Michel Piccoli

Born: 1925-12-27 in Paris, Ile-de-France, France

Died: 2020-05-12

Known For: Acting

Biography

Michel Jacques Daniel Piccoli was the son of Henri Piccoli, violinist and Marcelle Expert-Bezançon (1892-1990), pianist and daughter of the French industrialist and politician Charles Expert-Bezançon. In 1954, Michel Piccoli married actress Éléonore Hirt with whom he had a daughter, Anne-Cordélia Piccoli. In 1966, he married the singer Juliette Gréco, then in 1978 the screenwriter Ludivine Clerc, with whom he adopted two children of Polish origin, Inord and Missia. Placed in an establishment for problem children, the commitments of the young Piccoli, are made in opposition to his maternal grandfather, senator of the Third Republic, financier of the Radical Party, and important industrial painter, accused by the trade union left and by Georges Clemenceau, of having intoxicated his workmen through lead white which causes lead poisoning. Michel Piccoli then trained as an actor first with Andrée Bauer-Théraud and then during Simon. After an appearance as an extra in "Sortilèges" by Christian-Jaque in 1945, Michel Piccoli made his film debut in "Le Point Du Jour" by Louis Daquin. In the theater he distinguished himself with the Renaud-Barrault and Grenier-Hussot companies as well as at the Théâtre de Babylone. Noticed in the film "French Cancan" in 1954, he continued on stage and worked with directors Jacques Audiberti, Jean Vilar, Jean-Marie Serreau, Peter Brook, Luc Bondy, Patrice Chéreau and André Engel, and became also know in popular TV movies. Having become an atheist after a family bereavement, he met Luis Buñuel in 1956, and ironically took on the role of a priest in "La Mort En Ce Jardin". In 1959, he shot "Le Rendez-Vous De Noël", a short film by André Michel based on the short story by Malek Ouary "Le Noël Du Petit Cireur", in Algiers. The 1960s sounded his consecration, noticed in "Le Doulos" by Jean-Pierre Melville, he was revealed internationally with "Le Mépris" by Jean-Luc Godard alongside Brigitte Bardot. From then on, he toured with the greatest French and international filmmakers such as Alfred Hitchcock, Luis Buñuel, Youssef Chahine, Manoel de Oliveira... He began the 1980s with the interpretation prize at the Cannes festival in 1980, with "Le Saut Dans Le Vide" by Marco Bellocchio, and that of the Berlin festival in 1982, with "Une Étrange Affaire" by Pierre Granier-Deferre. . He worked with Jacques Doillon, Leos Carax, before trying his hand at directing. In 2001 he received the IX Europe Prize for Theatre. He was part of the jury of the 60th Cannes Film Festival in 2007, chaired by Stephen Frears. In 2011, he played in "Habemus Papam" by Nanni Moretti. The last film in which Michel Piccoli appears is the film "Le Goût Des Myrtilles", by Thomas de Thiers in 2013. Politically committed to the left, member of the Peace Movement (communist), Michel Piccoli distinguished himself by his positions against the National Front, and mobilized for Amnesty International. Michel Piccoli died on May 12, 2020 following a stroke in his mansion in Saint-Philbert-sur-Risle in Eure. His funeral takes place in Évreux on May 19, 2020, where he is cremated, his ashes are scattered within the family property.

Filmography

2025

The Life of Mirrors

2024

It's Not Me as (archive footage)

2023

Godard by Godard as Self (archive footage)

2022

Il était une fois Champs-Élysées as Self (archive footage)
Romy, A Free Woman as archive footage
La TV des 70's : Quand Giscard était président as Self (archive footage)

2021

Marx Can Wait as Agostino (archive footage) (uncredited)
François Mitterrand & Anne Pingeot: Pieces of a Love Story as Self (archive footage)

2019

Claude Chabrol, the Maverick as Self - Actor (archive footage)

2018

Dios de monoambiente as Self (archive footage)

2009

2008

The Beaches of Agnès as Self (archive footage)
The Dust of Time as Spyros
On War as Le grand Hou

2007

To Each His Own Cinema as Nikita Kruschev (segment "Rencontre unique")
Boxes as Daddy
Rencontre Unique as Nikita Khrouchtchev
Le Roi Lear as Le roi Lear
The Duchess of Langeais as Vidame de Pamiers
Beneath the Rooftops of Paris as Marcel

2006

Belle Toujours as Henri Husson
Magic Mirror as Prof. Heschel
Otar Iosseliani, le merle siffleur as Himself
Gardens in Autumn as Marie, la mère de Vincent
C'est pas tout à fait la vie dont j'avais rêvé ... (Director)

2005

Everything's Connected as Narrator

2004

Un divertissement et Michel Piccoli as Self

2003

Little Lili as acteur qui joue Simon
A Man, a Real One as Michel Piccoli
Raining Cats and Frogs as Ferdinand (voice)
That Day as Harald

2002

Romy Schneider, étrange étrangère as Self
Il bambino di Betlemme

2001

I’m Going Home as Gilbert Valence
The Black Beach ... (Director)

2000

Actors as Michel Piccoli
Speaking of Buñuel as Self
Kiarostami in Close up as as Self
Everything's Fine, We're Leaving as Louis

1999

París-Tombuctú as Michel des Assantes
Libero Burro as Zio Tony
The Happiest Place on Earth as Récitant (voice)
Nothing About Robert as Lord Ariel Chatwick-West

1998

Vivement dimanche as Self
Les paradoxes de Buñuel as Self

1997

Alors voilà, ... (Director)
Genealogies of a Crime as Georges Didier
Passion in the Desert as Jean-Michel Venture de Paradis

1996

Party as Michel
Tykho Moon as Mac Bee / frère Mac Bee
Beaumarchais the Scoundrel as Prince de Conti
Ousmane Sow as Narrateur
Traveling Companion as Cosimo

1995

One Hundred and One Nights as Simon Cinéma
Tödliches Geld as Paul Belmont
The World of Jacques Demy as Self
2 x 50 Years of French Cinema as Self

1994

The Black Angel as Georges Feuvrier
Bête de scène
The Emigrant as Adam - Ram's father
Train de nuit
Berau, sur les traces de Joseph Conrad as Presenter

1993

Rupture(s) as Paul
Archipel as Leonard Wilde
The Young Girls Turn 25 as Self (archive footage)
Loonies at Large as Henri Toussaint

1992

The Supper as Chateaubriand (voice)
La Belle Noiseuse: Divertimento as Edouard Frenhofer
Le Bal des casse-pieds as Désiré, l'homosexuel
From Time to Time as Jules Verne

1991

La Belle Noiseuse as Edouard Frenhofer
Lest We Forget as Self (segment "Pour Nasrin Rasooli, Iran")
The Children Thief as Mr. Armand
Walking a Tightrope as Marcel Spadice
The Fate of Baron Leisenbohg as Le baron de Leisenbohg

1990

May Fools as Milou
Martha and I as Ernst

1989

Les Grandes Familles as Noël Schoudler
The Monkey Folk

1988

How Good the Whites Are as Père Jean-Marie
Blanc de Chine as Batz
Un coupable as L'avocat
La Ruelle au clair de lune as Pierre Willer

1987

Nulle part ailleurs as Self
Malady of Love as Raoul Bergeron
The Veiled Man as Kassar
La Rumba as Damien Malleville
The Distant Land as Friedrich Hofreiter

1986

Mauvais Sang as Marc
The Prude as Pierre
The Nonentity as der Tölpel
My Brother-in-law Killed My Sister as Étienne Sembadel

1985

Going and Coming Back as Simon Lerner
Death in a French Garden as Graham Tombsthay
Adieu Bonaparte as Caffarelli
La Lune

1984

Le Matelot 512 as Narrator (voice)
Long Live Life as Michel Perrin
Success Is the Best Revenge as French Official
Dangerous Moves as Akiva Liebskind

1983

The Prize of Peril as Frédéric Mallaire
The General of the Dead Army as Benetandi

1982

Champs-Elysées as Self
Spy, Stand Up as Jean-Paul Chance
The Passerby as Max Baumstein
That Night of Varennes as King Louis XVI (uncredited)
A Room in Town as Edmond Leroyer
Beyond the Door as Mr. Mutti
Godard's Passion as Michel Boulard
The Eyes, the Mouth as Tío Agostino
La Cerisaie as Léonid
Scénario du film Passion as Self
Will the High Salaried Workers Raise Their Hands! as José Viss

1981

Wetten, dass..? as Self
The Prodigal Daughter as Le père
Strange Affair as Bertrand Malair
Confused Feelings as Professor
Du crime considéré comme un des beaux-arts. as Morrand

1980

Atlantic City as Joseph
Docteur Teyran as Jean Teyran
A Leap in the Dark as Mauro Ponticelli
The Price of Survival as René Winterhalter

1979

Atrocious Tales of Love and Death as Victor Navarro
Le Divorcement as Philippe
The Bit Between the Teeth as Pierre Chazerand

1978

Little Girl in Blue Velvet as Conrad Brukner
Chili Impressions as Self - Le lecteur des écrits d'A. Pinochet (voice)
The Savage State as Orlaville
Sugar as Grezillo
Fire's Share as Robert Hansen
Strauberg ist da as Strauberg

1977

Spoiled Children as Bernard Rougerie
That Obscure Object of Desire as Mathieu Faber (voice) (uncredited)
Rene the Cane as Ispettore Marchand
The Accuser as Saint-Ramé

1976

The Last Woman as Michel
Henry James Stories as Captain Roger
One Way or Another as Him
Mado as Simon Léotard
F as in Fairbanks as Etienne

1975

Apostrophes as Self
Les Rendez-vous du dimanche as Self
Midi Première as Self
Seven Deaths by Prescription as Dr Losseray
Weak Spot as L'enquêteur
Leonor as Richard

1974

Spécial cinéma as Self
The Phantom of Liberty as The Second Police Prefect
Vincent, Francois, Paul and the Others as François, médecin
The Infernal Trio as Georges Sarret
Don't Touch the White Woman! as Buffalo Bill
Life Size as Michel
Loving in the Rain as Mr. Dellerue (voice)
The Voyage Into the Whirlpool Has Begun

1973

La Grande Bouffe as Michel
Themroc as Themroc
Far West as Indian chief
Wedding in Blood as Pierre Maury
The Woman in Blue as Pierre

1972

Midi trente as Self
The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie as Interior Minister
The Assassination as Colonel Kassar
Cesar and Rosalie as Narrator (voice)
Liza as Giorgio's friend
The Audience as Padre Amerin

1971

Samedi soir as Self
V.I.P. Schaukel as Self
Max and the Junkmen as Max, inspector
Touch and Go as Valentin
Ten Days' Wonder as Paul Regis

1970

Treffpunkte as Self
The Things of Life as Pierre Bérard
Invasion as Marcello

1969

Topaz as Jacques Granville
The Milky Way as Marquis de Sade
Dillinger Is Dead as Glauco
The Uninvited as François Desailly

1968

Danger: Diabolik as Inspector Ginko
Woman in Chains as L'invité pressé au vernissage (uncredited)
The Diary of an Innocent Boy as Count Philippe
Heartbeat as Charles
Délire à deux as Him

1967

The Young Girls of Rochefort as Simon Dame
Belle de Jour as Henri Husson
Shock Troops as L'homme de trop
Romy: Anatomy of a Face as Self
My Love, My Love as Marrades
The Dinosaur and the Baby as Paul Javal (archive footage)

1966

Is Paris Burning? as Edgar Pisani
La Voleuse as Werner Kreuz
The Creatures as Edgar Piccoli
The Game Is Over as Alexandre Saccard
The War Is Over as Inspector #1
Elsa the Rose as Narrator (voice)
Le Coup de grâce as Capri / Bruno
The Devil's Tricks as L'antiquaire

1965

Lady L as Lecoeur
The Sleeping Car Murders as René Cabourg, l'employé besogneux (Victime #2)
Dom Juan as Dom Juan
Masquerade as Georges Sarrassin

1964

Diary of a Chambermaid as Monsieur Monteil
All About Loving as Raoul
Paparazzi as Texte dit par (voice)
Marie Soleil as Kafka
Café tabac as Récitant (voice)
Chance at Love as Philippe Decharme (segment "Lucky la chance")
Bardot et Godard as Self
L'Été en hiver as Jean, the Reporter
Luis Buñuel : Un cinéaste de notre temps as Narrator (voice)

1963

Contempt as Paul Javal
The Day and the Hour as Antoine
Hello Cubans as Narrator (voice)

1962

Le Doulos as Nuttheccio
Adieu Philippine as Izquierdo dans l'émission de télévision 'Montserrat' (uncredited)
Parisienne... Parisiennes as Récitant (voice)
Climates of Love as François
Le Temps des assassins as Récitant (voice)

1961

Amazons of Rome as Console Publicola
Hauteclaire as Serlon de Savigny
La Chevelure as L'homme
Rendezvous as Paul
Quarante fontaines as Récitant (voice)
Fumée, histoire et fantaisie

1960

Les Joueurs as Chvokhniev
La dragée haute as Hugo Barsac
Danger in the Middle East as Brian Cannon
Le Rendez-vous de Noël

1959

Beast at Bay as Commissioner Jacques Guimard
La Nuit de Tom Brown as Tom Brown, jeune
Le Chalet sous la neige as Robert

1958

Tabarin as Jacques Forestier
Sinners of Paris as L'inspecteur Vardier, de la P.J.

1957

The Witches of Salem as James Putnam
Nathalie as Franck Marchal
Sunday Buddies as Le directeur de l'aéro-club
Le Plus Heureux des trois as Pianist
Le Quadrille des diamants as Richard Burke

1956

Death in the Garden as Father Lizzardi
La France romane as Récitant (voice)

1955

French Cancan as Le Capitaine Valorgueil
Ernst Thälmann – Leader of the Working Class as Maurice Rouger
The Grand Manoeuvre as Officer (uncredited)
Bad Liaisons as un inspecteur
Price of Love as Georges
Croissance de Paris as Récitant (voice)

1954

Daughters of Destiny as Pasquerel (segment "Jeanne")
Saint-Tropez, devoirs de vacances as Gérard
Tout chante autour de moi as Reverdier

1953

Horizons... as un ouvrier

1952

Torticola versus Frankensberg as Torticola

1951

German Film Award as Self
Without Leaving an Address as Un journaliste aux archives (uncredited)
Chicago Digest as Slim Spring
Terreur en Oklahoma as Tommy Goudchote
La Leçon d'humour dans un parc

1949

The Mark of the Day as Georges Gohelle
The Perfume of the Lady in Black as Lebel

1945

The Bellman as Un villageois