Pierre Batcheff

Pierre Batcheff in Un Chien Andalou

Pierre Batcheff (born Piotr Bachev; 23 June 1907 in Harbin – 12 April 1932 in Paris) was a French actor of Russian descent. He was a high-profile cast during the 1920s and early 1930s and among his best-known films was Un Chien Andalou (1929), directed by Luis Buñuel and Salvador Dalí. From 1930 until his death, was married to French film editor Denise Batcheff.

Life

Originally born in Harbin, he grew up in Saint Petersburg, until his family emigrated to Geneva, Switzerland. In 1921, Batcheff moved to Paris where he first worked as a theatre actor, but soon entered the movie industry. From 1923 on, he had his first appearances in movies and by the mid-1920s, he had a become a high-profile actor.

Both Batcheff and the leading actress in Un Chien Andalou, Simone Mareuil, committed suicide, Mareuil by setting herself on fire in 1954, Batcheff reportedly by overdosing on Veronal on 12 April 1932.

The source for the dates of birth and death is Batcheff's death certificate.

Selected filmography

• Feu Mathias Pascal (1925)
• Education of a Prince (1927)
• Napoléon (1927)
• Un Chien Andalou (1929)
• The Rebel (1931)

Bibliography

• Powrie, Phil & Rebillard, Éric. Pierre Batcheff and stardom in 1920s French cinema. Edinburgh University Press, 2009