What Happened to the To Catch a Thief Cast? Where the Stars Are Now

More than seven decades after its 1955 release, Alfred Hitchcock’s To Catch a Thief remains one of classic Hollywood’s most recognisable romantic thrillers. The film brought Cary Grant and Grace Kelly together against the glamorous backdrop of the French Riviera.

The story follows John Robie, a retired jewel thief known as “The Cat”. When a new series of jewel robberies resembles his old methods, Robie becomes a suspect and sets out to identify the real culprit. Grace Kelly plays Frances Stevens, a wealthy young woman who becomes closely involved in Robie’s investigation.

Released in 1955, the movie also featured Jessie Royce Landis, John Williams, Charles Vanel, Brigitte Auber, Jean Martinelli and Georgette Anys. Several members of the cast went on to enjoy long careers in Hollywood or French cinema.

Cary Grant: A Hollywood Career That Lasted Beyond Hitchcock

Cary Grant played John Robie, the sophisticated former burglar at the centre of the story.

By the time To Catch a Thief arrived, Grant was already an established Hollywood star. His collaboration with Hitchcock continued after the film, most notably with North by Northwest in 1959.

Grant remained one of Hollywood’s leading actors for another decade. His later credits included An Affair to Remember, Operation Petticoat and Charade.

He retired from acting in 1966. Grant died in 1986 at the age of 82.

His performance as John Robie remains one of the roles most closely associated with his suave screen persona.

Grace Kelly: From Hollywood Star to Princess of Monaco

Grace Kelly portrayed Frances Stevens, the wealthy woman who becomes romantically connected to Grant’s character.

The movie arrived near the end of Kelly’s brief but highly influential film career. Before To Catch a Thief, she had already worked with Hitchcock on Dial M for Murder and Rear Window. She also won the Academy Award for Best Actress for The Country Girl.

Kelly made only two more films after To Catch a Thief: The Swan and High Society. She retired from acting in 1956 after marrying Prince Rainier III and becoming Princess of Monaco.

Her Hollywood career was short, but her cultural legacy extended far beyond cinema.

Brigitte Auber Continued Working in French Cinema

Brigitte Auber played Danielle Foussard, one of the supporting characters caught up in Robie’s search for the jewel thief.

Auber was already working in French cinema before appearing alongside Grant and Kelly. Unlike Kelly, she continued acting after the 1955 film and built a career primarily in French productions.

Her work included film and television appearances spanning several decades.

Jessie Royce Landis Reunited With Grant and Kelly

Jessie Royce Landis played Jessie Stevens, Frances Stevens’ mother.

Her connection with the film’s leading stars did not end with To Catch a Thief. Landis later appeared with Cary Grant in Hitchcock’s North by Northwest.

She also reunited with Grace Kelly in The Swan, released in 1956.

Landis continued acting through the 1960s, with her final film appearance coming in Airport in 1970. She died in 1972 at age 75.

John Williams Was Another Hitchcock Regular

John Williams portrayed H.H. Hughson, an insurance investigator who becomes important to Robie’s efforts to identify the new thief.

Williams had already worked with Hitchcock before To Catch a Thief. His earlier Hitchcock credits included The Paradine Case and Dial M for Murder, the latter also starring Grace Kelly.

His career continued for many years after the Riviera thriller. Williams appeared in productions including Witness for the Prosecution and The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes.

His final credited film role was in Hot Lead and Cold Feet in 1978. He died in 1983 at age 80.

Charles Vanel Had a Long French Film Career

French actor Charles Vanel played Bertani, an old friend of Robie’s who operates a restaurant.

Vanel had an exceptionally long career in French cinema. His filmography stretched across many decades and included acclaimed titles such as The Wages of Fear and Diabolique.

Unlike some of the American stars in To Catch a Thief, Vanel remained strongly connected to French filmmaking throughout his career.

His final film appearance came in Les Saisons du plaisir in 1988. He died in 1989 at age 96.

Jean Martinelli Worked Mainly in French Productions

Jean Martinelli appeared as Foussard, Danielle’s father.

Martinelli was primarily known for his work in French cinema. His later credits included appearances in films such as Some Like It Hot, The Twelve Tasks of Asterix and The Beast.

He died in 1983.

Georgette Anys Played Germaine

Georgette Anys portrayed Germaine, the housekeeper in To Catch a Thief.

The French actress continued working in both film and television after the Hitchcock production. Her credits included Fanny, In the Manner of Sherlock Holmes and Love Is a Ball.

Anys died in 1993 at age 85.

Why To Catch a Thief Still Matters

The lasting appeal of To Catch a Thief goes beyond its mystery plot.

The movie combined Hitchcock’s suspense filmmaking with romance, European locations and the star power of Cary Grant and Grace Kelly. The American Film Institute has also recognised the movie as one of cinema’s notable romantic films.

Its visual style remains particularly memorable. Shot in Technicolour and VistaVision, the film used the French Riviera as more than a backdrop. The location became an important part of its glamorous identity. AFI’s catalogue records the production as a Paramount Pictures release with a 1955 copyright.

The film also represents an unusual moment in Grace Kelly’s career. She was still a major Hollywood star when she made it, yet within a year she had left acting behind for royal life.

For Cary Grant and the supporting performers, however, To Catch a Thief was another chapter in careers that continued for years afterward.