Charles Boyer (28 August 1899 – 26 August 1978) was a French actor, who had appeared in more than 80 films between 1920 and 1976. After having a dramatic education, Boyer started on the stage, but he found his success in European and Hollywood movies during the 1930s. Although moving to the U.S., he kept up the connection with french cinema. His most famous role was in the mystery-thriller Gaslight (1944). Other memorable performances were possibly in the era's highly praised romantic dramas, Algiers (1938) and Love Affair (1939). During his lifetime, he received four Academy Award nominations for Best Actor.

Born in Figeac, Lot, Midi-Pyrenees, France, to Maurice and Louise Boyer, Charles was just a shy, small-town boy who discovered the movies and theater at the age of eleven. Working as a hospital orderly during World War I, Charles Boyer started to perform comic sketches for the soldiers there. Boyer began studies briefly at the Sorbonne, and was waiting for a chance to study acting at the Paris Conservatory. He went to the capital city to finish education, but spent most of his time pursuing a theatrical career. In 1920, his quick memory won him a shot at replacing the leading man in a stage production, and he scored an immediate hit. In the 1920s, he was not only played a suave and sophisticated ladies' man on the stage but also appeared in several silent films.

MGM signed him to a contract and, though he loved life in the United States, nothing much came of his first Hollywood stay from 1929 to 1931. At first, Boyer did film roles only for the money and found that supporting roles were unsatisfying. However, with the coming of sound, his deep voice made him a romantic star.