French character actor of silent films and talkies. Born in Orléans in 1880, he studied with Paul Mounet at the Paris Conservatory. He made his stage debut in Paris in 1900 and spent a number of years learning his craft and developing into a familiar performer on the Paris stage. A contract with Gaumont Studios led to scores of appearances in early silent films, and he continued as a respected and familiar portrayer of character roles into his seventies.