Born Raymond Gérard Payelle, he studied with film director René Clair and in 1920 made his debut in silent film. Over the next fifteen years, he appeared in secondary roles in another twenty-five films including the 1927 Abel Gance masterpiece, Napoleon. In 1949 Hériat collaborated with film director Jean Delannoy to write the screenplay for the film Le Secret de Mayerling.
Philippe Hériat won the 1931 Prix Renaudot for his book L'Innocent. In 1939 he won the Prix Goncourt for Les Enfants gâtés, and the 1947 Grand Prix du roman de l'Académie française for Famille Boussardel.
In 1949 he was made a member of the Académie Goncourt, a position he held until his death in 1971. Hériat is buried in Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris
1972
1935
as Filippo, sculptor-lover
1935
as Lutuf-Allah
1935
as Salicetti
1934
as Diégo
1933
1929
as General Bertrand
1929
as Gilles de Rays
1928
1927
1927
as Antoine Christophe Saliceti
1927
1926
1926
1925
as L'aide assesseur
1924
as Djorah de Nopur
1924
1924
as La géante
1924
as Alban Perrin
1923
1922
as Wagner
1921
as Joao, le bouffon
1921
1920
as Le protecteur
1920