the 40s and he appeared in productions like "La duchesse de Langeais" (42), "Le comte de Monte Cristo" (43) and "Le beau voyage" (47).

Although many directors offered him further movie roles he decided to retire from the film business in 1947 and to concentrate exclusively to the theater.

He returned to the root of his career to Bussang where he remained active till the old age. 

He published his autobiography "Loin des Etoiles" in 1975. 
 

Other movies with Pierre Richard Willm: 
Autour d'une enquète (31) Un soir, au front (31) Les amours de Pergolèse (32) Sous le casque de cuir (32) Le petit éacart (32) La fille du régiment (33) Pour être aimé (33) L'épervier (33) Le grand jeu (34) Fanatisme (34) Les nuits moscovites (34) Le prince Jean (34) La route impériale (35) Anne-Marie (36) Au service de tsar (36) Courrier Sud (37) Yoshiwara (37) Un carnet de bal (37) La tragédie impériale (38) Entente cordiale (39) Les jours heureux (41) La croisée des chemins (42) La fiancée des ténèbres (45) Rêves d'amour (47)


 
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