Born Maurice Henri Joseph Scherer in 1920, Rohmer, photographed in 1981, fashioned his screen name after actor-director Erich von Stroheim and the English novelist Sax Rohmer. (Pierre Verdy / Associated Press)
Rohmer holds the Golden Lion career achievement award he received at the 2001 Venice Film Festival for his body of work. (Claudio Honorati / Associated Press)
