From 1938 to 1941, Poire looked after Gaumont’s exhibition, distribution and services, but in 1941 a film production division was set up and Poire was chosen to head it.

One year later, the debut producer launched Georges Lacombe’s “Le Journal Tombe a 5 Heures.” And that was nearly that. For the next few years, the world’s oldest film company would pre-finance pics, but seldom originate them.

It wasn’t until 1948 that Poire once again put on his production hat with Jean Dreville’s “Les Casse-Pieds.”

Throughout the 1950s Poire continued to work with top directors including Sacha Guitry, Robert Bresson and Roberto Rossellini.

Never a fan of auteur-driven cinema, Poire found himself swimming against the tide when the Nouvelle Vague washed through France. However, in the 1960s and 1970s he helped Gaumont turn out a string of commercial hits including “Les Tontons Flingeurs,” “le Cerveau,” “La Gifle” and “Le Grand Blond avec une Chaussure Noire.”

In 1974, Nicolas Seydoux became chairman of Gaumont and production fell into the hands of Daniel Toscan du Plantier, who launched a string of high-brow pics with relatively little box office success.