George Rigaud

George Rigaud, born Pedro Jorge Rigato Delissetche on 11 August 1905 in Buenos Aires, was an Argentine-French actor whose career spanned film, television, and Broadway across five decades. Of Italian and German descent, he relocated with his family to Paris at the age of eight, where he adopted the Francized name Georges Rigaud. He later worked internationally under the credits George Rigaud or Georges Rigaud.

Following drama school training in France, Rigaud made his screen debut in Under the Leather Helmet in 1932. During the 1930s he appeared in three films directed by Max Ophüls — A Love Story, Divine, and There's No Tomorrow — and worked with other notable French directors including René Clair on Bastille Day, Marcel L'Herbier on Nights of Fire, and Paul Fejos on Fantômas, taking on both leading and supporting parts throughout the decade.

With the German invasion of France imminent during World War II, Rigaud returned to Argentina in 1941 and continued his film work there before pursuing opportunities in Hollywood later in the 1940s. It was during this period in the United States that he made his Broadway appearance, performing in the 1945 musical Mr. Strauss Goes to Boston.

In 1956, Rigaud settled in Spain, where he remained for the rest of his life and career. He accumulated credits in horror, giallo, and Spaghetti Western productions, building a following among genre film audiences. Across his career he appeared in nearly 200 films and television programs between 1932 and 1981.

Rigaud died on 17 January 1984 at the age of 78 in Leganés, from injuries sustained in a road accident. He was buried at the common ossuary in the parish cemetery of Leganés. In 2023, a gravestone was placed at his burial site, 45 years after his death. A Spanish documentary about his life, Osario Norte, los últimos días de San Valentín, was released in 2024, and in 2025 the Leganés city council installed a commemorative plaque on Cádiz Street, where he died.