Skip to content
Join free
Roger Blin
Actor

Roger Blin

22 Mar 1907Born
20 Jan 1984Died
76Age at death
71Credits

Biography

Roger Blin (Neuilly-sur-Seine, France, 22 March 1907 – Évecquemont, France, 21 January 1984) was a French actor and director. He staged world premieres of Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot in 1953 and Endgame in 1957.

Blin was the son of a doctor; however, despite his father's wishes, Blin forged a career in the theatre. As a teenager he was 'fascinated' by the Surrealists and their conception of revolutionary art.

He was initially part of the left-wing theatre collectives The Company of Five and The October Group. In 1935 Blin served as Antonin Artaud's assistant director for his production of Les Cenci [The Cenci] at the Folies-Wagrams theatre in 1935.

Read the full biography

Following his work with Artaud, Blin focused on 'political street-theatre.'

During the war, Blin was a liaison between the Resistance and the French Army.

His extensive career as both director and actor in both film and theatre has been largely defined by his work and relationship with Artaud, Samuel Beckett and Jean Genet. In addition to being a close friend and confidant of Artaud during the latter's nine years of internment, he directed the first performances of Beckett's Waiting For Godot, Happy Days and Endgame as well as directing the initial performance of Genet's The Blacks and the controversial The Screens. Genet's key correspondences to Blin have been published by Editions Gallimard.

The 1986 Faber and Faber publication, "Samuel Beckett: The Complete Dramatic Works" carries only three dedications from Beckett: "Endgame" is dedicated to Blin, while "Come and Go" is for John Calder, and "Catastrophe" is for Václav Havel.

Source: Article "Roger Blin" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA 3.0.

Known for

Filmography

  1. 1983The Hospital of LeningradFilm: Nestor
  2. 1983Vendredi ou la vie sauvageFilm
  3. 1982Five and the SkinFilm: Récitant (voice)
  4. 1980The King and the MockingbirdFilm: L’aveugle (voice)
  5. 1979The AdolescentFilm: Romain
  6. 1977The Old Country Where Rimbaud DiedFilm: Jeanne's father
  7. 1976Nevermore, ForeverFilm: Daniel
  8. 1975One Must Live DangerouslyFilm: Murdoc
  9. 1975AloïseFilm: Le professeur de chant
  10. 1975That Most Important Thing: LoveFilm: Servais' Father
  11. 1973The Shadow LineFilm: Burns
  12. 1971Too Small My FriendFilm: Boris
  13. 1971Mesure pour MesureFilm: Le Duc Vincentio
  14. 1970L'illusion comiqueFilm: Alcandre
  15. 1967La Plaie et le Couteau, Charles BaudelaireFilm
  16. 1967Law of SurvivalFilm: Pao
  17. 1967The Sunday of LifeFilm: Jean Sans-Tête
  18. 1966The Devil's TricksFilm: Monsieur de Beaurepaire
  19. 1965Qui donc a rêvé?Film
  20. 1964Little Claus and Big ClausFilm: Le grand Claus
  21. 1964Marie SoleilFilm: Karl / Boss
  22. 1964A Taste for WomenFilm: Larsen
  23. 1963Egypt, oh Egypt: Images of HeavenFilm: Narrator (voice)
  24. 1962Quatrevingt-treizeFilm: Tellmarc’h
  25. 1962The Star ShipFilm: Curtway
  26. 1961Paris BluesFilm: Fausto the Moor (uncredited)
  27. 1960Les Trois SœursFilm: Verchinine
  28. 1959CheckerboardFilm: Slim, le guide
  29. 1958Calligraphie JaponaiseFilm: Narrator
  30. 1956The Hunchback of Notre DameFilm: Mathias Hungadi
  31. 1955The Amazing Mr. CallaghanFilm: Wladimir
  32. 1954The Invitation to the WaltzFilm: Guillaume l'égorgeur
  33. 1953The Knight of the NightFilm: le valet
  34. 1953The Curious Adventures of Mr. WonderbirdFilm: Blind Man (Voice)
  35. 1952Piédalu fait des miraclesFilm
  36. 1952Torticola versus FrankensbergFilm: Doctor Frankenstein
  37. 1951Adventures of Captain FabianFilm
  38. 1951The ConvictFilm: Convict
  39. 1950OrpheusFilm: The Poet
  40. 1950Vagabonds imaginairesFilm: Narrator (segment 'Les amours jaunes') (voice)
  41. 1949Wicked CityFilm: Emilio
  42. 1949Unusual TalesFilm: Guillaume
  43. 1947PassionnelleFilm: Julien
  44. 1946The Ideal CoupleFilm: The sleepwalker
  45. 1945The Last JudgmentFilm
  46. 1945The Bohemian LifeFilm: Man of the puppet
  47. 1944First in LineFilm: Paul Moury
  48. 1943Colonel ChabertFilm: Cleric
  49. 1943DouceFilm: Man of the theater (uncredited)
  50. 1943Le CorbeauFilm: François
  51. 1943Adieu LéonardFilm: Bohemian leader
  52. 1943Captain FracasseFilm: Fagotin
  53. 1942The Devil's EnvoysFilm: The Monster Showman
  54. 1942The Trump CardFilm: Aspirant
  55. 1942L'âge d'orFilm
  56. 1941VolponeFilm: Un vénitien
  57. 1940Beating HeartFilm: (credit only)
  58. 1939The World Will ShakeFilm: Le Condamné
  59. 1939LouiseFilm: (uncredited)
  60. 1939Pasha's WivesFilm: Mair
  61. 1938Adrienne LecouvreurFilm
  62. 1938The Curtain RisesFilm: Dominique, le gardien du château de la famille de Cécilia
  63. 1938The Time of the CherriesFilm: Dupuis son
  64. 1937AlibiFilm: Kretz, Winckler's henchman
  65. 1937The Citadel of SilenceFilm: Officer (uncredited)
  66. 1937The Life and Loves of BeethovenFilm: De Ries
  67. 1936JennyFilm: le malade solitaire
  68. 1936Life Is OursFilm: Un métallo
  69. 1936Under Western EyesFilm: Unnamed Character
  70. 1934Street Without a NameFilm: Writer
  71. 1933Le ColiséeFilm: The Crowd

Biography and credits from TMDB. This website uses TMDB and the TMDB APIs but is not endorsed, certified, or otherwise approved by TMDB.