André Hornez

André Hornez (12 May 1905 – 9 March 1989) was a French lyricist and screenwriter.

Lyricist of Paul Misraki in the years 1930–1940 for which he writes many songs lyrics like Qu'est-ce qu'on attend pour être heureux? (1937), André Hornez then became the lyricist of Henri Betti in the years 1940–1950 for which he wrote the lyrics to C'est si bon (1947) and Rien dans les mains, rien dans les poches which were sung by Yves Montand.

Biography Born in Lens in 1905, André Hornez a passion early for architecture and writing. He finally chose writing. He began his career as secretary of Saint-Granier. For him, he writes books magazines and operettas. The author is also hired by Paramount company in Hollywood to write screenplays.

His first songs are composed by Paul Misraki and performed by Ray Ventura and Maurice Chevalier. As for Ray Ventura, they collaborate with lyricist for many years. Among the best-known songs from this collaboration are Ça Vaut Mieux que d'Attraper la Scarlatine (1936), Qu'est-ce qu'on Attend pour être Heureux? (1937), Comme tout le Monde (1938), Tiens, tiens, tiens ! (1939), Dans mon Cœur (1940), Maria de Bahia (1946) and La mi-août (1950).

In 1936, the song Tant qu'il y aura des Étoiles, performed by Tino Rossi, became a classic of French song. In the late 1930s, André Hornez also wrote for Rina Ketty (Sérénade sans Espoir, 1939) and Johnny Hess (Je suis Swing, 1939).

Screenwriter for film, he wrote a number of film lyrics like Avec son Tralala sung by Suzy Delair in Quai des Orfèvres (1947) by Henri-Georges Clouzot. His songs are performed by Yves Montand (Moi j'm'en Fous, Du Soleil plein la Tête), Lucienne Delyle (Mon Cœur Attendait, 1951), André Claveau (Malgré Tout, 1951) or Line Renaud (Ni Pourquoi ni Comment).

In 1947, he collaborated for the first time with the composer Henri Betti for to write the lyrics of C'est si bon. This song became an international jazz standard from the 1950s.

A large majority of the author's songs were written for the cinema or for operettas. Several of his songs have become immortal French song.

André Hornez died in Le Perreux-sur-Marne in 1989 and is buried with his wife in the cemetery of Faverolles.

Personal life On 5 July 1963, in Boulogne-Billancourt, André Hornez married the dancer Gisèle Fréry (1929–2013), whom he met on the operetta Baratin in 1949. His best man was Bruno Coquatrix. The couple had no children.

Respects On 18 December 2003 a street in Lens, where he was born in 1905, was named after him. On 12 May 2007 a commemorative plaque bearing his name was placed on the facade of the building where he was born.

Filmography

Screenwriter 1936 : Les Deux Favoris 1937 : Le Chanteur de minuit 1938 : My Priest Among the Rich 1939 : Tourbillon de Paris 1943 : Feux de joie 1947 : Are You Sure? 1950 : Nous irons à Paris 1950 : La Petite Chocolatière 1950 : King Pandora 1950 : Pigalle-Saint-Germain-des-Prés 1951 : Les Joyeux Pélerins 1951 : Never Two Without Three 1952 : My Priest Among the Rich 1953 : The Sparrows of Paris 1956 : Baratin

Lyricist 1933 : Monsieur Bébé 1934 : La Prison de Saint-Clothaire 1935 : Folies-Bergère de Paris 1938 : Belle Étoile 1938 : Retour à l'aube 1947 : Quai des Orfèvres 1950 : Pigalle-Saint-Germain-des-Prés 1951 : Nous irons à Monte Carlo 1952 : Une fille sur la route 1953 : L'Œil en coulisses 1954 : Le Fil à la patte 1956 : The Road to Paradise 1956 : Et Dieu… créa la femme

Director 1936 : Les Deux Favoris, with Georg Jacoby

Operettas

1929 : Jim by Georges Ghestem, Opéra de Lille 1930 : Loulli by Georges Ghestem, Opéra de Lille 1936 : Normandie by Paul Misraki, Théâtre des Bouffes-Parisiens 1936 : Simone est comme ça by Raoul Moretti, Théâtre des Bouffes-Parisiens 1938 : La Féerie blanche by Casimir Oberfeld et Mitty Goldin, Théâtre Mogador 1948 : Le Chevalier Bayard by Bruno Coquatrix, Théâtre de l'Alhambra 1949 : Baratin by Henri Betti, L'Européen 1950 : M'sieur Nanar by Jean-Jacques Vital, Théâtre de l'Étoile 1953 : Mobilette by Henri Betti, L’Européen 1960 : La Petite Datcha by Georges Soria, Théâtre Gramont