Louis Jourdan dies in LA aged 93

Gigi star Louis Jourdan has died at his Los Angeles home aged 93.

Born in Marseilles, Louis Jourdan began his career acting in French films before being lured to the US.

Often seen in roles that capitalized on his Gallic charm, Louis Jourdan described himself as Hollywood’s “French cliché”.

His later years saw him play evil villains, including in the 1983 Bond film Octopussy.

Louis Jourdan died at his home in Los Angeles, his official biographer Olivier Minne said.

“He embodied French elegance and Hollywood offered him the parts to go with that,” he told the AFP news agency.

Multi-Oscar winning 1958 movie Gigi was one of the biggest films of the 1950s.

Other key roles included a part in the Alfred Hitchcock’s 1947 film The Paradine Case, and with Grace Kelly in The Swan.

Louis Jourdan’s early career in France was interrupted by World War Two. He refused to star in Nazi propaganda films and joined the resistance.

In 2010 Louis Jourdan was given France’s top award, the Legion D’Honneur.

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