Cocteau, (Clement Eug�ne) Jean 1889-1963
French poet, playwright and film director

Born in Maisons-Lafitte, near Paris, success came early with La Lampe d'Aladin (1909, 'Aladdin's Lamp'), and he exploited it. He ran the gamut of experience, first enjoying a spectacular conversion to Roman Catholicism through Jacques Maritain. This was followed by a scornful repudiation of his mentor, the use of opium and a search for salvation through solitude. Nevertheless he had astonishing success with whatever he touched, and figured as sponsor of Picasso, Stravinsky, Giorgio de Chirico and the group of young French composers known as Les Six. As an actor, director, scenario writer, novelist, critic and artist, his work was marked by vivacity and a pyrotechnic brilliance. He was elected to the Acad�mie Fran�aise in 1955. Significant works are his novels Le Grand �cart (1923, Eng trans The Grand Escort, 1925), Thomas l'imposteur (1923, Eng trans Thomas the Imposter, 1925), Les Enfants terribles (1929, Eng trans Children of the Game, 1929), and plays: Les Mari�s de la Tour Eiffel (1921, Eng trans The Eiffel Tower Wedding Party, 1963), Orph�e (1926, Eng trans Orpheus, 1933) and L'Aigle a deux t�tes (1946, Eng trans The Eagle has Two Heads, 1948). His films include Le Sang d'un po�te (1930, The Blood of a Poet), La Belle et la b�te (1945, Beauty and the Beast), Orph�e (adapted from his play, 1949) and Le Testament d'Orph�e (1960).

Bibliography: F Brown, An Impersonation of Angels: a biography of Cocteau (1968)