Jacques Cousteau

1910

Jacques-Yves Cousteau, (, also , ; 11 June 191025 June 1997) was a French naval officer, explorer, conservationist, filmmaker, innovator, scientist, photographer, author and researcher who studied the sea and all forms of life in water.

He remained the only person to win a Palme d'Or for a documentary film, until Michael Moore won the award in 2004 for Fahrenheit 9/11. ==Biography== ===Early years=== Cousteau was born on 11 June 1910, in Saint-André-de-Cubzac, Gironde, France, to Daniel and Élisabeth Cousteau.

1926

According to his first book, A Story of Undersea Discovery and Adventure (1953), Cousteau started diving with Fernez goggles in 1936, and in 1939 used the self-contained underwater breathing apparatus invented in 1926 by Commander Yves le Prieur.

1930

In 1930, he entered the École navale and graduated as a gunnery officer.

1936

The accident forced Cousteau to change his plans to become a naval pilot, so he then indulged his passion for the ocean. In Toulon, where he was serving on the Condorcet, Cousteau carried out his first underwater experiments, thanks to his friend Philippe Tailliez who in 1936 lent him some Fernez underwater goggles, predecessors of modern swimming goggles.

According to his first book, A Story of Undersea Discovery and Adventure (1953), Cousteau started diving with Fernez goggles in 1936, and in 1939 used the self-contained underwater breathing apparatus invented in 1926 by Commander Yves le Prieur.

1937

Cousteau also belonged to the information service of the French Navy, and was sent on missions to Shanghai and Japan (1935–1938) and in the USSR (1939). On 12 July 1937 he married Simone Melchior, with whom he had two sons, Jean-Michel (born 1938) and Philippe (1940–1979).

1938

Cousteau also belonged to the information service of the French Navy, and was sent on missions to Shanghai and Japan (1935–1938) and in the USSR (1939). On 12 July 1937 he married Simone Melchior, with whom he had two sons, Jean-Michel (born 1938) and Philippe (1940–1979).

1939

According to his first book, A Story of Undersea Discovery and Adventure (1953), Cousteau started diving with Fernez goggles in 1936, and in 1939 used the self-contained underwater breathing apparatus invented in 1926 by Commander Yves le Prieur.

An homage was paid to him by the town by naming the street which runs out to the house of his birth "rue du Commandant Cousteau", where a commemorative plaque was placed. ===Honors=== During his lifetime, Jacques-Yves Cousteau received these distinctions: Cross of War 1939–1945 (1945) National Geographic Society's Special Gold Medal in 1961 Commander of the Legion of Honour (1972) Officer of the Order of Maritime Merit (1980) Grand Cross of the National Order of Merit (1985) U.S.

Potts Medal recipients International Emmy Founders Award winners Members of the Académie Française Officers of the Ordre du Mérite Maritime Sportspeople from Gironde Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients Recipients of the Croix de Guerre 1939–1945 (France) Sierra Club awardees Underwater photographers 20th-century French writers 20th-century French zoologists Underwater filmmakers Diving engineers

1940

They already had a daughter Diane Cousteau (born 1980) and a son, Pierre-Yves Cousteau (born 1982), born during Cousteau's marriage to his first wife. ===Early 1940s: innovation of modern underwater diving=== The years of World War II were decisive for the history of diving.

After the armistice of 1940, the family of Simone and Jacques-Yves Cousteau took refuge in Megève, where he became a friend of the Ichac family who also lived there.

However, this was later commuted to a life sentence, and Pierre-Antoine was released in 1954. During the 1940s, Cousteau is credited with improving the Aqua-Lung design which gave birth to the open-circuit scuba technology used today.

In 1943 Cousteau tried out the first prototype Aqua-Lung which finally made extended underwater exploration possible. ===Late 1940s: GERS and Élie Monnier=== In 1946, Cousteau and Tailliez showed the film Épaves ("Shipwrecks") to Admiral Lemonnier, who gave them the responsibility of setting up the Groupement de Recherches Sous-marines (GRS) (Underwater Research Group) of the French Navy in Toulon.

1942

Cousteau was not satisfied with the length of time he could spend underwater with the Le Prieur apparatus so he improved it to extend underwater duration by adding a demand regulator, invented in 1942 by Émile Gagnan.

1943

In 1943 Cousteau tried out the first prototype Aqua-Lung which finally made extended underwater exploration possible. ===Late 1940s: GERS and Élie Monnier=== In 1946, Cousteau and Tailliez showed the film Épaves ("Shipwrecks") to Admiral Lemonnier, who gave them the responsibility of setting up the Groupement de Recherches Sous-marines (GRS) (Underwater Research Group) of the French Navy in Toulon.

1946

At that time, he kept his distance from his brother Pierre-Antoine Cousteau, a "pen anti-semite" who wrote the collaborationist newspaper Je suis partout (I am everywhere) and who received the death sentence in 1946.

In 1943 Cousteau tried out the first prototype Aqua-Lung which finally made extended underwater exploration possible. ===Late 1940s: GERS and Élie Monnier=== In 1946, Cousteau and Tailliez showed the film Épaves ("Shipwrecks") to Admiral Lemonnier, who gave them the responsibility of setting up the Groupement de Recherches Sous-marines (GRS) (Underwater Research Group) of the French Navy in Toulon.

1947

In 1947, Chief Petty Officer Maurice Fargues became the first diver to die using an aqualung, while attempting a new depth record with the GERS near Toulon. In 1948, between missions of mine clearance, underwater exploration and technological and physiological tests, Cousteau undertook a first campaign in the Mediterranean on board the sloop Élie Monnier, with Philippe Tailliez, Frédéric Dumas, Jean Alinat and the scenario writer Marcel Ichac.

1948

In 1947, Chief Petty Officer Maurice Fargues became the first diver to die using an aqualung, while attempting a new depth record with the GERS near Toulon. In 1948, between missions of mine clearance, underwater exploration and technological and physiological tests, Cousteau undertook a first campaign in the Mediterranean on board the sloop Élie Monnier, with Philippe Tailliez, Frédéric Dumas, Jean Alinat and the scenario writer Marcel Ichac.

1949

Cousteau and Marcel Ichac brought back from there the Carnets diving film (presented and preceded with the Cannes Film Festival 1951). Cousteau and the Élie Monnier then took part in the rescue of Professor Jacques Piccard's bathyscaphe, the FNRS-2, during the 1949 expedition to Dakar.

Thanks to this rescue, the French Navy was able to reuse the sphere of the bathyscaphe to construct the FNRS-3. The adventures of this period are told in the two books The Silent World (1953, by Cousteau and Dumas) and Plongées sans câble (1954, by Philippe Tailliez). ===1950–1970s=== In 1949, Cousteau left the French Navy. In 1950, he founded the French Oceanographic Campaigns (FOC), and leased a ship called Calypso from Thomas Loel Guinness for a symbolic one franc a year.

1950

Thanks to this rescue, the French Navy was able to reuse the sphere of the bathyscaphe to construct the FNRS-3. The adventures of this period are told in the two books The Silent World (1953, by Cousteau and Dumas) and Plongées sans câble (1954, by Philippe Tailliez). ===1950–1970s=== In 1949, Cousteau left the French Navy. In 1950, he founded the French Oceanographic Campaigns (FOC), and leased a ship called Calypso from Thomas Loel Guinness for a symbolic one franc a year.

1951

Cousteau and Marcel Ichac brought back from there the Carnets diving film (presented and preceded with the Cannes Film Festival 1951). Cousteau and the Élie Monnier then took part in the rescue of Professor Jacques Piccard's bathyscaphe, the FNRS-2, during the 1949 expedition to Dakar.

1953

He co-developed the Aqua-Lung, pioneered marine conservation and was a member of the Académie Française. Cousteau described his underwater world research in a series of books, perhaps the most successful being his first book, A Story of Undersea Discovery and Adventure, published in 1953.

He also carried out underwater archaeological excavations in the Mediterranean, in particular at Grand-Congloué (1952). With the publication of his first book in 1953, The Silent World, he correctly predicted the existence of the echolocation abilities of porpoises.

1954

However, this was later commuted to a life sentence, and Pierre-Antoine was released in 1954. During the 1940s, Cousteau is credited with improving the Aqua-Lung design which gave birth to the open-circuit scuba technology used today.

Cousteau concluded that the cetaceans had something like sonar, which was a relatively new feature on submarines. In 1954, Cousteau conducted a survey of Abu Dhabi waters on behalf of British Petroleum.

1956

Cousteau also directed films, most notably the documentary adaptation of the book, The Silent World, which won a Palme d'or at the 1956 Cannes Film Festival.

Cousteau won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 1956 for The Silent World co-produced with Malle.

1957

In 1957, Cousteau took over as leader of the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco.

The successful experiment was quickly repeated in 1965 with two vehicles which reached 500 meters. In 1957, he was elected as director of the Oceanographical Museum of Monaco.

1960

The train carrying the waste was stopped by women and children sitting on the railway tracks, and it was sent back to its origin. In the 1960s Cousteau was involved with a set of three projects to build underwater "villages"; the projects were named Precontinent I, Precontinent II and Precontinent III.

1961

An homage was paid to him by the town by naming the street which runs out to the house of his birth "rue du Commandant Cousteau", where a commemorative plaque was placed. ===Honors=== During his lifetime, Jacques-Yves Cousteau received these distinctions: Cross of War 1939–1945 (1945) National Geographic Society's Special Gold Medal in 1961 Commander of the Legion of Honour (1972) Officer of the Order of Maritime Merit (1980) Grand Cross of the National Order of Merit (1985) U.S.

1965

The successful experiment was quickly repeated in 1965 with two vehicles which reached 500 meters. In 1957, he was elected as director of the Oceanographical Museum of Monaco.

1966

This documentary television series ran for ten years from 1966 to 1976.

1969

He also found the wreck of the French 17th-century ship-of-the-line La Therese in coastal waters of Crete. In 1977, together with Peter Scott, he received the UN International Environment prize. On 28 June 1979, while the Calypso was on an expedition to Portugal, his second son Philippe, his preferred and designated successor and with whom he had co-produced all his films since 1969, died in a PBY Catalina flying boat crash in the Tagus river near Lisbon.

1970

A second documentary series, The Cousteau Odyssey, ran from 1977 to 1982 on public television stations. In 1970, he wrote the book The Shark: Splendid Savage of the Sea with his son Philippe.

1976

This documentary television series ran for ten years from 1966 to 1976.

"Calypso" became a hit on its own and was later considered the new A-side, reaching #2 on the charts. In 1976, Cousteau located the wreck of HMHS Britannic.

1977

A second documentary series, The Cousteau Odyssey, ran from 1977 to 1982 on public television stations. In 1970, he wrote the book The Shark: Splendid Savage of the Sea with his son Philippe.

He also found the wreck of the French 17th-century ship-of-the-line La Therese in coastal waters of Crete. In 1977, together with Peter Scott, he received the UN International Environment prize. On 28 June 1979, while the Calypso was on an expedition to Portugal, his second son Philippe, his preferred and designated successor and with whom he had co-produced all his films since 1969, died in a PBY Catalina flying boat crash in the Tagus river near Lisbon.

1979

He also found the wreck of the French 17th-century ship-of-the-line La Therese in coastal waters of Crete. In 1977, together with Peter Scott, he received the UN International Environment prize. On 28 June 1979, while the Calypso was on an expedition to Portugal, his second son Philippe, his preferred and designated successor and with whom he had co-produced all his films since 1969, died in a PBY Catalina flying boat crash in the Tagus river near Lisbon.

1980

They already had a daughter Diane Cousteau (born 1980) and a son, Pierre-Yves Cousteau (born 1982), born during Cousteau's marriage to his first wife. ===Early 1940s: innovation of modern underwater diving=== The years of World War II were decisive for the history of diving.

This collaboration lasted 14 years. ===1980–1990s=== From 1980 to 1981, he was a regular on the animal reality show Those Amazing Animals, along with Burgess Meredith, Priscilla Presley, and Jim Stafford. In 1980, Cousteau traveled to Canada to make two films on the Saint Lawrence River and the Great Lakes, Cries from the Deep and St.

1981

This collaboration lasted 14 years. ===1980–1990s=== From 1980 to 1981, he was a regular on the animal reality show Those Amazing Animals, along with Burgess Meredith, Priscilla Presley, and Jim Stafford. In 1980, Cousteau traveled to Canada to make two films on the Saint Lawrence River and the Great Lakes, Cries from the Deep and St.

1982

They already had a daughter Diane Cousteau (born 1980) and a son, Pierre-Yves Cousteau (born 1982), born during Cousteau's marriage to his first wife. ===Early 1940s: innovation of modern underwater diving=== The years of World War II were decisive for the history of diving.

A second documentary series, The Cousteau Odyssey, ran from 1977 to 1982 on public television stations. In 1970, he wrote the book The Shark: Splendid Savage of the Sea with his son Philippe.

1985

Lawrence: Stairway to the Sea. In 1985, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Ronald Reagan. From 1986 to 1992, Cousteau released Rediscovery of the World. On 24 November 1988, he was elected to the Académie française, chair 17, succeeding Jean Delay.

1986

Lawrence: Stairway to the Sea. In 1985, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Ronald Reagan. From 1986 to 1992, Cousteau released Rediscovery of the World. On 24 November 1988, he was elected to the Académie française, chair 17, succeeding Jean Delay.

1988

Lawrence: Stairway to the Sea. In 1985, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Ronald Reagan. From 1986 to 1992, Cousteau released Rediscovery of the World. On 24 November 1988, he was elected to the Académie française, chair 17, succeeding Jean Delay.

1989

His official reception under the cupola took place on 22 June 1989, the response to his speech of reception being given by Bertrand Poirot-Delpech.

1990

After his death, he was replaced by Érik Orsenna on 28 May 1998. In June 1990, the composer Jean Michel Jarre paid homage to the commander by entitling his new album Waiting for Cousteau.

He also composed the music for Cousteau's documentary "Palawan, the last refuge". On 2 December 1990, his wife Simone Cousteau died of cancer. In June 1991, in Paris, Jacques-Yves Cousteau remarried, to Francine Triplet, with whom he had (before this marriage) two children, Diane and Pierre-Yves.

1991

In 1991, one year after his wife Simone's death from cancer, he married Francine Triplet.

He also composed the music for Cousteau's documentary "Palawan, the last refuge". On 2 December 1990, his wife Simone Cousteau died of cancer. In June 1991, in Paris, Jacques-Yves Cousteau remarried, to Francine Triplet, with whom he had (before this marriage) two children, Diane and Pierre-Yves.

From that point, the relations between Jacques-Yves and his elder son worsened. In November 1991, Cousteau gave an interview to the UNESCO Courier, in which he stated that he was in favour of [population control] and population decrease.

1992

Lawrence: Stairway to the Sea. In 1985, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Ronald Reagan. From 1986 to 1992, Cousteau released Rediscovery of the World. On 24 November 1988, he was elected to the Académie française, chair 17, succeeding Jean Delay.

1997

Jacques-Yves Cousteau, (, also , ; 11 June 191025 June 1997) was a French naval officer, explorer, conservationist, filmmaker, innovator, scientist, photographer, author and researcher who studied the sea and all forms of life in water.

The Calypso was refloated and towed home to France. ===Death=== Jacques-Yves Cousteau died of a heart attack on 25 June 1997 in Paris, two weeks after his 87th birthday.

1998

After his death, he was replaced by Érik Orsenna on 28 May 1998. In June 1990, the composer Jean Michel Jarre paid homage to the commander by entitling his new album Waiting for Cousteau.

2004

He remained the only person to win a Palme d'Or for a documentary film, until Michael Moore won the award in 2004 for Fahrenheit 9/11. ==Biography== ===Early years=== Cousteau was born on 11 June 1910, in Saint-André-de-Cubzac, Gironde, France, to Daniel and Élisabeth Cousteau.




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