André Roussin

André Roussin was born in Marseille on January 22, 1911. Coming from a distinguished family of lawyers and industrialists, he initially pursued legal studies, which he never completed. For two years, he worked at the newspaper "La Petite Marseillaise," and at the age of twenty, he joined Louis Ducreux's "Grisaille" theater company. This theatrical company was one of the first youth theater groups in France, aiming at theatrical decentralization. Thanks to these groups, the French provinces were introduced to great playwrights. For twelve years, André Roussin directed this company alongside Louis Ducreux, producing fifty plays, sometimes acting and sometimes directing. He first went to Paris in 1937, performing in "The Duchess of Malfi," and was immediately hired by the "Four Seasons" troupe, with which he performed as far as New York. In 1940, he returned to Marseille and resumed directing "Grisaille." It was then that he wrote his first play, "Am-Stram-Gram," which was staged with the renowned French actress Micheline Presle. After a successful tour in Cannes, Lyon, and Switzerland, the play concluded in Paris in 1944. His second play, "A Simple Girl," achieved similar success in 1945. In 1946, his plays "John the Baptist" and "Holy Family" were staged. In 1947, he achieved enormous success with "The Little Hut," which was performed in France for 1,500 shows, translated into all languages, and staged worldwide. Successes followed one after another: "The Ostrich Eggs," "Nina," with Elvira Popescu, and "La Mamma." He also wrote various studies and essays and gave numerous lectures. In 1973, he became a member of the French Academy. He passed away on November 3, 1987.