Little Known Spaghetti Western Actors ~ Jacques Dorfmann

[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.]

Jacques Dorfmann’s name appears in countless credits, and his success illuminated the cinemas for more than thirty years. Baron of the 7th art, renowned producer and director, Jacques Dorfmann was born in Toulouse, Haute-Garonne, France on December 2, 1945. He did not experience World War II, but in the footsteps of his father, Robert Dorfmann, producer among many others of “La Grande Vadrouille”, he learned the art of film making. His mother was producer, production manager, actress Agnès Delahaie (Alice Marie Rose Jean Claude), and he was the brother of producer, actor Frédéric Dorfmann. Jacques was the father of cameraman, film editor Anthony Dorfmann and producer Marine Dorfmann with actress Patricia Chemla.

His first producer credit was on Robert Thomas's “Patate” (also known as “Friend of the Family”) in 1964. In the late 1960s he also took minor uncredited acting roles in Sergio Corbucci's “The Great Silence” (1968) and Anatole Litvak's “Mayerling” (1968).

By the end of the decade Dorfmann had moved into more substantial producing work, serving as associate producer on Jean-Pierre Melville's “L'Armée des ombres” (“Army of Shadows”, 1969), where his father's connections facilitated his role on the project. He continued this collaboration with Melville as line producer on “Le Cercle rouge” (“The Red Circle”, 1970).

In the early 1970s Dorfmann began a long-term professional collaboration with director Jean-Pierre Mocky, frequently co-producing his films alongside his brother Frédéric Dorfmann. Their joint efforts included “L'Albatros” (“The Albatross”, 1971), where he served as line producer, “Le Témoin” (“The Witness”, 1978), where he was producer, and the later “Y a-t-il un Français dans la salle?” (“Is There a Frenchman in the Room?”, 1982), on which he acted as delegate producer.

Through these early credits and partnerships Dorfmann transitioned from family-influenced beginnings in his father's production orbit to establishing himself independently as a producer in French cinema.

Jacques Dorfmann died in Paris on August 27, 2025, at the age of 79.

As mentioned above Jacques Dorfmann appeared in one Spaghetti western, “Il grande silenzio” (The Great Silence) as Miguel in 1967.

DORFMANN, Jacques [12/2/1945, Toulouse, Haute-Garonne, France – 8/27/2025, Paris, Île-de-France, France] producer, director, writer, film actor, son of producer Robert Dorfmann [1912-1999], producer, production manager, actress Agnès Delahaie (Alice Marie Rose JeanClaude) [1920-2003], brother of producer, actor Frédéric Dorfmann, father of cameraman, film editor Anthony Dorfmann, producer Marine Dorfmann with actress Patricia Chemla.

The Great Silence – 1967 (Miguel)