Claudine Ancelot	Catherine	Pierre Marie Escourrou	Arnaud/Michel
Pascale Petit	Sara	Philippe Clay †	Barnabé
Philippe Auriault	Landry Pigasse	Grégory Pergeaux Rodolphe Duguet	Michel, son of Catherine & Arnaud
Jacques Duby †	Brother Etienne	Stéphane Bouy †	Garin de Brazey
Jean-François Poron †	Philippe le Bon	Niclole Maurey †	Isabelle de Montsalvy
Dora Doll †	Ermengarde de Châteauvillain	Geneviève Casile	Queen Yolande
Marthe Mercadier †	Mathilde Boucher	Marie Daëms †	Anne de Sillé
Gérard Chambre	Jean de Xaintrailles	Amidou †	Abou-al-Khayr
Michel Peyrelon †	Georges de la Trémoille	Christian Alers †	Mathieu Gautherin
Philippe Murgier	Jacques Coeur	Isabelle Guiard	Jeanne d'Arc
Philippe Nahon †	Fortunat	Van Doude	Jean de Craon
Benoît Brionne	Gilles de Rais	Léna Grinda	Catherine de la Trémoille
Henry Guybet	Gaucher Legoix	Anne Lefébure	Jacquette Legoix
Serge Marquand	Caboche	Jacques Brucher	Jacques de Roussay
Georges Montillier †	Bishop Cauchon	Geneviève Thénier	Macée Coeur
Julie Sarraut	Agnès Sorel	Pierre Deny	Jean de Dunois
Philippe Caroit	Pierre de Brézé	Arnold Boiseau	Jean de Saint-Rémy
James Sparrow  †	Sir Hugh Kennedy	Jean-Yves Gautier	Bernard d'Armagnac
Jean-François Bayonne	La Hire	Stéphane Fey †	Tristan l'Hermite
François Brincourt	Arthur de Richemont	Antonin	Charles VII
Eric Dufay	Dauphin Louis	Jean-Luc Buquet	Jean Van Eyck
Michel Duplaix	Raoul de Gaucourt	Isabelle Duby	Isabelle de Séverac
Sylvain Lemarie	Abbé Bernard d'Olt	Christian Rauth	Fero,the Gypsy Lord
Corinne Touzet	Princess Zobeïda	Jean-Pierre Belissent	Caliph of Grenada
Jean-Pierre Vaguer	Don Alonso	Jean-Claude Auber	King René d'Anjou
Virginie Lacroix	Marie Rallard	Marc Samuel	Josse Rallard
Virginie Pradal	Margot	Rebecca Potok	Gauberte Cairou
Patrice Aleksandre †	Robert de Saarebrück	Anne-Marie Scieller	Marie de Comborn
Bernard Ortega	Rodrigo Villandrando	Bénédicte Sire	Azalaïs
Hervé Pauchon	Gauthier de Chazay	Hugues Profy	Béranger de Roquemaurel
Jacqueline Doyen	Mathilde de Roquemaurel	Reginald Huguenin	Renaud de Roquemaurel

Anna-Marie Mayfair (Duchesse Isabelle) Sophie Guille de Buttes (Amandine La Verne) Marie Laurence (Duchesse Elisabeth de Luxembourg) Dominique Andrieux (Dame Simone Morel) Régine Blaess (Dame Béatrice) Betty Berr (la Florentine) Salah al Hamdani (Mansour) Mohamad Reza Kheradmad (Prince Abdallah) Clément Michu (Cornélis) Martin Trévières (Guillaume-Pierre Legoix) Gérard Camoin (Nicklaus) Alex Descas (Omar) Isaach de Bankole Alain Flick (Le Vizir) ( Ali) Paul Rieger (Merlot) Sylvia Folgeas (Michelle de France) Cécile Lalogan (Gertrude Van de Walle) Sylvie Lebrigant (Marthon) Jean le Mouel (Leblond) Yves Arcanel (Abbé de Saint-Seine) Louis Mérino (L'échevin Lallier) Jean-Marie Bernical (L'huissier) Michel Caccia (le Boîteux) René Lefebvre-Bel (Evêque Hardouin de Bueil) Guylaine Porret (Mme de Gaucourt) Pierre Pirol (Jamet) Catherine Cauvet (Nicole Son) Prégent de Coëtobx Serge Bento (Maître Renaudot) Charlotte Maury (Berthe Legoix) (Jérôme Rebbot) Jean-Claude Sachot (Jean Son) Jean-Marie Retby (Machefer) Marcel Champel (Pochard) Freddy Houragahe (gouverneur de Sablet) Pierre Trapet (Fagot) Serge Feuillard (Roussot) Jacques Dichamp (Saturnin) Irène Hilda (Tzigane) Béatrice Lord (Donatienne) Catherine d'At (Margot) Jacques Rebouillat (Geoffroy Terrage) Cyril Spiga (Jean Sans Peur) Roger Desmare (Perrin) Eliane Gauthier (Perrette) Roland Sarfati (Nicolas Rolin) Lorella di Cicco (Dunicha)  Daniel Tarrare (Jean de Luxembourg) Marie-Noëlle Chevalier (Soeur Léonarde) Thamis Mesbah-Detraz (Morayama) Dane Bellany (Fatima) Bernard Hervé (l'aubergiste de Sully-sur-Loire) Jean-Marie Bernicat (Patrice Zonta (Charpentier) Eric Fanck (Vigneron) Alexandre Sosnowsky (héraut de Philippe le Bon)  Nicolas Cuche (Tomas Torquemeda)Michel Mella (Ménestrel chez Gazin) Didier Benurceau (moine-portier de Sainte-Seine) Jean-Gabriel Gasnot (ménestre de Mehun) Philippe Desboeuf (Bourgmestre Van de Walle) Michel Motu (geôlier anglais) Valentine Sentier-Devos (Tzigane) Gilles Geisseiller (Hans de Cologne) François d'Aubigny (officier anglais) Eduardo Galhos (Don Bablo) Jean Crubeliez (Rabbi Moshe) Georges Petit (chapelin de Mathilde Boucher) Michelle Letellier (Dame Gillette) Hervé Briaud (Gamaches) Christian Sterne (moine-infirmier) Danute Kristo (Dame anglaise) Lillemour Jonsson (suivante anglaise) Stéphane Béraud (Poitou)  Peter Semler (venables) Alain Christie (écorcheur anglais) André Obadia (Miguel) Alain Bauguil (Gerbert Bohat) Salvator Ingoglia (l'aubergiste de Burgos) Alain Berguig (Gervais Malfrat) 
 

~~~ the complete casting list ~~~ Mille fois merci to Dame Marion

~~~ The cast at Burgundy ~~~
 

Text Linda, webmaster
In 1986 March 19, the French television audience saw the premiere of the most anticipated TV-series, that of the beloved "Catherine". The saga of a courageous and beautiful young woman in medieval times - during the end of the hundred year wars between France and England - where Burgundy was reigned by the enigmatic personality "Duke Philippe of Burgundy - a prince of France. Directed by the ingenious director Marion Sarraut (decorated with the Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur and Chevalier des Arts des letters) Award. ».

Do not miss the many extra pages concerning the Catherine series
see ► sitemap page

Dame Marion Sarraut had already successfully produced another series of the Novels by Juliette Benzoni, Marianne, une étoile pour Napoléon (Marianne, a Star for Napoleon), a year earlier. The author Juliette Benzoni herself had together with Jean Chatenet written the script and it is said that the two women got on like mother and daughter. The filming took two years of preparation. Under the excellent direction of Marion Sarraut - that is: 15 months of shooting - 200 actors - more than 1500 costumes - were needed for this exceptional production. Although the filming was long - there was a very open, relaxed and family atmosphere  as we can read in articles and interviews with the former Stars. Of which many you can read exclusively on this website thanks to the generosity of Marion Sarraut who made uniquely her Press Review book available to me. See Press page → here .

Many actors, some of them also known to an international public - had signed to join the cast. Beautiful Nicole Maurey as Arnaud's mother Isabelle de Montsalvy, had been in movies with film legendaries like Bing Crosby, Charlton Heston, Sir Alec Quinesss and many others. Philippe Clay, a most beloved French actor, who had played with stars like Jean Gabin, brought to life Barnaby of the Cockleshells. The adorable Pascale Petit also known to a wide audience - was our heroine's best friend Sara. The acclaimed stage actress, amazing Geneviéve Casile as Queen Yolande d'Anjou.

Dashing Jean-François Poron, who had already played in "Marianne" was the formidable Duke Philippe of Burgundy - he who had long experience in playing historical characters - e.g. Philippe, Louis XIV twin brother in The Iron Mask, which starred also the great Jean Marais as the most beloved Musketeer d'Artagnan. Also outstanding in his role as the villain Gilles de Rais - Benôit Brionne - who had already performed extremely well in Marion Sarraut's Marianne as Napoleon Bonaparte.

So what could have gone wrong with such a production ? Nothing at all! Although the sixty 25-minute episodes were not scheduled for prime time on the network.

However, the serie was nonetheless a huge success! The readers of the Catherine books, and the occasional television spectators - were more than satisfied by the outcome of their beloved story of Catherine and Arnaud. To their great pleasure, the producers had adapted the seven books more or less faithfully. Not like it had happened in 1968 when Bernard Borderie had brought to film audience the movie adaption of "Catherine Il suffit d'un amour"! Some minor changes had to be made all the same, due to the small budget they had to their disposal. A fact which cannot be entirely avoided -  as we all know from other famous film adaptions...

The beautiful and adorable Claudine Ancelot, in her first television appearance, was the perfect Catherine. At her side, handsome Pierre-Marie Escourrou as the only man Catherine ever loved 'Arnaud de Montsalvy'. With their splendid and outstanding performance, the "loveliest Lady of the West and her proud and valiant Knight were brought to life. Without doubt, we can compare their portrayal on the same level as; Vivien Leigh as Scarlett O'Hara and Clark Gable as Rhett Butler in 'Gone with the Wind'

... and that dear friends is not only my personal opinion, but of many others and the Press... (Linda, webmaster)
 
For over two decades the legendary story of Catherine had vanished from television. Now to all our delight, the French Book Club France Loisirs launched the long awaited "Catherine Il suffit d'un amour " tv-serie on DVD December 2007. They exist of five boxes - each box contains two disks.

However, great our the joy may be - there is a small fly in the ointment! We cannot find any special's - like interviews with Juliette Benzoni, Marion Sarraut or any of the adored Stars. In addition and that is maybe especially for non speaking French fans a huge disappointment - NO subtitles! Either in French or English. We do not want to criticise France Loisirs in any way, too grateful we are to them, having so much consideration for the admitted admirer's of Catherine... but there remains a BUT...
* On a personal note: I show the Catherine story as it was filmed (click on each DVD cover above), don't be surprised if it deviates a little from the seven novels. As Juliette Benzoni, who co-wrote the script with Jean Chatenet, explained to me: "it is simply not possible to show everything on the little screen". Also in 1985, Dame Marion Sarraut did not have the money available for the television series as is nowadays the case...

You still find some of the DVD's on the Internet... for example Priceminister or Ebay !   Return  © 2008 - 2025 Linda Compagnoni Walther non profit site tous droits réservées