ACTOR
Mel Ferrer
- Known for
- War and Peace (1956), Eaten Alive (1976), Brannigan (1975), Stridulum (1979)
18 archived facts 3 topics 1 source Last reviewed Oct 2026
Mel Ferrer is an actor best known for War and Peace, Eaten Alive and Brannigan.
All facts (18)
- #001
Mel Ferrer was not related to José Ferrer or José's son Miguel Ferrer. His son with Audrey Hepburn, Sean Hepburn Ferrer, had only one acting role: in They All Laughed (1981), in which Audrey played a man meant to be a Hollywood joke named "Jose."
- #002
Mel Ferrer was the brother of the renowned cardiologist and educator Dr. M. Irené Ferrer, who helped develop the cardiac catheter and the electrocardiogram, which became diagnostic foundations in heart treatment.
- #003
Because his wife Audrey Hepburn did not want to be separated from her husband during the filming of Funny Face (1957), the shooting of the Paris scenes was scheduled to coincide with Ferrer's filming of Elena and Her Men (1956).
- #004
In 1997, on his 80th birthday, Mel Ferrer officially retired from acting and settled in Lausanne, Switzerland.
- #005
Mel Ferrer was the father of Sean Hepburn Ferrer with Audrey Hepburn.
- #006
Mel Ferrer directed José Ferrer (no relation) in his first performance in the role of Cyrano de Bergerac.
- #007
After attending Princeton University until his sophomore year, Mel Ferrer dropped out and worked as the editor of a Vermont newspaper. He also wrote a children's book titled "Tito's Hat."
- #008
Mel Ferrer was born to a Cuban-born surgeon and his wife, a member of New York society, and was raised in New Jersey.
- #009
Mel Ferrer's eldest child with Pilchard died in infancy.
- #010
After divorcing his first wife, Frances Pilchard, Mel Ferrer married Barbara Tripp. He later divorced Tripp so that he could remarry Pilchard.
- #011
Mel Ferrer spoke Spanish and French fluently.
- #012
Before marrying Elizabeth Soukhotine, Ferrer had a scandalous affair with 29-year-old interior designer and shipping heiress Tessa Kennedy, who was still married to her first husband, Dominick Elwes.
- #013
In 1947, Mel Ferrer, Dorothy McGuire and Gregory Peck founded the "La Jolla Playhouse" at La Jolla High School in La Jolla, CA. The name "La Jolla Playhouse" is now used for a theatre complex on the campus of the University of California, San Diego, in California.
- #014
Mel Ferrer was the father of five children: Pepa Phillippa (born August 19, 1941) and Mark Young Ferrer (born June 19, 1944) with Frances Pilchard; Mela (born January 22, 1943) and Christopher Ferrer (born February 4, 1944) with Barbara C. Tripp; and Sean Hepburn Ferrer (born July 17, 1960) with Audrey Hepburn.
- #015
Mel Ferrer was a jury member at the 1962 Cannes Film Festival.
- #016
Two years after making his stage debut as a dancer at age 21, Mel Ferrer made his Broadway debut at age 23.
- #017
Pepa Phillippa Ferrer, Mel Ferrer's second child with Frances Gunby Pilchard, was conceived after their divorce and before their second wedding, while he was married to Barbara C. Tripp and even before his children with Tripp were born.
- #018
Mel Ferrer appeared in two films titled Eaten Alive: Eaten Alive (1976) and Eaten Alive! (1980).
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