Michel Piccoli
Birthdate: Dec 27, 1925
Birthplace: Paris, France
Died: May 12, 2020
This suave, elegant character star was a ubiquitous presence in French cinema for nearly seven decades. His distinguished career extended to both stage and screen and his versatility was such that he could take on just about any persona (in his own words: "I do not put on an act... I slip away behind my characters"), from police inspectors to gangsters, from priests and academics to King Louis XVI and the Marquis de Sade. More than a few of his portrayals were of ordinary bourgeois caught up in difficult circumstances or undergoing mid-life crisis. However, Piccoli truly excelled in sardonic, cynical or morally ambiguous roles - playing smooth, quietly-spoken types harbouring dark passions or sinister secrets. His directors have included a veritable who's who of European film makers: Luis Buñuel (six times), Claude Sautet (five times), Alfred Hitchcock (who cast him as Jacques Granville, the principal antagonist in Topaz (1969)), Jean-Pierre Melville, Louis Malle, Alain Resnais, and Jean-Luc Godard.
Piccoli was born in Paris on December 27 1925. His parents were both musicians: his father a Swiss-born violinist, his mother a French pianist. He made his screen debut at 19, for a number of years confined to small supporting roles. Becoming actively involved in left-wing politics, Piccoli joined the Saint-Germain-des-Prés social set, headquartered at the Tabou club and comprising intellectuals and artists whose adherents included the philosophers Simone de Beauvoir and Jean-Paul Sartre, as well as the chanson and cabaret singer Juliette Gréco (to whom Piccoli was married from 1966 to 1976). His career took off in the early 60s and he enjoyed his first major success as Brigitte Bardot's husband in Godard's Contempt (1963). Luis Bunuel also recognized Piccoli's potential and employed his trademark cerebral eloquence on pivotal parts in important films like Diary of a Chambermaid (1964), Belle de Jour (1967) and The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972). In 1973, Piccoli formed his own production company, Films 66, which allowed him even greater freedom in selecting his roles. He continued to work steadily, retaining his huge popularity with French audiences throughout the 80s and 90s. Though nominated four times, he never won the coveted Cesar Award. However, his many other accolades included a win as best actor at Cannes in 1980 and two German Film Awards (in 1988 and 1992). He also directed three feature films, one of which, Alors voilà, (1997), won the Bastone Bianco critical award at the Venice Film Festival.
Known For
Contempt
(1963)
Belle de Jour
(1967)
We Have a Pope
(2011)
Alors voilà,
(1997)
Michel Piccoli Movies
actor
Previous (152)
- 2023 |
- 2017 | Marco Ferreri: Dangerous But Necessary
- 2014 | Le goût des myrtillesas Michel
- 2012 | You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yetas Michel Piccoli
- 2012 | Holy Motorsas L'Homme à la tache de vin
- 1971 | Max and the Junkmenas Max
- 2011 | We Have a Popeas Il papa
- 2010 | Portrait Of My Father
- 2009 | Restlessas Maurice Reverdy
- 2008 | The Dust of Timeas Spyros
- 2008 |
- 2007 | The Duchess of Langeaisas Vidame de Pamiers
- 2007 | Beneath the Rooftops of Parisas Marcel
- 2007 | Boxesas Papa
- 2006 | Belle toujoursas Henri Husson
- 2006 | Jardins en automneas Marie, la mère de Vincent
- 2005 | C'est pas tout à fait la vie dont j'avais rêvé
- 2003 | La petite Lilias L'acteur qui joue Simon
- 2003 | Raining Cats and Frogsas Ferdinand
- 2001 | I'm Going Homeas Gilbert Valence
- 2001 | New World Order: Somewhere in Africaas Récitant
- 2001 | The Black Beach
- 1986 | Bad Bloodas Marc
- 2000 | Everything's Fine, We're Leavingas Louis
- 2000 | Ferreri, I Love You
- 2000 | Regarding Buñuel
- 1999 | Libero Burroas Uncle Tony
- 1999 | Nothing About Robertas Lord Ariel Chatwick-West
- 1999 | Paris-Timbuktuas Michel des Assantes
- 1967 | The Young Girls of Rochefortas Simon Dame
- 1997 | Passion in the Desertas Jean-Michel Venture de Paradis
- 1997 | Genealogies of a Crimeas Georges Didier
- 1997 | Alors voilà,
- 1997 | Les paradoxes de Buñuel
- 1997 |
- 1996 | Partyas Michel
- 1996 | Traveling Companionas Cosimo
- 1996 | Tykho Moonas Mac Bee
- 1995 | One Hundred and One Nightsas Simon Cinéma
- 1995 |
- 1994 | L'ange noiras Georges Feuvrier
- 1994 | The Emigrantas Adam
- 1993 | La cavale des fousas Henri Toussaint
- 1993 | Rupture(s)as Paul
- 1992 | Archipelas Leonard Wilde
- 1992 | Divertimentoas Edouard Frenhofer
- 1992 | Ich über mich - Dokumentation über Romy Schneider
- 1992 | La vie crevéeas Raymond
- 1992 | Le bal des casse-piedsas Désiré
- 1992 | Le souperas Chateaubriand
- 1991 | The Children Thiefas M. Armand
- 1991 | Walking a Tightropeas Marcel Spadice
- 1991 |
La Belle Noiseuse
asEdouard Frenhofer
The former famous painter Frenhofer revisits an abandoned project using the girlfriend of a young visiting artist. Questions about truth, life, and artistic limits are explored.
- 1990 | Martha et moias Ernst Fuchs
- 1990 | May Foolsas Milou
- 1989 | The Monkey Folkas Récitant
- 1988 | Blanc de Chineas Batz
- 1987 | Das weite Landas Friedrich Hofreiter
- 1987 | L'homme voiléas Kassar
- 1987 | La rumbaas Damien Malleville
- 1987 | Malady of Loveas Raoul Bergeron
- 1986 | La puritaineas Pierre
- 1986 | Le paltoquetas Le Paltoquet
- 1986 | My Brother-in-law Killed My Sisteras Etienne Sembadel
- 1985 | Adieu Bonaparteas Caffarelli
- 1985 | Death in a French Gardenas Graham Tombsthay
- 1985 | Partir, reveniras Simon Lerner
- 1984 | Dangerous Movesas Akiva Liebskind
- 1984 | Le matelot 512as Récitant
- 1984 | Long Live Lifeas Michel Perrin
- 1984 | Success Is the Best Revengeas French Official
- 1983 | The General of the Dead Armyas Benetandi
- 1983 | The Prize of Perilas Frédéric Mallaire
- 1982 | A Room in Townas Edmond Leroyer
- 1982 | Beyond the Dooras Mr. Mutti
- 1982 | Espion, lève-toias Jean-Paul Chance
- 1982 | Que les gros salaires lèvent le doigt!as José Viss
- 1982 | The Eyes, the Mouthas Uncle Agostino
- 1982 | The Passerbyas Max Baumstein
- 1981 | Strange Affairas Bertrand Malair
- 1981 | The Prodigal Daughteras Le père d'Anne
- 1980 | Atlantic Cityas Joseph
- 1980 | A Leap in the Darkas Mauro Ponticelli
- 1980 | Der Preis fürs Überlebenas René Winterhalter
- 1979 | Atrocious Tales of Love and Deathas Victor Navarro
- 1979 | Le divorcementas Philippe
- 1979 | The Bit Between the Teethas Pierre Chazerand
- 1978 | Fire's Shareas Robert Hansen
- 1978 | L'état sauvageas Orlaville
- 1978 | Le sucreas Grezillo
- 1978 | Little Girl in Blue Velvetas Conrad Brukner
- 1978 | Strauberg Is Hereas Strauberg
- 1977 | Rene the Caneas Inspecteur Marchand
- 1977 | Spoiled Childrenas Bernard Rougerie
- 1977 | The Accuseras Saint-Ramé
- 1976 | F... comme Fairbanksas Etienne
- 1976 | Madoas Simon Léotard
- 1976 | The Last Womanas Michel
- 1975 | 7 morts sur ordonnanceas Dr. Pierre Losseray
- 1975 | Leonoras Le Seigneur Richard
- 1975 | Weak Spotas Investigator
- 1974 | Don't Touch the White Woman!as Buffalo Bill
- 1974 | Lifesizeas Michel
- 1974 | The Infernal Trioas Georges Sarret
- 1974 | The Phantom of Libertyas Le second préfet de police
- 1974 | Vincent, François, Paul and the Othersas François
- 1973 | The Big Feastas Michel
- 1973 | The Woman in Blueas Pierre
- 1973 | Themrocas Themroc
- 1973 | Wedding in Bloodas Pierre Maury
- 1972 | L'udienzaas Padre Amerin
- 1972 | Lizaas Giorgio's friend
- 1972 | The French Conspiracyas Le colonel Kassar - le ministre de l'intérieur d'un pays du maghreb
- 1972 |
The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie
asInterior Minister
The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie
A surreal, virtually plotless series of dreams centered around six middle-class people and their consistently interrupted attempts to have a meal together.
- 1971 | Ten Days Wonderas Paul Regis - un psychologue, l'ancien professeur de Charles
- 1971 | Touch and Goas Valentin
- 1970 | Invasionas Marcello
- 1970 | The Things of Lifeas Pierre Bérard
- 1969 | Dillinger Is Deadas Glauco
- 1969 | The Uninvitedas François Desailly
- 1969 | Topazas Jacques Granville
- 1968 | Danger: Diabolikas Inspector Ginko
- 1968 | Heartbeatas Charles
- 1968 | The Diary of an Innocent Boyas Le comte Philippe de Saint-Germain
- 1967 | My Love, My Loveas Marrades
- 1967 | Shock Troopsas The Extra Man
- 1966 | The Creaturesas Edgar Piccoli
- 1966 | The Devil's Tricksas L'antiquaire
- 1966 | The Game Is Overas Alexandre Saccard
- 1966 | The Thiefas Werner Kreuz
- 1966 | The War Is Overas L'inspecteur des douanes
- 1965 | Le coup de grâceas Capri
- 1965 | Masqueradeas George Sarrassin
- 1965 | The Sleeping Car Murderas René Cabourg - un représentant - 2e victime
- 1964 | Chance at Loveas Philippe Decharme (segment "Lucky la chance")
- 1964 | De l'amouras Raoul
- 1964 | Diary of a Chambermaidas M. Monteil
- 1964 | Marie Soleilas Raoul
- 1963 | The Day and the Houras Antoine
- 1962 | Climatsas François Crozant
- 1961 | Amazons of Romeas Console Publicola
- 1961 | Rendezvousas Paul
- 1961 | The Small Dramasas Chirurgien
- 1960 | Danger in the Middle Eastas Brian Cannon
- 1960 | La dragée hauteas Hugo Barsac
- 1958 | Sinners of Parisas L'inspecteur Vardier, de la P.J.
- 1958 | Tabarinas Jacques Forestier
- 1957 | The Foxiest Girl in Parisas L'inspecteur Franck Marchal
- 1956 | Death in the Gardenas Father Lizardi
- 1955 | Bad Liaisonsas Un inspecteur
- 1955 | Interdit de séjouras Georges
- 1954 | Tout chante autour de moias Reverdier
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