Head of the esteemed Comedie-Francaise for the two years before his death, Vitez is credited with modernizing the repertoire with productions of plays by Sartre and Brecht. A former actor, he turned to directing in the mid-1960s, taught acting and served as administrator with several troupes (e.g., Paris Conservatoire), founded the experimental Theatre des Quartier d'Ivry in 1972 and took over at the Comedie Francaise in June of 1988, after the death of Jean le Poulain. Vitez's infrequent film appearances include supporting roles in such well-remembered efforts as Eric Rohmer's "My Night at
