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Erich von Stroheim


Erich von Stroheim, originally uploaded by Truus, Bob & Jan too!.
British postcard by Real Photograph, London, in the Picturegoer series, no. 20a. Photo: Fox.

Was Austrian-born Erich von Stroheim (1885 – 1957) a Hollywood movie star or a European film star? (Who cares!) As the sadistic, monocled Prussian officer in both American and French films, he became ‘The Man You Love to Hate’. But maybe he is best known as one of the greatest and influential directors of the silent era, known for his extravaganza and the uncompromising accuracy of detail in his monumental films.

Jean Marais


Jean Marais, originally uploaded by Truus, Bob & Jan too!.
French postcard by Editions E.C., no. 3. Photo: Synops.

With his heroic physique, Jean Marais (1913 - 1998) was France’s answer to Errol Flynn, the epitome of the swashbuckling romantic hero of French cinema. The blonde and incredibly good-looking actor played over 100 roles in film and on television, and was also known as a director, writer, painter and sculptor. His mentor was the legendary poet and director Jean Cocteau, who was also his lover.