Fernand Samuel

Fernand Samuel was the professional name of Adolphe-Amédée Louveau[1] (2 July 1862 – 21 December 1914), a French theatre director and producer.

[2] He came from a theatrical family, and as young man in the early 1880s wrote a column for the Globe newspaper and was a leading member of a well-known amateur troupe, "Arts intimes", in Paris.

After he moved from there to the Théâtre des Variétés in the same year his prestige increased and he became known as "Samuel le Magnifique".

[3] He assembled a company of leading stars including Jeanne Granier, Ève Lavallière (whom he married), Albert Brasseur, Max Dearly and others, and presented a series of successful plays.

[3] When he died, shortly after the start of the First World War, Le Figaro said that he would be known as "one of our great pre-war directors".