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Maurice Marsac | |
|---|---|
 Marsac (left) and Red Skelton on The Red Skelton Hour December 1954 episode "The Cop and the Anthem" | |
| Born | 23 March 1915 La Croix-Valmer, France |
| Died | 6 May 2007 (aged 92) Santa Rosa, California, United States |
| Nationality | French |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1943-1987 |
| Spouse | Melanie Marsac (1952-2007) (her death)[1] |
Maurice Marsac (23 March 1915 – 6 May 2007) was a French actor who had a long career, with over 150 appearances in American films and television.[1] He was also a nationally ranked croquet player.[1]
Career
Born in La Croix-Valmer, France, he was a member of the French Resistance in World War II.[1]
He made his (uncredited) film debut in Paris After Dark (1943); his last part was as a maitre d' in Dragnet (1987). He was noted for portraying waiters and maitre d's.[1] In addition to Dragnet, he played one in the films The Razor's Edge (1946, uncredited), Herbie Rides Again (1974) and The Jerk (1979), as well as episodes of I Love Lucy ("Ricky Asks for a Raise", 1952; "Paris at Last", 1956), Hazel (1966), Columbo ("Publish or Perish", 1975), Wonder Woman ("Death in Disguise", 1978), Soap (1979) and L.A. Law ("The Douglas Fur Ball", 1987), among others. He also played Nicodemus in the 1961 biblical epic King of Kings.
He was a member of the Beverly Croquet Club and a resident pro in Newport Beach.[1] In 1986, he was among the top 25 American players in the "informal rankings".[2] He played in the 1994 US Croquet Open, a qualifier for the 1995 World Championships.[3] Melanie, his wife of 55 years, was also a skilled croquet player.
Death
Marsac died of cardiac arrest at the age of 92, less than three weeks after the passing of his wife.[1]
Partial filmography
- Paris After Dark (1943) - French Soldier (uncredited)
- This Is the Life (1944) - Leon
- Our Hearts Were Young and Gay (1944) - Headwaiter (uncredited)
- To Have and Have Not (1944) - Gaullist (uncredited)
- Her Highness and the Bellboy (1945) - Footman (uncredited)
- The Searching Wind (1946) - French Reporter (uncredited)
- The Razor's Edge (1946) - Maitre d'Hotel (uncredited)
- The Foxes of Harrow (1947) - Minor Role (uncredited)
- The Crime Doctor's Gamble (1947) - Anton Geroux
- The Woman from Tangier (1948) - Martine
- Rogues' Regiment (1948) - Lieutenant (uncredited)
- Take One False Step (1949) - Louis (uncredited)
- The Secret of St. Ives (1949) - Portuguese Joe (uncredited)
- Once More, My Darling (1949) - Henri (uncredited)
- Tyrant of the Sea (1950) - Phillipe Daumer
- The Iroquois Trail (1950) - Garon - French Adjutant (uncredited)
- Last of the Buccaneers (1950) - Pirate Captain (uncredited)
- Three Husbands (1950) - Frenchman in Movie (uncredited)
- L'inconnue de Montréal (1950)
- Lydia Bailey (1952) - Sentry (uncredited)
- Captain Pirate (1952) - Captain Coulevain (uncredited)
- One Minute to Zero (1952) - M.F. Villon (uncredited)
- Assignment – Paris! (1952) - Gendarme (uncredited)
- The Golden Hawk (1952) - Captain at Briefing (uncredited)
- The Happy Time (1952) - The Great Gaspari
- Against All Flags (1952) - Captain Moisson
- April in Paris (1952) - M. Dionne (uncredited)
- Tonight We Sing (1953) - Assistant Stage Manager (uncredited)
- The Desert Song (1953) - Sentry (uncredited)
- The Caddy (1953) - Mr. Gaston Leron
- How to Marry a Millionaire (1953) - Mr. Antoine (uncredited)
- Rhapsody (1954) - French Servant (uncredited)
- The Black Shield of Falworth (1954) - Count de Vermois
- Athena (1954) - French Butler (uncredited)
- Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955) (Season 1 Episode 5: "Into Thin Air" aka "The Vanishing Lady") - Hotel Clerk
- Jump into Hell (1955) - Captain LeRoy
- Ride the High Iron (1956) - Maurice
- Four Girls in Town (1957) - Henri Dauray
- China Gate (1957) - Colonel De Sars
- Band of Angels (1957) - Auction Participant (uncredited)
- The Helen Morgan Story (1957) - Dubois (uncredited)
- Les Girls (1957) - French House Manager (uncredited)
- Lafayette Escadrille (1958) - Sergeant Parris
- Gigi (1958) - Prince Berensky (uncredited)
- Twilight for the Gods (1958) - Shipping Clerk
- Me and the Colonel (1958) - French Lieutenant
- It Started with a Kiss (1959) - Don Pablo (uncredited)
- The Black Chapel (1959) - Britischer Botschafter
- Scent of Mystery (1960) - Pepi
- Can-Can (1960) - Bailiff (uncredited)
- Armored Command (1961) - Jean Robert
- King of Kings (1961) - Nicodemus
- Werewolf in a Girls' Dormitory (1961) - Sir Alfred Whiteman
- Perro golfo (1963) - Cristino
- Come Fly with Me (1963) - Monsieur Rinard
- Captain Sindbad (1963) - Ahmed
- Take Her, She's Mine (1963) - M. Bonnet
- Natika (1963)
- Wild and Wonderful (1964) - Announcer
- What a Way to Go! (1964) - Rene
- The Pleasure Seekers (1964) - Jose
- The Art of Love (1965) - Prosecutor
- Clarence, the Cross-Eyed Lion (1965) - Gregory
- Gambit (1966) - Hotel Clerk
- Monkeys, Go Home! (1967) - Fontanino
- Double Trouble (1967) - Frenchman
- Caprice (1967) - Auber
- How Do I Love Thee? (1970) - The Bishop
- The Poseidon Adventure (1972) - French Naval Officer (uncredited)
- Herbie Rides Again (1974) - French Waiter
- Missile X – Geheimauftrag Neutronenbombe (1979) - Russian General
- The Jerk (1979) - French Waiter
- The Big Red One (1980) - Vichy Colonel
- Hart to Hart (1981-1982, TV series) - Andre / Inspector Novier / Bechet
- Deal of the Century (1983) - Frenchman
- Dragnet (1987) - Maitre d' (final film role)
References
- ^ a b c d e f g Nelson, Valerie J. (6 June 2007). "Maurice Marsac, 92; French actor often portrayed snooty waiters". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ Jupiter, Harry (4 May 1986). "S.F. hosts a sport that's nasty but nice". San Francisco Examiner – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Palm Springs' Mehas sweeps 3 matches in U.S. Open croquet". The Desert Sun. Palm Springs. 10 November 1994 – via Newspapers.com.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Maurice Marsac.
- Maurice Marsac at IMDb