Jean Delannoy was a French actor, film editor, screenwriter and film director
Background
Although Delannoy was born in a Paris suburb, his family was from Haute-Normandie in the north of France. He was a Protestant, a descendant of Huguenots, some of whom fled the country during the French Wars of Religion first to settle in Wallonia then, after their name became De la Noye and then Delano, were on the second ship to emigrate to Plymouth, Massachusetts.
Career
He was a student in Paris when he began acting in silent films. He eventually landed a job with Paramount Studios Parisian facilities, working his way up to head film editors In 1934 he directed his first film and went on to a long career, both writing and directing.
In 1960, his film, Maigret tend un piège was nominated for a British Academy of Film and Television Arts award for "Best Film from any Source".
Delannoy died on 18 June 2008, at the age of 100.