Alice Guy-blache

Director
Alice Guy-blache

About

Read More
Also Known As
Alice Guy, Alice Blache
Birth Place
Paris, FR
Born
July 01, 1873
Died
March 24, 1968

Biography

Read More
Without doubt the first female director in the history of cinema. Whether Guy-Blache is also the first fiction director remains debatable. Somewhere between 1896 and 1900--the same years Georges Melies is generally credited with directing the first fiction films--she made "La Fee aux Choux," an adaptation of a popular fairy tale.Guy-Blache joined Gaumont as a secretary in 1896 and became...

Filmography

Read More
Vampire (1920)
Director
Soul Adrift (1919)
Director
The Little Hunchback (1913)
Director
The Girl in the Armchair (1913)
Director
The Pit and the Pendulum (1913)
Director
A Terrible Night (1913)
Director

Photos & Videos

View All
0 Photos
Be Natural: The Untold Story Of Alice Guy-Blaché (2019) -- (Original Trailer)
0 Photos
0 Photos
Ocean Waif, The (1916) -- (Movie Clip) We're Going Ashore

Family & Companions

Read More
Herbert Blache
Husband
Cameraman. Married in 1907; divorced in 1922.

Bibliography

Read More
"The Memoirs of Alice Guy-Blache"
Alice Guy-Blache (translated by Roberta and Simone Blache; edited by Anthony Slide), Scarecrow Press (1986)

Biography

Without doubt the first female director in the history of cinema. Whether Guy-Blache is also the first fiction director remains debatable. Somewhere between 1896 and 1900--the same years Georges Melies is generally credited with directing the first fiction films--she made "La Fee aux Choux," an adaptation of a popular fairy tale.Guy-Blache joined Gaumont as a secretary in 1896 and became its primary director when the company began producing films. In 1907 she and her husband, cameraman Herbert Blache, moved to the US, first running Gaumont's American office and later setting up an independent production company, Solax. Her films, though not distinctive, were generally of a high quality.In 1922, divorced from her husband and outdistanced by the growing American film industry, Guy-Blache returned to France but was unsuccessful in her attempts to continue directing. Her contributions to cinema were finally recognized when she was awarded the Legion of Honor by the French government in 1953.

Filmography

 

Director (Feature Film)

Vampire (1920)
Director
Soul Adrift (1919)
Director
The Little Hunchback (1913)
Director
The Girl in the Armchair (1913)
Director
The Pit and the Pendulum (1913)
Director
A Terrible Night (1913)
Director
Falling Leaves (1912)
Director
Fra Diavolo (1912)
Director
The Blood Stain (1912)
Director
Playing Trumps (1912)
Director
Phantom Paradise (1912)
Director
A Fool And His Money (1912)
Director
Canned Harmony (1912)
Director
Dick Whittington and His Cat (1912)
Director
The Little Rangers (1911)
Director
The Violin Maker of Nuremberg (1911)
Director
Rose of the Circus (1911)
Director
The Cure (1911)
Director
La Maratre (1908)
Director
Questions indiscretes (1908)
Director
Fanfan la Tulipe (1907)
Director
La Vie du Christ (1906)
Director
Un soulier pour un jambon (1906)
Director
Mireille (1906)
Director
The Spring Fairy (1906)
Director
La Fee Printemps (1906)
Director
La Esmeralda (1905)
Director
Apres la fete (1904)
Director
Les Deux rivaux (1904)
Director
L'Oiseau envole (1904)
Director
Pierrot assassin (1904)
Director
Paris la nuit (1904)
Director
Le Crime de la Rue du Temple (1904)
Director
Comment on disperse les foules (1904)
Director
Le Courrier de Lyon (1904)
Director
La Gavotte de la reine (1904)
Director
Les Enfants du miracle (1904)
Director
La Lecon de pipeau (1904)
Director
Le Pompon malencontreux (1904)
Director
Ne bougeons plus (1903)
Director
Repetition dans un cirque (1903)
Director
Les Surprises de l'affichage (1903)
Director
Cake-walk de la pendule (1903)
Director
Les Apaches pas veinards (1903)
Director
La Main du professeur Hamilton ou le roi des dollars (1903)
Director
Potage indigeste (1903)
Director
Le Fiance ensorcele (1903)
Director
Les Aventures d'un voyageur trop presse (1903)
Director
Les Braconniers (1903)
Director
Jocko musicien (1903)
Director
Secours aux naufrages (1903)
Director
Le Liqueur du couvent (1903)
Director
La Mouche (1903)
Director
Lutteurs americains (1903)
Director
Modelage express (1903)
Director
Compagnons de voyage encombrants (1903)
Director
Le Voleur sacrilege (1903)
Director
Nos bons etudiants (1903)
Director
La Valise enchantee (1903)
Director
La Chasse au cambrioleur (1903)
Director
Comme on fait son lit on se couche (1903)
Director
Illusionniste renversant (1903)
Director
Enlevement en automobile et mariage precipite (1903)
Director
Service precipite (1903)
Director
La Poule fantaisiste (1903)
Director
Le Pommier (1902)
Director
Sage-femme de premiere classe (1902)
Director
Trompe mais content (1902)
Director
Le Lion savant (1902)
Director
En Faction (1902)
Director
La Cour des miracles (1902)
Director
L'Equilibriste (1902)
Director
Farces de cuisiniere (1902)
Director
Le Marchand de ballons (1902)
Director
La Gigue (1902)
Director
Danse mauresque (1902)
Director
La Fiole enchantee (1902)
Director
Fruits de saison (1902)
Director
Danse fantaisiste (1902)
Director
La Premiere gamelle (1902)
Director
Pour secouer la salade (1902)
Director
Quadrille realiste (1902)
Director
Danse excentrique (1902)
Director
La Dent recalcitrante (1902)
Director
Hussards et Grisettes (1901)
Director
Danses basques (1901)
Director
Pas de colombine (1901)
Director
Les Vagues (1901)
Director
Scene d'amour (1901)
Director
Lecture quotidienne (1901)
Director
Scene d'ivresse (1901)
Director
Tel est pris qui croyait prendre (1901)
Director
Lavatory moderne (1901)
Director
Charmant froufrou (1901)
Director
Depart d'Arlequin et de Pierette (1900)
Director
La Reine des jouets (1900)
Director
La Danse du ventre (1900)
Director
Gavotte directoire (1900)
Director
La Poupee noire (1900)
Director
Une rage de dents (1900)
Director
Valse lente (1900)
Director
Dans les coulisses (1900)
Director
Le Lapin (1900)
Director
Le Marchand de coco (1900)
Director
Danse du pas des foulards par des almees (1900)
Director
Lecon de danse (1900)
Director
Suite de la danse (1900)
Director
Declaration d'amour (1900)
Director
La Tarentelle (1900)
Director
Valse directoire (1900)
Director
Danse du voile (1900)
Director
Le Matelot (1900)
Director
Chez le Marechal-Ferrant (1900)
Director
L'Ecossaise (1900)
Director
L'Arlequine (1900)
Director
Arrivee d'Arlequin (1900)
Director
Pas de grace (1900)
Director
Arrivee de Pierette et Pierrot (1900)
Director
Pas Japonais (1900)
Director
Badinage (1900)
Director
Bataille de boules de neige (1900)
Director
Dance de l'ivresse (1900)
Director
La Concierge (1900)
Director
Retour des champs (1900)
Director
La Source (1900)
Director
Le Sang d'Adonis donnant naissance a la rose rouge (1900)
Director
Saut humidifie de M. Plick (1900)
Director
Avenue de l'opera (1900)
Director
Le Polichinelle (1900)
Director
Pas du poignard (1900)
Director
L'Habanera (1900)
Director
Mort d'Adonis (1900)
Director
Le Bebe (1900)
Director
Coucher d'une Parisienne (1900)
Director
Pas des eventails (1900)
Director
Chez le photographe (1900)
Director
La Paysanne (1900)
Director
Le Dejeuner des enfants (1899)
Director
Monnaie de lapin (1899)
Director
Un lunch (1899)
Director
La Bonne absinthe (1899)
Director
Le Crucifiement (1899)
Director
Au cabaret (1899)
Director
La Descente de croix (1899)
Director
Transformations (1899)
Director
Courte echelle (1899)
Director
Le Tonnelier (1899)
Director
Le Tondeur de chiens (1899)
Director
L'Aveugle (1899)
Director
Erreur judiciaire (1899)
Director
Dangers de l'Alcoholisme, Les (1899)
Director
La Resurrection (1899)
Director
Le Chiffonnier (1899)
Director
Mesaventure d'un charbonnier (1899)
Director
L'Entree a Jerusalem (1898)
Director
Le Chemin de croix (1898)
Director
Demenagement a la cloche de bois (1898)
Director
Jesus devant Pilate (1898)
Director
La Cene (1898)
Director
La Fuite en Egypte (1898)
Director
Je vous y prrrrends! (1898)
Director
La Creche a Bethleem (1898)
Director
Les Farces de Jocko (1898)
Director
Lecons de boxe (1898)
Director
Le Jardin des oliviers (1898)
Director
La Flagellation (1898)
Director
Lecon de danse (1897)
Director
L'Arroseur arrose (1897)
Director
Coucher d'Yvette (1897)
Director
Le Planton du colonel (1897)
Director
Le Cocher de fiacre endormi (1897)
Director
Le Pecheur dans le torrent (1897)
Director
Idylle interrompue (1897)
Director
Une nuit agitee (1897)
Director
En Classe (1897)
Director
L'Aveugle (1897)
Director
Idylle (1897)
Director
Au refectoire (1897)
Director
La Fee aux Choux (1896)
Director

Cast (Feature Film)

La Fee aux Choux (1896)

Writer (Feature Film)

Beasts of the Jungle (1913)
Screenwriter
Dick Whittington and His Cat (1912)
Screenwriter

Producer (Feature Film)

Beasts of the Jungle (1913)
Producer
The Sewer (1912)
Producer

Director (Short)

Matrimony's Speed Limit (1913)
Director
A House Divided (1913)
Director
Algie the Miner (1912)
Director
In the Year 2000 (1912)
Director
The Birth, the Life and the Death of Christ (1906)
Director
Une scene en cabinet particulier vue a travers le trou de la serrure (1902)
Director

Producer (Short)

A House Divided (1913)
Producer
Algie the Miner (1912)
Producer

Life Events

1896

Joined Gaumont as secretary

1896

Film directing debut "La Fee aux choux"

1907

Set up branch of Gaumont in United States

1910

Formed Solax production company

Videos

Movie Clip

Ocean Waif, The (1916) -- (Movie Clip) We're Going Ashore Formal framing, without mention of the director, Alice Guy-Blachè, in a feature she made for William Randolph Hearst’s studio, then we meet novelist Roberts (Carlyle Blackwell), the title character (Doris Kenyon) and her abusive foster-father (William Morris) in The Ocean Waif, 1916.
Ocean Waif, The (1916) -- (Movie Clip) Hunger Forces Millie To Action Fleeing domestic abuse, the title character Millie (Doris Kenyon) is hiding out in the supposedly haunted old house claimed by novelist Roberts (Carlyle Blackwell) and his man Hawkins (Edgar Norton), in director Alice Guy-Blachè’s The Ocean Waif, 1916.
Birth, The Life And The Death Of Christ, The (1906) -- (Movie Clip) The Sleep Of Jesus The second and third of the 25 scenes, following the arrival of Mary and Joseph in Bethlehem, the Nativity and the innovative "Sleep Of Jesus," by director Alice Guy-Blachè, in The Birth, The Life And The Death Of Christ, 1906.
Birth, The Life And The Death Of Christ, The (1906) -- (Movie Clip) Ecce Homo The latin translates to “Behold the man,” the words Pontius Pilate used on presenting Jesus to the crowd before his crucifixion, followed by further scenes from the passion, in director Alice Guy-Blachè’s The Birth, The Life And The Death Of Christ, 1906.

Trailer

Be Natural: The Untold Story Of Alice Guy-Blaché (2019) -- (Original Trailer) Trailer for the celebrated 2019 documentary on pioneering filmmaker Alice Guy-Blaché, Be Natural: The Untold Story Of Alice Guy-Blaché, from director Pamela Green, with commentators including Martin Scorsese, Kathleen Turner, Kevin Brownlow, Cari Beauchamp, Evan Rachel Wood, and Ava Duvernay, and narration by Jodie Foster.

Family

Simone Blache
Daughter
Survived her.

Companions

Herbert Blache
Husband
Cameraman. Married in 1907; divorced in 1922.

Bibliography

"The Memoirs of Alice Guy-Blache"
Alice Guy-Blache (translated by Roberta and Simone Blache; edited by Anthony Slide), Scarecrow Press (1986)

TCM Emails

Sign Up now to stay up to date with all of the latest news from TCM.

©2024 Turner Classic Movies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
©2024 Turner Classic Movies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
By using this site, you agree to our updated Privacy Policy and our Terms of Use