His father was then the mayor of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, and also moved in literary and theatrical circles, which allowed the young Jacques to encounter many famous names in his childhood, including Catulle Mendès, Anatole France, Sarah Bernhardt, and Gabrielle Réjane.

This was followed by El Dorado, Don Juan et Faust, L'Inhumaine, and Le Vertige, and they made Catelain into a leading star who was in demand to appear in foreign films as well as in productions of other French directors such as Léonce Perret (in Kœnigsmark).

He had already worked as an editor on L'Homme du large, and when Marcel L'Herbier set up his own production company Cinégraphic in 1922, its first project became Le Marchand de plaisirs which Catelain directed as well as acting a double role in it.

[7] He devised controversial make-up for some of the actors in L'Inhumaine,[8] and his artistic skills were put to further use in two set designs for L'Argent[9] As a pianist he would sometimes step in to provide improvised accompaniment for previews of L'Herbier's films.

Soon afterwards in 1933/1934 Catelain was employed by the daily newspaper Le Journal to go to Hollywood to carry out a series of interviews with leading personalities such as Chaplin, Stroheim and Sternberg.

[14] Some contemporary critics however, notably Louis Delluc, saw his restrained and economical technique as a significant development away from the exaggerated theatrical acting which was still common in films, and praised the sincerity and natural quality of his performances.

[16] His own performance in L'Homme du large illustrates his understanding of the importance of movement and posture in relation to the camera frame at a time when a more 'expressionist' style of acting was common.