Little Known Spaghetti Western actors ~ Gil Delmare

[These daily posts will cover little known actors or people that have appeared in more recent films and TV series. Various degrees of information that I was able to find will be given and anything that you can add would be appreciated.]

Gilbert-Yves de la Mare de la Villenaire de Chénevarin was born in Paris, France on October 14, 1924. A law student, Gil at the age of 20 decided to give up his studies to become a trapeze acrobat in a circus. Later, practicing skydiving, he was a co-world record holder in free fall (9509 meters), being cast in Jacques Dubourg's film “The Birdman” (L'Homme-oiseau, short film), where he performs jumps from the plane and glides with the help of wings made of canvas. Bringing innovations in this field, Gil Delamare would then begin his career as an exceptional stuntman and master’s in special effects, becoming very well-known during the 1960s.

He recorded sequences that have become memorable in cinema: the pursuit by the Germans and their pumpkin bombing in “The Great Wandering”, Bourvil's 2CV splitting in two in “The Fool”, the "two-wheeled" chase made by the nun of the “Gendarmerie of Saint-Tropez”, the American paratrooper (dubbing the actor Red Buttons) hanging from the façade of the cathedral of Sainte-Mère-Église from the movie “The Longest Day” or the final sequel to “Fantômas”.

During the filming of the film directed by Christian-Jaque, “The Saint Lies in Wait” (1966), which takes place on a section of the A1 motorway then under construction, one of the scenes in which he double Jean Marais, he happened to make an uncontrolled skid with his car, a pirouette around the vertical axis, failing the proposed figures. Delamare decides to continue, with stuntmen Gaston Woignez and Odile Astier by his side. Around 5:30-5:50 p.m., the car skidded instead of sliding. Under the force exerted on the tires by the braking grip, a rear axle arm breaks, causing the convertible to overturn several times, expelling the passengers, but unfortunately trapping Gil Delamare under it. He died as a result at the scene of the accident on May 30, 1966, in Bobigny, Seine, France

Gil Delmare’s only Euro-western was as Harry in 1958’s “Sérénade au Texas” (Texas Serenade).

DELMARE, Gil (aka Delamare, Gil Delmare) (Gilbert-Yves de la Mare de la Villenaire de Chénevarin) [10/14/1924, Paris, Île-de-France, France – 5/30/1966 Bobigny, Seine, France (stunt car crash)] – SFX, stuntman, film actor, married to model, skydiver Colette Louise Duval [1930-1988].

Texas Serenade – 1958 (Harry)