# Jacques Cousteau

_French naval officer, oceanographer, filmmaker and author (1910-1997)_

Canonical: https://diginpl.com/people/jacques-cousteau
Last updated: 2026-10-31

> Jacques-Yves Cousteau (, also UK: ; French: [ʒak iv kusto]; 11 June 1910 – 25 June 1997) was a French naval officer, oceanographer, filmmaker and author. He co-invented the first successful open-circuit self-contained underwater breathing apparatus (SCUBA), called the Aqua-Lung, which assisted him in producing some of the first underwater documentaries.

## Quick facts

- **Born:** 11 June 1910 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q83233#P569))
- **Place of birth:** Saint-André-de-Cubzac ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q83233#P19))
- **Died:** 25 June 1997 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q83233#P570))
- **Place of death:** 17th arrondissement of Paris ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q83233#P20))
- **Citizenship:** France ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q83233#P27))
- **Occupation:** zoologist; explorer; filmmaker; innovator; photographer; conservationist ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q83233#P106))
- **Education:** École Navale; Collège Stanislas de Paris ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q83233#P69))
- **Spouse:** Simone Melchior Cousteau; Francine Cousteau ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q83233#P26))
- **Positions held:** Member of the Académie française (24 November 1988 – 25 June 1997); museum director (1957–1988) ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q83233#P39))
- **Awards:** Commander of the Legion of Honour; Croix de guerre 1939–1945; Grand Cross of the National Order of Merit; Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres‎; Presidential Medal of Freedom; Benjamin Franklin Medal; BAFTA Fellowship; Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film; Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature Film; Howard N. Potts Medal; Officer of the Order of Maritime Merit; Genesis Award; Founder’s Medal; Catalonia International Prize; National Inventors Hall of Fame ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q83233#P166))

## About

Cousteau wrote many books describing his undersea explorations. In his first book, The Silent World: A Story of Undersea Discovery and Adventure, Cousteau surmised the existence of the echolocation abilities of porpoises. The book was adapted into an underwater documentary called The Silent World. Co-directed by Cousteau and Louis Malle, it was one of the first films to use underwater cinematography to document the ocean depths in color. The film won the 1956 Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival and remained the only documentary to do so until 2004 (when Fahrenheit 9/11 received the award). It was also awarded the Academy Award for Best Documentary in 1957.

From 1966 to 1976, he hosted The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau, a documentary television series. A second documentary series, The Cousteau Odyssey, ran from 1977 to 1982 on public television stations.

## Questions

**When was Jacques Cousteau born?**  
Jacques Cousteau was born on 11 June 1910 in Saint-André-de-Cubzac.

**What positions has Jacques Cousteau held?**  
Positions held by Jacques Cousteau include: Member of the Académie française (1988–1997); museum director (1957–1988).

**Where did Jacques Cousteau study?**  
Jacques Cousteau was educated at École Navale, Collège Stanislas de Paris.

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## Sources

- [Wikipedia (English): Jacques Cousteau](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacques_Cousteau) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [Wikidata item Q83233](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q83233) — [CC0 1.0](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- [Image: Cousteau1972 (cropped).jpg by Hans Peters for Anefo . (CC0)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cousteau1972_(cropped).jpg)

## Licence and attribution

Text from the Wikipedia article Jacques Cousteau, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page's text is shared under the same licence. Facts from Wikidata (CC0). Image: Cousteau1972 (cropped).jpg — Hans Peters for Anefo ., CC0.

## Cite this page

"Jacques Cousteau". DigiNepal. Last updated 31 October 2026. https://diginpl.com/people/jacques-cousteau. Retrieved 3 November 2026.