Marcel Pagnol, born in 1895 at Aubagne Provence, in the south of France, was one of the most famous French writers, playwrights and filmmakers of the 20th century.​

Being the son of a schoolteacher, he studied in Marseille, became a teacher in Aix-en-Provence, then taught in Paris.

It was at a very young age that he discovered his passion for dramatic writing. In the three volumes that make up his autobiography, La Gloire de mon père, Le Château de ma mère, Le Temps des secrets, Marcel Pagnol recounts his childhood and adolescence in Provence.

He also divided his career between theatre and cinema. He became the master of "filmed theatre", thanks in particular to his famous Marseille trilogy Marius, Fanny and César.

He gave the cinema many films, including Merlusse, Cigalon, Le Schpountz, La Fille du puisatier, La Belle meunière, and Manon des sources, as well as several films inspired by the work of another film maker, Jean Giono: Angèle, Regain, La Femme du boulanger. He was served by the greatest performers of the time: Louis Jouvet, Raimu, Pierre Fresnay and Fernandel.

He was elected at the French Academy on the 4th of april 1946

He died in Paris on the 18th April 1974.