"I AM PROUD OF MY LAST NAME- KHUBESERIAN…"
Noyan Tapan
17.11.2009
"He is not just a talented image-maker. Charlie is a wonderful artist
who feels the "material" like nobody else." Jean-Paul Belmondo
Charlie Chaplin, Sasha Gitri, Jean Marais, Anthony Quinn, Beth Davis,
Natalie Wood, Robert Ossein, Morris Chevalier, Jean-Paul Belmondo,
Brigitte Bardot, Ava Gardner, Daniel Darie, Jane Fonda, Olivia
de Havilland, Annie Girardo, Monica Vitti, Jacklin Bisset, Alain
Delon…These and many other movie stars have trusted highly-acclaimed
image-maker of French cinema, Charlie Khubeserian, 78. He has been the
image-maker for many films, including Claude Shabrol’s "Doctor Popaul"
(1971), Alan Rene’s "Stavinski", Claude Zidi’s "Recruits go to war"
(1974), Philippe de Broca’s "Incorrigible" (1975), Anri Vernyo’s
"Horror in the city" (1975), David Hamilton’s "Bilitis" (1977), George
Lotner’s "Police or wretch?" (1979), Jack Dera’s "Secondary" (1983)
and "Lonely" (1987), Desmond Davis’s "Camil" (1984), Guy Hamilton’s
"Try this on for size" (1989), "Claude Le Lush’s "Les Miserables"
(1995), Patris Le Cont’s "One chance for both" (1998) and other motion
pictures and television series…
Charles or Garbis Khubeserian was 17 years old when his father advised
him to ask Paris-based Armenian actor and image-maker Asho Shahkhatun
to teach him how to become an image-maker. The prominent master
of image-making let his fellow young Armenian in on the secrets of
image-making and in 1951 Shahkhatun praised Khubeserian as he talked
about his work during the motion picture "The person who says no".
During film production, young actor Olivie Mato changed his persona
and turned into a 68-year old man at the end of the movie.
Khubeserian progressed and reached fame in the film industry. He
has his own methods and his images are used in theater, cinema and
daily life…
In 1997 Khubeserian released his memoir entitled "My life without
image-making" with the preface by his close friend, Jean-Paul
Belmondo. The book became a bestseller and in 2002, Khubeserian
released his next book entitled "Charlie Khubeserian: the Armenian from
De Gaul to Belmondo". Belmondo donated one of his pictures to Charlie
as a joke with the words reading: "To the king of image-making. Your
friend forever, king of impersonation J. P.
Belmondo."
"Armenians Today": In show-business they say: "If you want to know
the secrets of an actor, ask his image-maker." Is that true?
Charlie Khubeserian: Image-makers have a huge impact in America and it
seems that they are the actors’ sponsors, but that’s not the case in
France. When Claudette Colberry was asked the reason for her success,
she said that her image-maker can give the answer to that question.
Beth Davis said the same about me. She wanted to take me to America
with her, but she asked me if I could work without Belmondo. I was
forced to turn her down. I had prepared artificial eyelashes for her
and she took them to America. Then, I found out that she had been
buried with those eyelashes. This is both pleasing and sad. I was very
close with Beth Davis. She had worked with many famous image-makers,
but she trusted me very much. Actors usually don’t like it when
people touch their faces. Beth Davis didn’t tell me what to do. She
just closed her eyes and after opening them, said "Oh my God, what
a beautiful face!" She is the actress who I remember the most in
my life."
"Armenians Today": Which actors have you enjoyed working with the
most and which have you hated working with the most?
C. K.: I have enjoyed working with Belmondo the most. I don’t feel
like I’m working with him. Working means doing your job and getting
paid. But working with Belmondo is like taking a vacation. We laugh
together very often. I hated working with actress Emanuel Riva during
the production of the film "Hirosima, my love".
"Armenians Today": You have worked with political figures as well.
C. K.: We were shooting the film "Sirano de Berzerak" with Daniel
Sorano and we were told that Charles de Gaul’s personal image-maker
had died. Representatives from his office came and said that they had
to choose from five image-makers and that one of us would receive
a notice, if selected…One day, they called me to Chans Elise. I
thought it was another one of Belmondo’s jokes. But when I went
to the office, I found out that I had been selected to be Charles
de Gaul’s personal image-maker. I was given a special card and the
police honored me when they saw that card. I was de Gaul’s personal
image-maker for seven years until his death, although I only worked
with two times. The first time I was with him during film production
in Africa and then I received a call to work with the president. I
returned to France, worked with de Gaul for eight minutes and left
for Africa again. After the second time, de Gaul died. De Gaul loved
Armenians. He talked about Armenians as a pure and brave nation. I
have had touching and important meetings with three great people in
my life, including Charles de Gaul, Beth Davis and Jean-Paul Belmondo.
"Armenians Today": So, Belmondo also played a role in your life?
C. K.: He played a very important role. He is like my brother. I will
bring one example: after my only daughter and her husband died in a
car accident 15 days after their wedding, Beldmono was by my side. He
had just gone on vacation to South Africa, but his mother called
and told him that something bad had happened to Charlie. Belmondo
immediately came back. That was where the strength of our friendship
lied and it was then that he realized that he had to be by my side
to help me not break down and continue to live and work.
"Armenians Today": You came to Armenia in 2004.
C. K.: When I came to Armenia, I didn’t want to stay at the hotel in
my country and lived with one of the families…I will never forget
what I experienced in Armenia. I was born in France and I am also
French, but my love and heart are with the Armenian people. I am
proud of my last name-Khubeserian. Armenians are a pure and brave
nation. My family experienced hardships in Constantinople. During
the massacres, the Jews kept my mother, grandmother and aunt in a
basement. It is a painful story that I will never forget. I grew up
by cutting and keeping every article about Armenians. I am currently
interested in Karabakh, our relations with Azerbaijan…I always kept
a handkerchief with me in Yerevan because I used to cry a lot. It
was as if I was reborn and recognized life. I was born in France,
but my heart is Armenian. Armenians must live well…