Louis Jourdan Biography

Louis Jourdan

This prolific French actor played urbane, charming screen heroes in his native France until his refusal to participate in Nazi propaganda films brought his career to a halt. A member of the French underground, it seemed Jourdan might fade into cinematic obscurity until he was lured to Hollywood to star in The Paradine Case (1947), launching his Tinseltown career. Typecast as a romantic European, Jourdan won starring roles in many films, including Madame Bovary (1949), Three Coins in the Fountain (1954), Gigi (1958), and A Flea in Her Ear (1968). His career extended into the 1990s, ultimately encompassing various television movies.