Charles Henri David, a multifaceted individual with a profound impact on the film industry, was born on May 4, 1906, in the picturesque city of Metz, situated in the Lorraine region of France.
David's journey in the movie industry began in the early 1930s, as he joined Pathé studios in France, where he would eventually rise to the position of director and later head producer. During his tenure at Pathé-Natan, he had the opportunity to work alongside some of the most prominent French filmmakers of the time, including Jean Renoir, Marc Allegret, Marcel Carné, and the Prévert brothers.
As a production manager, David was responsible for overseeing the production of several films, including Baby's Laxative (1931),The Bitch (1931),and Mam'zelle Nitouche (1931),as well as It's in the Bag (1932) and Bizarre, Bizarre (1937).
David's collaboration with Zoltan and Alexander Korda led to his involvement in the production of The Four Feathers (1939) in Sudan and The Thief of Bagdad (1940) in the United Kingdom.
In his personal life, David married his first wife, Terese, in 1928, and they had two children together. However, the couple would later divorce.
During World War II, David took on the French Army uniform and served as an interpreter with the Royal Air Force (RAF). In 1940, he emigrated to the United States with his family, fleeing the Nazi occupation of France.
Upon arriving in Hollywood, David worked as an assistant producer for the Kordas on The Jungle Book (1942) and later sold a story to Universal, which was adapted into River Gang (1945),starring Gloria Jean. He then directed Lady on a Train (1945),starring Deanna Durbin.
David's personal life took a significant turn when he married Deanna Durbin on December 21, 1950, in France. The couple would remain married until his passing on March 1, 1999, at the age of 92, in Paris.
