Distinguished stage performer, in films from 1915. Fresnay came into his own in the early 1930s playing Marius in the screen adaptations of Marcel Pagnol's "Marseilles" trilogy ("Marius" 1931, "Fanny" 1932, "Cesar" 1935). He went on to give outstanding performances in films such as "Grand Illusion" (1937) and "Monsieur Vincent" (1947).