Little Known Spaghetti Western Actors ~ Simon Eine

[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.]

Simon Eine was a French actor and stage director renowned for his extensive career at the Comédie-Française, where he served as a sociétaire from 1972 to 2004 and later as sociétaire honoraire, performing in nearly 150 roles across classical and contemporary repertoire while directing more than a dozen productions. Born in Paris on August 8, 1936, to immigrant parents, his father Joseph was a tailor and his mother was Hélène Lubel. Eine pursued a diverse array of jobs from age 17 before discovering theater through Jean Vilar's Théâtre National Populaire, which inspired his lifelong dedication to the stage.

Eine honed his craft at several prestigious institutions, including the École Saint-François de Paule in Nice, the Centre du spectacle, the École Dullin, the Centre d'art dramatique de la rue Blanche, and the Conservatoire national supérieur d'art dramatique (CNSAD) in Paris, from which he graduated with a first prize and two second prizes. He joined the Comédie-Française as a pensionnaire on September 1960, immediately following his conservatory studies, and quickly established himself in the ensemble, interpreting roles in works by masters such as Molière, Racine, Corneille, Shakespeare, and modern authors like Jean Giraudoux, Samuel Beckett, and Jean-Claude Grumberg. Notable performances included Alceste in Le Misanthrope (which he also directed in 1988–1990 and 1996–1997), Burrhus in Britannicus, Mithridate in Mithridate, and supporting roles like Oronte in “L'École des femmes” and Le Bret in “Cyrano de Bergerac”. His directing credits at the Comédie-Française encompassed acclaimed stagings of “Cinna ou la clémence d'Auguste” (2000–2001), “Les Femmes savants” (1998–2000), and “Le Misanthrope”, blending classical rigor with innovative interpretations.

Beyond theater, Eine appeared in French cinema and television, with roles in films such as “Elle s'appelait Sarah” (2010) directed by Gilles Paquet-Brenner, “Requiem” (2002) by Hervé Renoh, and “Notre musique” (2004) by Jean-Luc Godard, as well as TV adaptations including ‘Le Capitaine Fracasse’ (1968) and episodes of ‘Nestor Burma’. In his later years, after retiring from the troupe in 2004, he continued contributing through occasional readings and tributes at venues like the Studio-Théâtre and Théâtre du Vieux-Colombier, including performances of texts by Victor Haïm and Roland Barthes. Eine was honored as a Knight of the Legion of Honour, Officer of the National Order of Merit, and Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters; he also published memoirs, Des étoiles plein les poches... (2012), chronicling his journey from immigrant child to theater artisan, and a collection of short stories, Humeurs variables (2017).

Simon Eine died in Nice, France on September 30, 202,0 at the age of 84.

EINE, Simon (Simon Israël Eine) [8/8/1936, Paris, Île-de-France, France – 9/30/2020, Nice, Alpes-Maritimes, France] – director, film, TV actor awarded Knight of the Legion of Honor, awarded Officer of the National Order of Merit, awarded Officer of Arts and Letters.

Another Man, Another Chance – 1977 (Francis’ friend)