Jean Cocteau

Playwright, Author

1889 – 1963

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Who was Jean Cocteau?

Jean Maurice Eugène Clément Cocteau was a French poet, novelist, dramatist, designer, playwright, artist and filmmaker. Cocteau is best known for his novel Les Enfants Terribles, and the films Blood of a Poet, Les Parents terribles, Beauty and the Beast and Orpheus. His circle of associates, friends and lovers included Kenneth Anger, Pablo Picasso, Jean Hugo, Jean Marais, Henri Bernstein, Yul Brynner, Marlene Dietrich, Coco Chanel, Erik Satie, Igor Stravinsky, María Félix, Édith Piaf and Raymond Radiguet.

Famous Quotes:

  • The actual tragedies of life bear no relation to one's preconceived ideas. In the event, one is always bewildered by their simplicity, their grandeur of design, and by that element of the bizarre which seems inherent in them.
  • An original artist is unable to copy. So he has only to copy in order to be original.
  • There is always a period when a man with a beard shaves it off. This period does not last. He returns headlong to his beard.
  • I have a piece of great and sad news to tell you: I am dead.
  • One must be a living man and a posthumous artist.
  • If a hermit lives in a state of ecstasy, his lack of comfort becomes the height of comfort. He must relinquish it.
  • All good music resembles something. Good music stirs by its mysterious resemblance to the objects and feelings which motivated it.
  • True realism consists in revealing the surprising things which habit keeps covered and prevents us from seeing.
  • Poetry is indispensable --if I only knew what for.
  • Since the day of my birth, my death began its walk. It is walking toward me, without hurrying.

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Born
Jul 5, 1889
Maisons-Laffitte
Also known as
  • Jean Maurice Eugene Clement Cocteau
  • The Frivolous Prince
  • Monsieur Jean Cocteau de l'Académie Mallarmé
  • Jean Cocteau de l'Académie Française
  • Jean Maurice Eugène Clément Cocteau
  • Jean Maurice Eugène Cocteau
Parents
Siblings
Spouses
Children
Nationality
  • France
Profession
Education
  • Lycée Condorcet
Died
Oct 11, 1963
Milly-la-Forêt

Submitted
on July 23, 2013

Citation

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"Jean Cocteau." Biographies.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 29 Mar. 2024. <https://www.biographies.net/people/en/jean_cocteau>.

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