Jacques Prévert biography

Born in Neuilly sur Seine. He's the second son of Suzanne and André Prévert. The oldest son, Jean is already 2 years old.

Birth of his second brother, Pierre. He will be very close to him during his life. His father loses his job and the family will experience financial difficulties for a year.

Jacques goes to school. His father introduce him to theatre and reading. His father finally finds a new job given by Auguste, his grand-father. Jacques doesn't like his grand-father much who he will consider later as a royalist and a conservateur.

Jacques is baptised.

He receives his school certificate and starts having small jobs. He's a rather rebellious teenager but he starts to appreciate reading and poetry.

Military service in Saint-Nicolas-de-Port, near Lunéville. He meets the painter Yves Tanguy. He's then sent to Turkey.

During his military service in Constantinople in Turkey, he meets Marcel Duhamel.

Jacques comes back to Paris where his friend Marcel Duhamel provide him an accomodation at 54 rue du Château. Yves Tangui leaves with them.

54 rue du Château becomes the meeting place for the surrealist movement with André Breton as the leader. Jacques is an active member of the group.

Jacques marries Simone Dienne, his long time friend.

Prévert, Tanguy and Duhamel leave Rue du Chateau after a problem with Breton.

Jacques criticise openly Breton and leaves the surrealist movement. Publishing of "Un Cadavre" (a corpse) by the members of the surrealist movement. The text from Jacques is named "Death of a Sir" and he takes this opportunity to publish another paper "Souvenirs de famille ou l’Ange garde-chiourme".

Jacques set up the Octobre group and becomes the main member. He writes screenplays for the comedy group.

Trip to Moscow with Octobre group and play "La Bataille de Fontenoy".

He gets to know a poor musician coming from Budapest, Joseph Kosma.

He writes the dialogues of the movie "Crime de Monsieur Lange" of Jean Renoir. He breaks up from his wife Simone.

He meets a new lady, Jacqueline Laurent, and travel with her to Baleares islands. The Octobre group stops and Jacques goes away from communism movement. His father dies.

He writes the scenario "Quai des Brumes" a film of Marcel Carne with Jean Gabin and Michèle Morgan. He travels to the U.S. to find his love Jacqueline.

He writes "Le jour se lève" together with Marcel Carné and actors Jean Gabin and Arletty.

Jacques is dismissed from the army during the second world war. He leaves Paris and goes down to Saint-Paul-de-Vence in South of France with his new girlfriend Claudy Carter. Kosma and Trauner work with him on new films.

He writes the scenario of "Les Visiteurs du soir" with Marcel Carné and actors Jules Berry et Arletty.

Jacques falls in love with Janine Loris.

He writes the scenario of "Les Enfants du Paradis" of Marcel Carné with actors Jean-Louis Barrault et Arletty.

Death of his mother. His first poem book is released and would be sold to 2 millions pieces.

Birth of his daughter: Michèle. With Janine.

He publishes "Visiteurs du soir" and "Contes pour enfants pas sages" with pictures of Elsa Henriquez.

Jacques falls from a window and stays several days in coma. He will keep serious neurological sequels from this incident.

He publishes "Les Amants de Vérone".

He publishes "Des bêtes…" and write the cartoon "le petit ramoneur" with Paul Grimault; later it will be re-used to produce in 1979 the cartoon "le Roi et l’Oiseau".

He publishes "Spectacle" and "Grand Bal du printemps".

Jacques returns to Paris and travels to London. He publishes "Lettre des îles Baladar" and "Guignol".

He publishes "L’Opéra de la lune". And he becomes "Satrape" of "collège de Pataphysique".

He returns finally in Paris and moves in the artist area of Montmartre. He publishes "La pluie et le beau temps".

He publishes a rendering for "Joan Miró".

He exhibits sixty "collages" Maeght gallery in Paris.

He publishes "Histoires et d’autres" and exhibit his "collages" creations in several cities of France.

He publishes "Fatras".

He publishes "Arbres".

He buys a house in Normandy at Omonville-la-Petite and has his good friend Alexandre Trauner as a neighbour.

He takes part in Hebdromadaires.

Jacques becomes grand-father of Eugénie, doughter of Michèle and Hugues Bachelot.

Jacques dies in Omonville-la-Petite.