The son of a Spanish father and an Arab mother, he was a popular matinée idol, often playing heroic parts in French, Italian and (occasionally) American films. On stage from the age of seventeen, he achieved stardom after being picked by Jean Cocteau for a small part in
Beauty and the Beast (1946). Turned to directing in the 60's and had a noteworthy hit with the spoof
Candy (1968), before returning to the other side of the camera as a good character actor in international productions and made-for-TV movies.