Biography
André Sarrouy, born January 5, 1905, in Algiers is a journalist, author, screenwriter, director and producer. He is the son of a school director from Lozère, Jean Alphonse Marie, born in 1858 in Algiers, and Marie Augustine Mélanie Fabreguettes, born in 1862 in Issy, married on June 2, 1881 in Algiers. His brother Georges was born on December 11, 1897, in Algiers.
He grew up among Algerian children of all faiths. On the death of his father, director of the Franco-Arab school which bears his name, he entered the Lycée where he completed his studies. He showed very pronounced artistic tastes very early on and he even composed little puppet plays which he performed in front of his young friends, when he was only eight years old. After many vicissitudes in Paris, where he prepared for the conservatory under the direction of Jean d'Yd (1880-1964), he launched into cinema and collaborated on the production of "Dans l'Ombre du Harem." Very serious disappointments in France brought him back to Algiers where, for years, he continued to show everyone the true appearance of North Africa. He had previously had to abandon his plans to shoot, supervised by Henri Wulschleger, a screenplay of which he was the author and which was published in the journal Mon Film, under the title "La Ronde Des Djinns", A little later, a novelist of Algerian origin asks him to assume the functions of deputy artistic director of a newly founded company.
He wrote in numerous Algerian and French magazines and newspapers and is a correspondent for several international film magazines including the illustrated North African magazine "Notre Rive" from January 1927, he wrote an article on Tina Meller. In "Le Petit Journal" of December 27, 1927, we learn that he is editor-in-chief of the film magazine "Sables". In "L'Afrique du Nord Illustrée" of June 16, 1928, he wrote a large 2-page article illustrated by his photos. In "Les Masques" of December 10, 1928, he wrote an article on the passion of Joan of Arc. He wrote several articles for "Ciné-Monde": December 13 and 20, 1928, March 21, April 11, June 20, July 25, August 29, October 31, 1929, January 9 and 16, June 19, December 4, 1930... In " L'Afrique du Nord Illustrée" of July 1929, he paid homage to his compatriot Joseph Seiberras alias Monsieur Cinéma, in the same newspaper of March 1934, he wrote "A Berber In Spain"...
On the heart side, Jean Sarrouy married 3 times: On July 18, 1931, in Algiers, he married Blanche Marie Senanes, born September 8, 1899 in Blida. On December 9, 1941, in Algiers, he married Arlette Madeleine Beguin, born June 25, 1920 in Algiers. On July 2, 1946, in Algiers, he married Marie CERRO, born August 12, 1926 in Paris.
He collaborated on the production of “Dans L’Ombre Du Harem”, released on July 6, 1928. He became general manager and artistic assistant to Jacques Mils, author of “Sables Mouvants” (1929). On December 22, 1932, his play "Marée Montante", a synthesis of all the aspirations of the Algerian people, is a "little gem", in the words used by Charles Cluny, and was broadcast on Radio-Algiers.
In 1937, he wrote and directed "Ikach", in 1938, he shot the short film "Kaddour à Paris", in 1945, he was a screenwriter and voice-over for the documentary series "Alger Et Ses Surroundings".
He died on October 23, 1960 in Saint-Maurice (Seine) in France at the age of 55.
