Following the German occupation of France, he emigrated to Hollywood. At
that time he began a romance with Marlene Dietrich and lived there
until 1943.
After his death his body was cremated and his ashes were thrown overboard
from the French naval ship "Détroyat".
Male winner of 1953 Lemon Prize, awarded by French journalists to the
nastiest French actors.
He enlisted in the 2nd Free French Armored Division and was eventually made a tank commander. He fought in France and in Germany until the end of the war.
His second wife Jeanne Mouchine was a former chorus girl of the Casino
de Paris. After their divorce he was ordered to pay her 60 million francs.
His parents, Ferdinand Moncorgé and Hélène Petit, were performers and
singers in low-class shows.
In 1960 he was made an officer of France's Legion of Honor.
He didn't want his daughter Florence to become an actress and tried in
every way to prevent her from doing so. When she married a jockey against his
will he didn't go to the wedding ceremony but sent a friend, Lino Ventura.