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Jean Angelo

Jean Angelo (born Jean-Jacques Barthélémy, 17 May 1888 – 26 November 1933) was a French film actor of silent movies and early talkies. He is best known for his role as The Count of Monte Cristo in the 1929 silent film Monte Cristo. He was the son of French actor Edouard Angelo (1843-1903), also known as Émile-Télémaque Barthélémy. His father accompanied Sarah Bernhardt on her first tour of America (1880-1881) and then on the European tour that followed. When Jean was fifteen in 1903, he made his stage debut under the training of Sarah Bernhardt. His first onscreen appearance was in the 1908 film The Assassination of the Duke of Guise. He also appeared in several film adaptations of Victor Hugo's plays The Hunchback of Notre-Dame (1911) and Les Misérables (1911). Both Jean and his father Edouard were the subjects of notable paintings created by Greek-French painter Théodore Jacques Ralli.

Jean was born in Paris, France. From a young age, he was a theater actor. From early in his career, he worked with the film director Albert Capellani, appearing in the silent film adaptation of The Mysteries of Paris. He paused his career during World War I, where he suffered combat injuries but eventually rose to prominence as a French Silent film actor in the 1920s, starring in films such as L'Atlantide (1921 film) and Nana (1926 film). He appeared in over sixty films throughout his career. He died of pneumonia while filming the talkie Colomba (1933 film) at forty-five years old.

Biography

Jean-Jacques Barthélémy was born on 17 May 1888, in Paris, France, to stage actor Émile-Télémaque Barthélémy (1843-1903). His father used the stage name Edouard Angelo. His father was rumored to be the lover of actress Sarah Bernhardt, whom he toured the United States with in her famous American theater tour of 1880-1881. From a young age, Jean adopted the theater title Jean Angelo and was taught acting by his father's confrère, Sarah Bernhardt. Jean worked with her stage company from the age of fifteen. By 1908, Jean began appearing in Film d'art productions. One such production was the film The Assassination of the Duke of Guise directed by André Calmettes and Charles le Bargy. Jean also began to perform in films directed by Albert Capellani which were two film adaptations of Victor Hugo's plays The Hunchback of Notre-Dame (1911), Les Misérables (1913) and The Mysteries of Paris (1911).

By the start of World War I, he had already appeared in over twenty films, and at twenty-six years old, Jean joined the front lines, pausing his artistic career. The actor participated in the war and was injured, returning to films several years later, becoming a prominent silent film actor, featuring his athletic and attractive look. In the 1920s, he was known for fencing and became the hero of several adventure movies. He took the role of Captain Morhange in the 1921 film L'Atlantide and in 1924 he was Robert Surcouf in the film Surcouf. The actor gained immense popularity during the era and also starred in Jean Epstein's 1925 film The Adventures of Robert Macaire as Robert Macaire. By 1926, he appeared in Jean Renoir's film Nana as Count de Vandeuvres.

In 1929, he performed in the huge budget blockbuster Monte Cristo as Edmond Dantès, a film still impressive by today's standards due to its incredible staging and imagery. The actor also began to act in talkies, which was a transition from his silent film acting style. The actor was now required to speak in films. Jean reprised his role in the 1932 French language remake of the film Atlantis, named L'Atlantide as Captain Morhange with a speaking role. Regretably, it was one of Jean's last roles; the following year, he contracted pneumonia during the filming of the 1933 film Colomba and died at forty-five years old.

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