Louis Robert (Gendre) Jourdan (1921 - 2015)

Born 19 Jun 1921 in Marseille, Bouches-du-Rhône, France

Husband of Berthe Frédérique (Takar) Jourdan — married 11 Mar 1946 in Paris, Seine, France

Died 14 Feb 2015 at age 93 in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles County, California, USA

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Biography

Louis (Gendre) Jourdan is Notable.

I never see my movies. When they are on television I click them away. Hollywood created an image and I long ago reconciled myself with it. I was the French cliche'. -- Louis Jourdan.

Louis Jourdan was an internationally famous screen and stage actor, known for his suave roles in films, beginning in later years of the Golden Age of Hollywood, in 1946, through his retirement in 1992. Some of his most well-known work including starring roles in Alfred Hitchcock's The Paradine Case, 1947; Letter from an Unknown Woman, 1948; Gigi, 1958; and The Best of Everything, 1959.^[1]

He was born Louis Robert Gendre 19 June 1921 in Marseille, France, the son of Henri Gendre and Yvonne Jourdan.^[2][3]

Louis spent his formative years in the South of France, where his parents managed hotels in Cannes, Nice and Marseilles. There were three sons in the family: Louis, Pierre and Robert. Louis studied drama in Paris at the École Dramatique. At the outbreak of World War II, Louis' father, Henri, was arrested by the Gestapo and Louis and his brothers joined the underground resistance.^[4] After his father's release, the entire family became active in the French Resistance in unoccupied France. Before his emigration to the United States, he appeared in Premier rendez-vous (1941) with Danielle Darrieux, which was shot in Paris. He made a number of additional films between 1941 and 1945. David Selznick offered Louis a contract in March 1946.^[5]

Louis was married to Berthe "Quique" Frédérique on 11 March 1946 in Paris, France. Five weeks later, on 4 April 1946, they emigrated to the United States. Their last place of residence upon emigration was Paris. He traveled under the name of Louis Gendre on the S.S. Wooster Victory, which arrived in New York City. He declared his intention to settle permanently in the United States on 26 April 1949.^[6]

The rest, as they say, is history. From 1946 through 1951, Louis starred in a number of Selznick films, and then in 1951, Louis bought out his contract and joined 20th Century Fox. A number of sources provide a comprehensive discussion of his work in the film industry as an actor, and won't be addressed here. For more information on his work in the film industry, please see the Wikipedia article featuring him Louis Jourdan or visit IMDb here, which has a good biography and filmography., along with studio publicity photos and movie posters.

Louis and Berthe were the parents of one child, Louis Henry Jourdan, who was born 6 October 1951^[7] and died 12 May 1981 after a drug overdose at the age of 29. ^[8]

Berthe and Louis were a devoted couple and remained married for the remainder of their long lives. It seems Louis was a pragmatist, as evidenced in this quote concerning his marriage: "When one has been married over thirty years, of course it would be absurd not to admit there have been some difficulties, at some times. But the important thing is that we have weathered them."^[9]

After his retirement, the couple resided in Los Angeles, California. Berthe died in 13 June 2014 at the age of 92. Louis died at his Beverly Hills home on Valentine's Day, 14 February 2015 at the age of 93. His remains were interred at Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles next to those of his wife and son.^[10]

Sources

1. ↑ Louis Jourdan
2. ↑ United States Declaration of Intention, California, Federal Naturalizations Records for Louis Gendre. In the declaration, Louis states that his full name at birth was Louis Gendre. Several passenger and crew lists give his full name as Louis Robert Gendre. (He did have a younger brother with the first name of Robert.) The declaration states that he was born 19 June 1921 in Marseille, France. Certification No. 1600-K-24274.
3. ↑ "New York, New York Passenger and Crew Lists, 1909, 1925-1957," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:24GH-4JG : 15 March 2018), Louis Robert Gendre, 1946; citing Immigration, New York City, New York, United States, NARA microfilm publication T715 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.). The ship manifest gives his full name as Louis Robert Gendre.
4. ↑ Louis Jourdan Takes on the Chevalier Role in Gigi and Proves he Remembers It Well, by David Hutchings, 14 January 1985, People Magazine.
5. ↑ Louis Jourdan
6. ↑ United States Declaration of Intention, California, Federal Naturalizations Records for Louis Gendre. Certification No. 1600-K-24274. In the declaration, Louis stated that he and Berthe were married 11 March 1946 in Paris, France.
7. ↑ California Birth Index; Louis Henry Jourdan; born 6 October 1951 in Los Angeles, CA.
8. ↑ California Death Index; Louis Henry Jourdan; born 6 October 1951; died 12 May 1981.
9. ↑ ICMb Biography Louis Jourdan by Ohad Rosen.
10. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #142652919, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 26 June 2019), memorial page for Louis Jourdan (19 Jun 1921–14 Feb 2015), citing Westwood Memorial Park, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, USA ; Maintained by Find A Grave .

Additional Sources

• Louis Jourdan.
• Louis Jourdan 1920s and 1930s Biography.
• NNDB BiographyLouis Jourdan AKA Louis Gendre.
• Louis Jourdan, Star of 'Octopussy,' Gigi,' Dies at 93. Variety. Carmel Dagan, 15 February 2015.
• Louis Jourdan, Hollywood's Favoirte French Lover, Dies at 93. NPF, 16 February 2015; The Associated Press.
• "New York, New York Passenger and Crew Lists, 1909, 1925-1957," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVP8-5XRJ : 16 March 2018), Louis Gendre Dit Jourdan, 1953; citing Immigration, New York, New York, United States, NARA microfilm publication T715 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
• "New York, New York Passenger and Crew Lists, 1909, 1925-1957," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2H8T-2FJ : 16 March 2018), Louis K As Louis Jourdan Gendre, 1956; citing Immigration, New York City, New York, United States, NARA microfilm publication T715 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
• "Texas, El Paso Alien Arrivals, 1924-1952," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q234-B8S7 : 16 March 2018), Louis Dit Jourdan Gendre, 1948; citing NARA microfilm publication A3396 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); roll 00008, FHL microfilm .