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Catherine Langeais and Pierre Sabbagh
Charismatic pioneers of French TV
Catherine Langeais (1923 - 1998)
Born on August 9, 1923 in Valence, she divided her time between Paris and Valmondois where, thanks to her charm and kindness, she became a leading figure in the village. Passionate about cinema, she wanted to be an actress but eventually became an anchorwoman on the TV channel RTF in 1950.
In 1953, she hosted a show designed and produced by Claude Mionnet, called La Séquence du spectateur (the Viewer’s Sequence). Star of RTF and then ORTF from 1950 to 1975, she also accompanied Raymond Oliver in hosting the first cooking show Art et magie de la cuisine, (Kitchen art and magic). On December 10, 1954, she married her second husband, Pierre Sabbagh, whom she met in the studios of rue Cognacq-Jay. In April 1987, François Mitterrand made her a Knight of the Legion of Honour.
Pierre Sabbagh (1918 - 1994)
Born on July 18, 1918 in Lannion, he is a legend in the history of French television. He occupied multiple roles: journalist, director and producer. Like his wife, his first choice was the acting profession but his teacher, Charles Dullin, thought his acting was too bad. He turned to theater decoration (1938-1942) and then became a puppeteer with Jacques Chesnais. On the occasion of an accident during the filming of the Tour de France, Pierre Sabbagh realized that people didn’t just want simple "TV News" but a show. In 1957, his journalistic career took off and he rose to become the most popular French presenter of the time.
The two lovers are buried in the small Valmondois cemetery close to the house they so loved to escape to, away from the studios and cameras.
