Biography

Albert Vidalie (25 May 1913 – 8 June 1971) was a French writer, screenwriter, and songwriter. Vidalie was the son of Jeanne Deshayes, a stitcher, born à La Ville-du-Bois in the Hurepoix and Jean-Baptiste Vidalie, a printing worker, born in Mauriac, Cantal. He married Madeleine Constantin in 1936, with whom he had three daughters, Colette (1937), Danièle (1946-1948) and Isabelle (1951).

From the age of 12 he made small trades until the 39/45 war during which he was held prisoner for five years in Neusalz on Oder in Silesia. After the war, the Radiodiffusion française sought memories and poems of prisoners. He introduced himself, and thanks to two poems in slang language, he became assistant of radio series and wrote scenarios and adaptations put on air.

He also worked as a journalist for the newspaper France Dimanche.

Between 1952 and 1968, he published nine novels and short stories.

He also attended the post-war Saint-Germain-des-Prés. His friends were Roger Nimier, Kléber Haedens, Paul Guimard, and Antoine Blondin, the godfather of his daughters. He was also close to Pierre Mac Orlan, Jean Giono, and Georges Arnaud.

He wrote cabaret shows played at the cabaret de la Rose Rouge, the Théâtre La Bruyère, at the Fontaine des 4 saisons, a cabaret directed by Pierre Prévert and wrote screenplays and dialogues for the cinema, adaptations or original texts.

He was a lyricist of songs; the best known was Les loups sont entrés dans Paris, created by Serge Reggiani in 1967.

At the end of his life he wrote two screenplays for television serials, the second of which, Mandrin, will not be released until after his death.

He lived in Châtillon during his first 23 years, then Fontenay-aux-Roses, then in the Luberon ar Reillanne near Manosque close to his friend Jean Giono. He finished his life in the 14th arrondissement of Paris.

Albert Vidalie was not born to frequent worldly bistros, but to live among men built by God, that is, frank or treacherous as those who are always ready to pay cash.