31 Facts About Bernard Natan

Bernard Natan eventually acquired the largest French motion picture studio, Pathe, in 1929, just prior to the Great Depression.

Pathe collapsed in 1935, and Bernard Natan was the subject of false and antisemitic accusations of fraud, and was ultimately convicted and imprisoned by French authorities.

Bernard Natan was deported to Auschwitz concentration camp in September 1942, where he was murdered.

However, Bernard Natan laid the foundation for the modern film industry in France and helped revolutionize film technology around the world.

Bernard Natan was born Bernard Natan Tannenzaft to Jewish parents in Iasi, Romania in 1886.

Bernard Natan moved to France in the early 1900s, where he held a number of jobs in cinema.

Bernard Natan worked as a projectionist, film lab chemist, titles designer, cinematographer and producer during his early years in Paris.

Bernard Natan was a publicity stringer for Paramount Pictures during the early 1920s.

Bernard Natan's reputation was such that in 1924 Natan became a member of the executive committee of the Cinematographic Employers' Federation.

Bernard Natan was a film producer, helping finance and produce motion pictures at other studios.

In late February 1929, Bernard Natan acquired the production and exhibition businesses of Pathe, then the largest French motion picture company.

Bernard Natan agreed to merge his own studio, Rapid Film, with Pathe in exchange for 50 million francs in shares.

Bernard Natan had the bad luck to take charge of the studio just as the Great Depression convulsed the French economy.

Bernard Natan attempted to steady Pathe's finances and implement modern film industry practices at the studio.

Bernard Natan acquired another film studio, Societe des Cineromans, from Arthur Bernede and Gaston Leroux, which enabled Pathe to expand into projector and electronics manufacturing.

Bernard Natan bought the Fornier chain of motion picture theaters and rapidly expanded the chain's nationwide presence.

Bernard Natan resumed production of the newsreel Pathe News, which had not been produced since 1927.

Bernard Natan invested heavily in research and development to expand Pathe's film business.

Bernard Natan launched two new cinema-related magazines, Pathe-Revue and Actualites Feminines, to help market Pathe's films and build consumer demand for cinema.

Under Bernard Natan, Pathe funded the research of Henri Chretien, who developed the anamorphic lens.

Bernard Natan expanded Pathe's business interests into communications industries other than film.

In November 1929, Bernard Natan established France's first television company, Television-Baird-Bernard Natan.

French authorities pursued charges of fraud against Bernard Natan, including financing the purchase of the company without any collateral, of bilking investors by establishing fictitious shell corporations, and financial mismanagement.

Bernard Natan was accused of hiding his Romanian and Jewish heritage by changing his name.

In 1938, Bernard Natan was arrested and imprisoned, never to regain his freedom.

Joseph Slade suggests that Bernard Natan may have directed at least one hardcore pornographic film in Romania and produced and acted in at least 20 hardcore heterosexual and bisexual films between 1920 and 1927.

Joseph Slade now admits there is room for doubt over whether Bernard Natan worked in pornography at any time after 1910.

World War II broke out while Bernard Natan was in prison awaiting trial, and Nazi Germany conquered France.

Bernard Natan was transferred from prison in September 1942 to the camp at Drancy, and shortly afterwards deported to the Auschwitz concentration camp on 25 September 1942, where it is believed he was murdered in 1942 or 1943.

Bernard Natan pioneered vertical integration in the French film industry, and adopted the "American model" of film-making and distribution, which provided the underpinning of the French film industry into the 21st century.

Bernard Natan brought television to France, and established the first French radio and television holding companies.