Born an illegitimate son of a wealthy physician, Abel Flamant, and a working class mother, Francoise Perethon. He was raised by his mother and her boyfriend, who later became her husband, Adolphe Gance. Pressured by his parents, he began his working career as a lawyer's clerk in hopes of achieving a prosperous career in law. But his passion for ...
When Gance did not receive the necessary financial support to expand his masterpiece "Napoleom" to complete his original conception of a cinematic trilogy, he just discarded cans of film that would have been used, depriving future film historians of invaluable insights into the director's vision.
2
Was a stretcher-bearer during World War I, as he was exempt from active military duty due to health reasons.
3
Published his first article in the Parisian Ciné-Journal entitled "What is the cinema? A sixth art form!" on March 9th 1912.
4
Was asked by the Vichy Government, during 1941, to prove his Aryan origins to the head of the Cinema industry when accused of being Jewish.
Member of the jury at the Cannes Film Festival in 1953
7
Though the technique of rapid editing was historically attributed to Soviet Russia, Gance actually pioneered the process in La roue (1923). It can also be seen in Napoleon (1927) with more heroic ambition.
8
Biography in: John Wakeman, editor. "World Film Directors, Volume One, 1890-1945". Pages 371-385. New York: The H.W. Wilson Company, 1987.
Writer
Title
Year
Status
Character
Bonaparte et la révolution
1972
Marie Tudor
1966
TV Movie adaptation
Cyrano et d'Artagnan
1964
screenplay / story
The Battle of Austerlitz
1960
La tour de Nesle
1955
dialogue / screenplay
La reine Margot
1954
Lumière
1953
TV Short documentary commentary
Lumière et l'invention du cinématographe
1953
writer
Quatorze juillet
1953
Short writer
Le capitaine Fracasse
1943
adaptation / dialogue
Vénus aveugle
1941
dialogue / screenplay
Four Flights to Love
1940
scenario
Louise
1939
adaptation and dialogue
Le voleur de femmes
1938
adaptation
I Accuse
1938
scenario & adaptation
The Life and Loves of Beethoven
1936
Le roman d'un jeune homme pauvre
1936
Lucrezia Borgia
1935
screenplay
Jérôme Perreau héros des barricades
1935
Napoléon Bonaparte
1935
dialogue / screenplay
La dame aux camélias
1934
Poliche
1934
Le maître de forges
1933
writer
Mater dolorosa
1933
writer
La fin du monde
1931
Napoleon auf St. Helena
1929
story
Napoleon
1927
written by
Help!
1924
Short
La roue
1923
writer
J'accuse!
1919
writer
Ecce Homo
1918
writer
La dixième symphonie
1918
writer
The Zone of Death
1917
Barberousse
1917
The Torture of Silence
1917
Le droit à la vie
1917
Ce que les flots racontent
1916
Fioritures
1916
Le fou de la falaise
1916
Le périscope
1916
Les gaz mortels
1916
L'énigme de dix heures
1915
L'héroïsme de Paddy
1915
La fleur des ruines
1915
La folie du Docteur Tube
1915
Short
Strass et Compagnie
1915
Un drame au château d'Acre
1915
Short
L'infirmière
1914
Il y a des pieds au plafond
1912
La conspiration des drapeaux
1912
La mort du duc d'Enghien
1912
La pierre philosophe
1912
Le nègre blanc
1912
Une vengeance d'Edgar Poë
1912
Short scenario
The Mask of Horror
1912
Short
Le tragique amour de Mona Lisa
1912
Short
Cyrano et d'Assoucy
1911
Short
L'électrocuté
1911
Un clair de lune sous Richelieu
1911
La digue
1911
L'aluminite
1910
L'auberge rouge
1910
La fin de Paganini
1910
Short
Le crime du grand-père
1910
Short
Le roi des parfums
1910
Paganini
1910
The Life of Moliere
1910
Short writer
The Vow; or, Jephthah's Daughter
1910
Short
La légende de l'arc-en-ciel
1909
Short writer
Le glas du père Césaire
1909
Short writer
Le portrait de Mireille
1909
Short writer
Director
Title
Year
Status
Character
Bonaparte et la révolution
1972
Valmy
1967
TV Movie
Marie Tudor
1966
TV Movie
Cyrano et d'Artagnan
1964
The Battle of Austerlitz
1960
Magirama
1956
La tour de Nesle
1955
Quatorze juillet
1953
Short
Le capitaine Fracasse
1943
Vénus aveugle
1941
Four Flights to Love
1940
Louise
1939
Le voleur de femmes
1938
I Accuse
1938
The Life and Loves of Beethoven
1936
Le roman d'un jeune homme pauvre
1936
Lucrezia Borgia
1935
Jérôme Perreau héros des barricades
1935
Napoléon Bonaparte
1935
La dame aux camélias
1934
supervision
Poliche
1934
End of the World
1934
Le maître de forges
1933
uncredited
Mater dolorosa
1933
La fin du monde
1931
Marines et cristeaux
1928
Short
Napoleon
1927
Help!
1924
Short
La roue
1923
J'accuse!
1919
Ecce Homo
1918
La dixième symphonie
1918
The Zone of Death
1917
Barberousse
1917
The Torture of Silence
1917
Le droit à la vie
1917
Ce que les flots racontent
1916
Fioritures
1916
Le fou de la falaise
1916
Le périscope
1916
Les gaz mortels
1916
L'énigme de dix heures
1915
L'héroïsme de Paddy
1915
La fleur des ruines
1915
La folie du Docteur Tube
1915
Short
Strass et Compagnie
1915
Un drame au château d'Acre
1915
Short
Il y a des pieds au plafond
1912
La pierre philosophe
1912
Le nègre blanc
1912
The Mask of Horror
1912
Short
La digue
1911
Actor
Title
Year
Status
Character
Napoléon Bonaparte
1935
Saint-Just
End of the World
1934
Extra
La fin du monde
1931
Jean Novalic
La chute de la maison Usher
1928
Napoleon
1927
Louis Saint-Just
Le nègre blanc
1912
The Life of Moliere
1910
Short
Molière jeune
Editor
Title
Year
Status
Character
Bonaparte et la révolution
1972
Four Flights to Love
1940
supervising editor - uncredited
Louise
1939
uncredited
Napoléon Bonaparte
1935
Napoleon
1927
La roue
1923
J'accuse!
1919
Producer
Title
Year
Status
Character
Valmy
1967
TV Movie producer
I Accuse
1938
producer
La dame aux camélias
1934
producer
Help!
1924
Short producer
La roue
1923
producer
L'âtre
1923
producer
Le petit poucet
1920
producer
Miscellaneous
Title
Year
Status
Character
Le maître de forges
1933
technical advisor
L'âtre
1923
supervisor
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Brand New Illustrated Journal of the Arts
1982
TV Movie documentary
Himself
La nuit des Césars
1981
TV Series documentary
Himself - César d'honneur
Histoire du cinéma français par ceux qui l'ont fait
$950,000
