11 December 2021

Published by PSG

PSG was a French postcard publisher of the 1960s. They mixed colour cards of French and international stars, film actors and pop musicians. During this decade, a remarkable number of pop stars acted in films. PSG produced several postcard series which were presented by commercial firms, like Corvisart biscuits and Korès carbons. The cards for Corvisart were narrower than usual. Some of the cards were used for promotion by such record companies as Disques Vogue.

Jean-Pierre Cassel
French postcard by Editions PSG, presented by Corvisart, Epinal, no. 66.

Tall, elastic-faced French actor Jean-Pierre Cassel (1932-2007) rode the crest of the Nouvelle Vague, the French New Wave in the early 1960s. The charming and energetic Cassel was being compared to Danny Kaye and Jacques Tati, but he also showed depth in roles for such famous directors as Claude Chabrol, Jean-Pierre Melville, Luis Buñuel, and Robert Altman.

Monica Vitti
French postcard by PSG, presented by Corvisart, Epinal, no. 437. Photo: Sam Lévin.

Original and versatile Monica Vitti (1931) is one of Italy's most famous actresses of the 20th century. She is most widely noted in the early 1960s for her starring roles in four classic avant-garde films directed by Michelangelo Antonioni. Later the glamorous blonde became the queen of the 'Commedia all’italiana', a film genre previously restricted to men.

France Gall (1947-2018)
French postcard by PSG, presented by Corvisart, Epinal, no. 441. Photo: G. Neuvecelle / Philips.

French singer France Gall (1947-2018) rocketed to fame in the 1960s as a naive young singer performing songs written by Serge Gainsbourg. In 1965 she won the Eurovision Song Contest with his 'Poupée de cire, poupée de son'. But, after meeting and marrying, French singer-songwriter Michel Berger, her career was completely turned around and she soon went on to make a name for herself as one of the top female artists on the French music scene.

Fernandel
French postcard by PSG, presented by Corvisart, Epinal, no. 443. Photo: Nisak.

Actor and singer Fernandel (1903–1971) was for more than forty years France's top comedy star. He was perhaps best-loved for his portrayal of Don Camillo. His horse-like teeth and shy manner became his trademark.

Marie Laforet
French postcard by PSG, presented by Corvisart, Epinal, no. 474. Photo: Sam Lévin.

Marie Laforêt (1939-2019) was a French singer and actress of Armenian descent. After her film debut in the drama Plein Soleil (1960) opposite Alain Delon, she became very popular and interpreted many roles in the 1960s. As a singer she is best loved for 'Marie douceur, Marie colère', her version of the Rolling Stones hit 'Paint it black'.

Les Fantomes
French postcard by PSG, no. 809. Photo: Vogue.

Les Fantomes (The Ghosts) was the first instrumental group of French Rock. They were popular in the 1960s and recorded for the Vogue label.

Charlie Watts (1941-2021)
French postcard by PSG, no. 446.

The Rolling Stones is a legendary English rock band known for many popular hits, such as Paint it Black, Lady Jane, Ruby Tuesday, and (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction. The Rolling Stones formed in 1962 in London when original leader Brian Jones and pianist Ian Stewart were joined by vocalist Mick Jagger and guitarist Keith Richards, whose songwriting partnership later contributed to their taking the leadership role in the group. Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early lineup. Singer Mick Jagger starred in several films.

Leny Escudéro
French postcard by PSG, no. 857. Photo: Henri Rzepski.

Popular French singer Leny Escudéro (1932-2015) did not want to be a star but performed his songs to help others. He also appeared in committed roles in films and on TV.

Eddy Mitchell
French postcard by PSG, no. 859. Photo: Gérard Neuvecelle.

French singer and actor Eddy Mitchell (1942) began his career in the late 1950s, with the Rock & Roll group Les Chaussettes Noires (The Black Socks). He went solo in 1963 and also appeared in many films. In numerous black and white French musical comedies of the 1960s, he appeared as himself fronting his band. His ‘real’ acting career started with Coup de torchon (1981). After a career of 50 years, Mr. Eddy has become the tranquil daddy of French Rock & Roll.

Petula Clark
French postcard by PSG, presented by Korès, no. 1129.

Singer, actress, and composer Petula Clark (1932) is the most successful British female solo recording artist. She began as Britain's Shirley Temple and appeared in over 30 films. During the 1960s she became internationally known for her upbeat hits, including the evergreen 'Downtown'.

Gillian Hills
French postcard by PSG, presented by Corvisart, Epinal, no. 1205. Photo: Dalmas / Disc AZ.

In the 1960s, Beautiful Blonde British starlet Gillian Hills (1944) rose to fame in France, where she was a successful Ye-ye singer and debuted in Roger Vadim’s Les Liaisons dangereuses (1959). In Great Britain, she played the title role in the cult classic Beat Girl (1960) and also appeared in classics like Blowup (1966) and Clockwork Orange (1971).

Bob Dylan
French postcard by PSG, presented by Corvisart, Epinal, no. 1266 A. Photo: CBS.

Bob Dylan (1941) is an American singer-songwriter, author, and visual artist who has been a major figure in popular culture for more than fifty years. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when songs such as 'Blowin' in the Wind' (1963) and 'The Times They Are a-Changin'' (1964) became anthems for the civil rights movement and anti-war movement. His lyrics during this period incorporated a wide range of political, social, philosophical, and literary influences, defied pop-music conventions, and appealed to the burgeoning counterculture.

Christophe
French postcard by PSG, no. 1279. Photo: Disc AZ.

French Chanson singer and composer Christophe (1945-2020) became famous in the early 1960s with his hits 'Aline' and 'Oh!... Mon Amour' which he sang in French and Italian.

Jacques Dutronc
French postcard by PSG, no. 1345. Promotion card for Disques Vogue.

French singer and actor Jacques Dutronc (1943) is with his nonchalant playboy image and his legendary irony one of the most popular performers in the French-speaking world. He wrote successful songs for his later wife Françoise Hardy in the 1960s before moving on to pursue a successful solo career. In 1973, he branched out into film acting and earned a Cesar for Best Actor in 1992 for the leading role in Van Gogh (1992).

Hervé Vilard
French postcard by PSG, no. ?. Photo: Philips.

French pop singer Hervé Vilard (1946) became famous in the 1960s. His first single 'Capri c'est fini' became an international hit in 1965 and rendered him instantaneously known in Western Europe. The song sold 3.3 million copies. Building on this success, Vilard released two more hits 'Mourir ou vivre' and 'Fais-la rire' which established him as a successful artist. In 1967, Vilard was also the first French singer, who came out on the radio. His long national and international musical career as composer, singer, and stage performer spans four decades. In 1992, in recognition of his contributions to French culture, he was awarded the Ordre national du Mérite.

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