Born an illegitimate son of a wealthy physician, Abel Flamant, and a working class mother, Francoise Perethon. He was raised by his mother and her boyfriend, who later became her husband, Adolphe Gance. Pressured by his parents, he began his working career as a lawyer's clerk in hopes of achieving a prosperous career in law. But his passion for the theatre lured him to the stage and at 19 he made his stage debut in Brussels. Within a year, after returning to Paris, he made his screen debut as an actor in Moliere and its director received the respect they deserve.
Biography in: John Wakeman, editor. "World Film Directors, Volume One, 1890-1945". Pages 371-385. New York: The H.W. Wilson Company, 1987.
Though the technique of rapid editing was historically attributed to Soviet Russia, Gance actually pioneered the process in La roue . It can also be seen in Napolon vu par Abel Gance with more heroic ambition.
Member of the jury at the Cannes Film Festival in 1953
Often called the D.W. Griffith of Europe.
Was asked by the Vichy Government, during 1941, to prove his Aryan origins to the head of the Cinema industry when accused of being Jewish.
Published his first article in the Parisian Cin-Journal entitled "What is the cinema? A sixth art form!" on March 9th 1912.
Was a stretcher-bearer during World War I, as he was exempt from active military duty due to health reasons.
When Gance did not receive the necessary financial support to expand his masterpiece "Napoleom" to complete his original conception of a cinematic trilogy, he just discarded cans of film that would have been used, depriving future film historians of invaluable insights into the directors vision.
