Pierre Olaf

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Pierre Olaf (

Tony Award for his portrayal of Jacquot in the original Broadway production of Bob Merrill's Carnival!
(1961).

Olaf began his career in French cinema in the 1950s. A friend of French director and writer

CBS television
.

Early career in French cinema and theatre

Born Pierre-Olaf Trivier in Caudéran in the Gironde department of Bordeaux, he began his professional acting career on the stage in his late teens.[1] He excelled in comedy roles; aided in that capacity by his small stature and an "owlish face".[1] He first appeared in French cinema in his early 20s, beginning with the role of Sanchez in Marcel Aboulker's Le Trésor des Pieds-Nickelés (1950).[2] Other French films he appeared in during his early career included Miquette et sa mère (1950),[3] Trois femmes (1952),[4] Soyez les bienvenus (1953),[5] Mam'zelle Nitouche (1954),[6] and Ah ! les belles bacchantes (1954).[7]

On the stage, Olaf was frequently used in the comedic musical revues of Robert Dhéry in Paris during his early career.[1] The French director Jean Renoir cast Olaf as Roberto, a whistling pierrot, in his 1955 film French Cancan, after seeing his performance in Dhéry's 1954 Paris revue Jupon Volé.[8][1] Renoir became a close friend with Olaf during the making of this film, a friendship which lasted until Renoir's death in 1979.[1] Olaf starred as Philippe in Renoir's 1955 play Orvet at the Théâtre de la Renaissance.[9]

Of Dhéry musical reviews, the most highly regarded on the international stage was La Plume de Ma Tante; which was adapted for the West End's Garrick Theatre from its original French language Paris production by English songwriter Ross Parker.[10] Premiering in London in 1955, the production ran for two and a half years before transferring to Broadway's Royale Theatre in 1958.[11] Olaf portrayed multiple comedic roles in both the West End and Broadway productions, and was one of the production's main comedic talents.[1][10][11] In 1957 he appeared on BBC Television in "Jack Hylton presents The Robert Dhéry Show" which included adaptations from the West End musical among other material by Dhéry.[12] The entire cast of La Plume de Ma Tante, including Olaf, was awarded a Special Tony Award in 1959.[13]

Carnival!

Following the Broadway production of La Plume de Ma Tante closed in December 1960, Dhéry remained in the United States and took the part of Jacquot in the original Broadway production of Bob Merrill's Carnival! starring Anna Maria Alberghetti, Jerry Orbach, and Kaye Ballard.[1][14] The musical premiered at the National Theatre in Washington, D.C. for out of town tryout performances in March 1961.[14] After further tryouts in Philadelphia, the production moved to Broadway's Imperial Theatre where it opened on April 12, 1961.[15] The part of Jacquot was a critical success for Olaf who received a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical in 1962.[16] A review in Billboard magazine stated the following about his performance:

"The real showman of the group is Pierre Olaf, the great French clown from 'La Plume de Ma Tante'. Olaf contribute's 'Carnival's' most effective production number, a bright exhilarating turn titled 'Grand Imperial Cirque de Paris'."[17]

Olaf recorded the role of Jacquot on the 1961 original cast album of the musical.[18] That Broadway cast recording reached No. 1 on the Billboard album chart, dated 17 July 1961.[19] Olaf later reprised the role of Jacquot at New York City Center in 1968 with the New York City Center Light Opera Company.[20][21]

Work in American television and film

In late 1961 Olaf went to Hollywood to make his first appearances on American television and film; beginning with the role of a clown in a television adaptation of Leonid Andreyev's He Who Gets Slapped, starring Richard Basehart and Julie Harris.[22] He portrayed the title role in the December 1961 television film The Enchanted Nutcracker, co-starring Carol Lawrence and Robert Goulet.[23] In 1962, he had a recurring role in comedy sketches in Perry Como's television program Kraft Music Hall.[24] In 1966, he portrayed the recurring role of Milan Petros in the television series The Trials of O'Brien. He portrayed roles in multiple television miniseries, including Lace (1984, as Serge),[25] The Free Frenchman (1989, Georges Auget), and Around the World in 80 Days (1989, as Captain Rondicherry).[26]

His film roles include Jacquot in

Warner Brothers short film By the Sea.[39]

Other stage work in the United States

Olaf remained involved with theatre while venturing into television and film. He starred as Passepartout in the world premiere of

Saint Louis Municipal Opera in June 1962.[40] That production co-starred Cyril Ritchard, and it transferred to the Starlight Theatre in Kansas City, Missouri after its Saint Louis run the following August.[41] In between those production, Olaf starred in Frank Lowe's stage adaptation of James Thurber's The 13 Clocks at the Barter Theatre in Abingdon, Virginia in July 1962.[42]

Olaf was a featured entertainer at the 1964 New York World's Fair.[43] That same year he returned to Broadway as Jerome Lahutte in Yves Jamiaque's play A Murderer Among Us, and appeared Off-Broadway as Ferdinand Goddard in Cy Young's That Hat!, a musical adaptation of the farce The Italian Straw Hat.[44][45][46] Neither work was well received, with critics blaming the scripts for not giving Olaf material to display his comedic talent.[44][45][46][47] In 1965 he starred as Raphael Bonnardon in the world premiere of Jean-Pierre Aumont's Madame Mousse with Molly Picon in the title role at the Westport Country Playhouse.[48]

Other work in French cinema, television, and theatre

In 1964, Olaf reunited with Robert Dhéry to make the film Allez France!, which screened in the United States two years later with the English language title The Counterfeit Constable.[49][50] He worked with Dhery again a decade later on Vos gueules, les mouettes![51]

In 1970, he reunited with Renoir to make the 1970 television film-series The Little Theatre of Jean Renoir; portraying Gustave in "La Cireuse électrique".[52][1][53] He was a featured interviewee in the 1993 documentary film on Renoir.[54]

In 1984, Olaf portrayed Bob Cratchit in a French language adaptation of Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol for TF1 television.[55] In 1985, he created the role of Abdul in the premiere of Sir Peter Ustinov’s play Comme de mal entendu at the Théâtre de la Madeleine.[56]

Later life and death

In his latter years, Olaf lived in a small apartment in Montmartre, Paris which had window views that overlooked the Sacré-Cœur.[1] He died in Paris on 16 September 1995, aged 67.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Ronald Bergan (22 September 1995). "Pierre Olaf: Surreal world of a pierrot". The Guardian. p. 17.
  2. ^ Maurice Bessy, Raymond Chirat (1986). "Le Trésor des Pieds-Nickelés". Histoire du cinéma français encyclopédie des films, 1940-1950. Pygmalion. p. 522.
  3. ^ Maurice Bessy, Raymond Chirat (1986). "Miquette et sa mère". Histoire du cinéma français encyclopédie des films, 1940-1950. Pygmalion. p. 518.
  4. ^ Henri Langlois, Huguette Marquand Ferreux (1991). Musée du cinéma Henri Langlois: De l'expressionnisme allemand aux années cinquante. Maeght. p. 169.
  5. ^ Maurice Bessy, Raymond Chirat (1987). "Soyez les bienvenus". Histoire du cinéma français encyclopédie des films, 1951-1955. Pygmalion. p. 192.
  6. ^ Jean-Charles Sabria (1987). "Cinéma français les années 50 : les longs métrages réalisés de 1950 à 1959". Éd. du Centre Pompidou. p. 1952.
  7. ^ Maurice Bessy, Raymond Chirat (1987). "Ah ! les belles bacchantes". Histoire du cinéma français encyclopédie des films, 1951-1955. Pygmalion. p. 341.
  8. ^ Mosk (30 June 1954). "Legitimate: Plays Abroad - Jupon Vole". Variety. Vol. 195, no. 4. p. 58.
  9. ^ Curt (11 May 1955). "Legitimate: Shows Abroad - Orvet". Variety. Vol. 198, no. 10. p. 66.
  10. ^ a b Myro (Nov 9, 1955). "Legitimate: Shows Abroad - La Plume de ma Tante". Variety. Vol. 200, no. 10. p. 58.
  11. ^ a b "Legitimate: Show on Broadway; la plume". Variety. Vol. 212, no. 12. 19 November 1958. p. 72.
  12. ^ Gray, Andrew. The Stage (Archive: 1880-1959); London (Feb 28, 1957). "TV PAGE: TeleBriefs?". No. 3, 959. p. 12.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  13. ISBN 9781442235052
    .
  14. ^ a b Carp (Mar 15, 1961). "Legitimate: Shows Out of Town - Carnival!". Variety. Vol. 222, no. 3. p. 66.
  15. ^ Hobe (19 April 1961). "Legitimate: Shows on Broadway - Carnival". Variety. Vol. 222, no. 8. p. 70.
  16. Abbeville Press
    . p. 229.
  17. ^ "Carnival' Enchanting Musical". Billboard. Vol. 73, no. 16. 24 April 1961. p. 5.
  18. ^ Gros (10 May 1961). "Music: Album Reviews". Variety. Vol. 222, no. 11. p. 74.
  19. ^ "TOP LP's". Billboard. Vol. 73, no. 28. 17 July 1961. p. 38.
  20. ^ Hobe (December 18, 1968). "Legitimate: Show on Broadway". Variety. Vol. 253, no. 5. p. 58.
  21. Back Stage
    . Vol. 9, no. 51. p. 44.
  22. ^ Amnon Kabatchnik (2008). Blood on the Stage: Milestone Plays of Crime, Mystery, and Detection: an Annotated Repertoire, 1900–1925. p. 251.
  23. ^ "Television Review: THE ENCHANTED NUTCRACKER". Variety. Vol. 225, no. 5. 27 December 1961. p. 27.
  24. ^ Kali (Oct 10, 1962). "Television Reviews: PERRY COMO'S KRAFT MUSIC HALL". Variety. Vol. 228, no. 7. p. 32.
  25. ^ Alvin H. Marill (1987). "Lace". Movies Made for Television:The Telefeature and the Mini-series, 1964-1986. New York Zoetrope. p. 227.
  26. ^ "Television, Cable & Radio: TELEVISION REVIEWS". Variety. Vol. 335, no. 1. 26 April 1989. p. 200.
  27. ^ Tube (6 May 1964). "Film Reviews: Wild And Wonderful". Variety. Vol. 234, no. 11. p. 6.
  28. ^ Eugene Archer (11 June 1964). "Tony Curtis Comedy". The New York Times.
  29. ^ "Film review: The Art of Love". Variety. Vol. 238, no. 12. 12 May 1965. p. 6.
  30. ISBN 9781847286857
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  31. ^ "FEATURE REVIEW: 'Camelot'". Boxoffice. Vol. 92, no. 2. 30 October 1967. p. 33.
  32. ^ "Current Film Reviews: DON'T DRINK THE WATER". The Independent Film Journal. Vol. 64, no. 12. 12 November 1969. p. 1138.
  33. ^ Alford, Walter (November 27, 1968). "International: Glazier's 'Gamblers', Lensed in Yugo, Putting Fresh Focus on Dubrovnik". Variety. Vol. 253, no. 2. p. 30.
  34. ^ "THE GAMBLERS". Variety. Vol. 256, no. 4. 10 September 1969. p. 17.
  35. ^ "FEATURE REVIEWS: THE GAMBLERS". Boxoffice. Vol. 96, no. 7. 1 December 1969. p. A11.
  36. ^ Alan Goble, ed. (1991). The International Film Index, 1895-1990: Directors' filmography and indexes. Bowker-Saur.
  37. ^ Harris M. Lentz (2001). Science Fiction, Horror & Fantasy Film and Television Credits: Filmography. McFarland & Company. p. 955.
  38. ^ Fischer Film Almanach 1991. Fischer Taschenbuch Verlag. 1991. p. 22.
  39. ^ "WB to Handle Tiger Films Short; Schoenfeld Another". Boxoffice. Vol. 90, no. 6. 28 November 1966. p. 12.
  40. ^ Bob (20 June 1962). "Legitimate: Stock Reviews - Around the World In 80 Days". Variety. Vol. 227, no. 4. p. 64.
  41. ^ "Legitimate: Stock Having Salubrious Summer; Ont. Fest $67,114, 'Fanny' 53G, Pitt". Variety. Vol. 227, no. 11. 8 August 1962. p. 57.
  42. ^ "Legitimate: Pierre Olaf's Wanderings". Variety. Vol. 227, no. 8. 18 July 1962. p. 55.
  43. ^ Green, Abel (7 August 1963). "Miscellany: Expo Execs Point to Many Showmen Who'll Insure a 'Fun' Fair in 1964". Variety. Vol. 231, no. 11. pp. 2, 58.
  44. ^ a b "Legitimate: Show on Broadway - A Murderer Among Us". Variety. Vol. 234, no. 6. 1 April 1964. pp. 80–81.
  45. ^ a b "American Version of French Play Opens; Loring Smith, Olaf and Bosley at Morosco". The New York Times. 26 March 1964. p. 43.
  46. ^ a b Kenn (30 September 1964). "Legitimate: Off-B'way Review". Variety. Vol. 236, no. 6. p. 64.
  47. ^ "The Theater: 'That Hat!'; Musical Version of Old French Farce Opens". The New York Times. September 24, 1964. p. 45.
  48. ^ "Legitimate: Stock Reviews - Madame Mousse". Variety. Vol. 240, no. 1. 25 August 1965. p. 50.
  49. ^ Mosk (18 November 1964). "Film review: AIlez France". Variety. Vol. 236, no. 13. p. 7.
  50. ^ Bosley Crowther (22 November 1966). "Screen: A Noisy Failure:'Counterfeit Constable' at Little Carnegie". The New York Times.
  51. ^ Mosk (6 November 1974). "Film Reviews: Vos Gueules, Les Mouettes!". Variety. Vol. 276, no. 13. p. 20.
  52. ^ Vincent CanBY (3 May 1974). "'Le Petit Theatre de Jean Renoir, C'est Merveilleux". The New York Times. p. 46.
  53. ^ Mosk (14 July 1971). "Pictures: Film Reviews - Le Petit Theatre De Jean Renoir". Variety. Vol. 263, no. 9. p. 20.
  54. ^ Elley, Derek (13 December 1993). "Reviews: LONDON FEST - JEAN RENOIR". Variety. Vol. 353, no. 5. p. 39.
  55. ISBN 9780786428403
    .
  56. ^ Curt (2 October 1985). "Legitimate: Shows Abroad - Comme De Mal Entendu". Variety. Vol. 320, no. 10. p. 152.

External links

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