Louis Jourdan (b June 19, 1919) is a French actor, known chiefly for his suave manner and good looks. Born Louis Gendre in Marseille, France, he was educated in France, Turkey and England and trained as an actor at the École Dramatique. He made his film debut in 1939. Following the German occupation of France during World War II, he continued to make films but after refusing to participate in Nazi propaganda films, he joined the French Resistance.

Louis Jourdan (left) with Gregory Peck in Alfred Hitchcock’s ‘The Paradine Case’.

In 1947, Jourdan accepted an offer from a Hollywood studio to appear in The Paradine Case, an Alfred Hitchcock drama starring Gregory Peck. There, he became friends with several stars who shared his love of the game of croquet. After a number of American films, his most notable work was in the 1954 light-hearted comedy-romance, Three Coins in the Fountain following which he made his Broadway debut in the lead role in the Billy Rose drama, The Immoralist.

During the 1950s, Louis Jourdan made several international films including playing the male lead in La Mariée est trop belle (The Bride is Too Beautiful) opposite Brigitte Bardot. However, he is best remembered as the romantic lead opposite Leslie Caron and Maurice Chevalier in the 1958 film version of the Colette novel, Gigi. The film earned nine Academy Awards, including Best Picture. In later years, Jourdan appeared in a number of films, playing the part of the villain, including 1977’s Count Dracula and 1978’s Murder Under Glass Columbo episode. In the 1983 James Bond film, Octopussy, he was cast as Kamal Khan, a Bond villain.