A stage-experienced French performer who emigrated from Poland at the age of four, Denner worked with many of the major filmmakers of post-war France. After making his film debut in 1955 , he appeared in Louis Malle's "Ascenseur pour l'echafaud/Elevator to the Gallows" (1957). Throughout the 1960s and 70s, Denner worked with Claude Chabrol a total of five times, notably playing a murderous womanizer in "Landru" (1962), and a Jewish taxi driver in "Robert et Robert" (1978). Claude Berri chose Denner to portray a character based on the director's father in "Le Vieil Homme et l'Enfant" (1966),
Appeared at Theatre National with Gerard Philipe in "Le Cid" and "Mother Courage," and with Jeanne Moreau in "La machine infernale"; led to his first film roles
1955
Screen acting debut in "La Meilleure Part"
1962
First starring film role as title character of Claude Chabrol's "Landru"; cast after the director saw him in a stage production of "Arturo Ui"
