Gilles Marc Béhat, born on September 3, 1949, in Lille, France, is a distinguished filmmaker and actor known for his contributions to both film and television. Originally credited as Béat, the inclusion of the "h" in his last name originated from a mistake in the credits of his debut acting role in the film *L'Hercule sur la place*.
During his youth, Béhat cultivated his artistic talents by playing guitar in a rock band and later pursued formal training at the Conservatoire d'Art Dramatique, where he honed his acting skills. His early career included notable roles in television series, such as Pierre Vignard in *L'Hercule sur la place* and Charles IV in *Les Rois maudits* (1972). He also appeared in films like Gérard Pires's *Elle court, elle court la banlieue* (1970), Jean Yanne's *Chobizenesse* (1972), and Bernard Paul's *Beau Masque* (1975).
Transitioning to directing, Béhat gained prominence with his 1984 gangster film *Rue barbare*. Although some of his later works, including *Dancing Machine* featuring Alain Delon, did not achieve commercial success, he found a successful niche in television during the 1990s, directing series for major networks such as TF1, France 2, and Canal+.
In 2008, he made a notable return to cinema with *Diamant 13*, a noir film starring Gérard Depardieu, Olivier Marchal, and Asia Argento, reaffirming his place in the film industry.
