born Feb. 4, 1900, Neuilly-sur-Seine, France
died April 11, 1977, Omonville-la-Petite
French poet and screenwriter.
A shop worker, he began writing after his military service. Influenced by the Symbolist movement , he renewed the ancient tradition of oral poetry, creating "song poems" about Paris street life, collected in the anthology Words (1945). Many were put to music and became extremely popular. His excellent screenplays for Marcel Carné include The Children of Paradise (1945), Spectacle (1951), and Things and Other Things (1972). He also worked for French television and on animated films for children.