Émile Chautard
Émile Chautard was a French-American film director, actor, and screenwriter, most active in the silent era. He directed more than 100 films between 1910 and 1924. He also appeared in more than 60 films between 1911 and 1934.
Life and work
Chautard was born in Paris. After a significant career beginning as a stage actor at the Odéon-Théâtre de l'Europe and moving up to the head of film production at Éclair Films' Paris studio in 1913, Chautard emigrated to the United States in January 1915, sailing on the S/S Rochambeau, from Le Havre to New York. From 1915 to about 1918, Chautard worked for the World Film Company based in Fort Lee, New Jersey.
At World, along with a group of other French-speaking film technicians including Maurice Tourneur, Léonce Perret, George Archainbaud, Albert Capellani and Lucien Andriot, he developed such films as the 1915 version of Camille, and taught a young apprentice film cutter at the World studio: Josef von Sternberg. In 1919 Chautard hired von Sternberg as his assistant director for The Mystery of the Yellow Room, for his own short-lived production company.
Choosing Hollywood over a return to France, Chautard went to work for Famous Players–Lasky and other studios. He received some high-profile assignments, for instance a Colleen Moore vehicle and two features for Derelys Perdue, but he was a generation older than other directors in Hollywood's French colony. After 1924 Chautard did not direct again, but continued to make film appearances, in the von Sternberg film Blonde Venus, where he appears for his former protege as "Night club owner Chautard".
Chautard died in Los Angeles, California. He is interred at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery.
Selected filmography
The Mystery of the Yellow Room Protéa - Ministre de CEltieThe Eaglet - Napoleon BonaparteThe Rack The Boss Human Driftwood The Family Honor The Fires of Youth Magda A Girl's Folly - Actor The Eternal Temptress The Marionettes The House of Glass The Ordeal of Rosetta Under the Greenwood Tree The Marionettes Eyes of the Soul The Marriage Price The Mystery of the Yellow Room The Black Panther's Cub Whispering Shadows Forsaking All Others Youth to Youth The Glory of Clementina Daytime Wives Untamed Youth Paris at Midnight - Père GoriotBroken Hearts of Hollywood - DirectorBardelys the Magnificent - AnatolMy Official Wife - Count Orloff, Hélène's FatherUpstage - Performer The Flaming Forest - André AudemardBlonde or Brunette - Father-in-LawUpstream - Campbell-MandareWhispering Sage - José ArastradeSeventh Heaven - Father Chevillon, the PriestNow We're in the Air - Monsieur ChelaineThe Love Mart - Louis FrobelleThe Noose - PriestHis Tiger Lady - Stage ManagerThe Olympic Hero - Grandpa BrownLilac Time - The MayorOut of the Ruins - Père GilbertCaught in the Fog - The Old ManAdoration - MurajevHouse of Horror - Old MiserMarianne - Père JosephTimes Square - David LederwitskiSouth Sea Rose - Rosalie's UncleTiger Rose - Frenchman Free and Easy - Minor Role Le spectre vert - AbdoulSweeping Against the Winds Estrellados A Man from Wyoming - French MayorMysterious Mr. Parkes - Sylvester CorbettJust Like Heaven - Jacques DulacMorocco - French General Counter Investigation - O'BrienÉchec au roi - Le roi Eric VIII - The KingThe Little Cafe - PhilibertThe Big Trail - PadreRévolte dans la prison - PopThe Common Law - Doorman The Road to Reno - AndreThe Yellow Ticket - Headwaiter Le procès de Mary Dugan Cock of the Air - French AmbassadorShanghai Express - Major LenardLe fils de l'autre - John WhitcombThe Man from Yesterday - PriestBlonde Venus - Chautard, French Nightclub Manager Le bluffeur - Oscar BrownRasputin and the Empress - Minor Role The California Trail - Don Marco RamirezThe Three Musketeers - Gen. Pelletier The Devil's in Love - Father CarmionThe Solitaire Man - French Hotel Clerk Design for Living - Train Conductor Gallant Lady - French Hotel Clerk The Way to Love - M. PriasMan of Two Worlds - NatkusiakWonder Bar - Pierre - the Concierge Come On Marines! - PriestRiptide - Doctor Viva Villa! - General Told to Leave Room