Alain Delon
Encyclopedia
Alain Fabien Maurice Marcel Delon (alɛ̃ dəlɔ̃; born 8 November 1935) is a French actor. He rose quickly to stardom, and by the age of 23 was already being compared to French actors such as Gérard Philipe
and Jean Marais
, as well as American actor James Dean
. He was even called the male Brigitte Bardot
. Over the course of his career, Delon has worked with many well-known directors, including Luchino Visconti
, Jean-Luc Godard
, Jean-Pierre Melville, Michelangelo Antonioni
and Louis Malle
.
Delon acquired Swiss
citizenship in 1999, and the company managing products sold under his name is based in Geneva
.
, Seine (now Hauts-de-Seine
), Île-de-France
, a suburb of Paris. His parents, Édith (née
Arnold) and Fabien Delon, divorced when Delon was four. Both remarried, and Delon has a half-sister and two half-brothers. He attended a Roman Catholic boarding school, the first of several schools from which he was expelled because of unruly behavior. Teachers once tried to convince him to enter the priesthood because of his aptitude in religious studies.
At 14, Delon left school, and worked for a brief time at his stepfather's butcher shop. He enlisted in the French Navy
three years later, and in 1953/54 he served as a fusilier marin in the First Indochina War
. Delon has said that out of his four years of military service he spent 11 months in prison for being "undisciplined". In 1956, after being dishonorably discharged from the military he returned to France. He didn't have any money, and got by on whatever employment he could find. He spent time working as a waiter, a porter, a secretary and a sales clerk. During this time he became friends with the actress Brigitte Auber
, and joined her on a trip to the Cannes Film Festival
, where his film career would begin.
, Delon was seen by a talent scout for David O. Selznick
. After a screen test Selznick offered him a contract, provided he learned English
. Delon returned to Paris to study the language, but when he met French director Yves Allégret
, he was convinced that he should stay in France
to begin his career. Selznick allowed Delon to cancel his contract, and Allégret gave him his debut in the film Quand la Femme s'en Mêle (When the Woman Butts In). Delon then appeared in the film Faibles Femmes (Women Are Weak/Three Murderesses). This was also the very first of his films to be seen in America, where it became a huge success.
In 1960, Delon appeared in René Clément's Purple Noon
, which was based on the Patricia Highsmith
novel The Talented Mr. Ripley
. He played protagonist Tom Ripley to critical acclaim; Highsmith herself was also a fan of his portrayal. He then appeared in Luchino Visconti
's Rocco and His Brothers. Critic Bosley Crowther
of the New York Times said Delon's work was : "touchingly pliant and expressive." John Beaufort in the Christian Science Monitor said:
Delon made his stage debut in 1961 in John Ford
’s play Tis Pity She’s a Whore alongside Romy Schneider
in Paris. Visconti directed the production. Delon would work with him again for Il Gattopardo
(The Leopard). Delon also worked with Jean-Pierre Melville, who directed him in Un Flic
, Le Cercle Rouge
, and Le Samouraï
.
In 1964, the Cinémathèque Française
held a showcase of Delon's films and Delon started a production company, Delbeau Production, with Georges Beaume. They produced a film called L’insoumis, which had to be re-edited because of legal issues. Delon then started his own production company, Adel, and starred in the company’s first film, Jeff. Delon followed the success of the film with Borsalino
, which became one of France’s highest grossing films of the time. In 1973, he made a duet
with the French pop
singer Dalida
on "Paroles, paroles". He also played Johnston McCulley
's popular masked hero in 1975's Zorro
. In 1976, Delon starred in Monsieur Klein
, which won him the César awards (French equivalent of Oscars).
He was awarded the Best Actor César Award for his role in Bertrand Blier
's Notre histoire (1984), and portrayed the aristocratic dandy
Baron de Charlus in a film adaptation of Marcel Proust
's novel Swann in Love in the same year. Then followed a string of box office
failures in the late 1980s and 1990s, culminating in the failure of Patrice Leconte
's Une chance sur deux. Delon announced his decision to give up acting in 1997, although he still occasionally accepts roles.
In 1990, he worked with auteur Jean-Luc Godard
, on Nouvelle vague, in which he played twins. In 2003, the Walter Reade Theater showed a series of Delon's films under the aegis
, Man in the Shadows: The Films of Alain Delon.
Delon's sunglasses brand became particularly popular in Hong Kong
after actor Chow Yun-fat
wore them in the 1986 crime film A Better Tomorrow
(as well as two sequels). Delon reportedly wrote a letter thanking Chow for helping the sunglasses sell out in the region. The film's director John Woo
has acknowledged Delon as one of his idols and wrote a short essay on Le Samourai
as well as Le Cercle Rouge
for the Criterion Collection DVD releases.
, whom he met when they co-starred in the film Christine
(1958). During their relationship, he had an affair with German actress, singer and model Nico
. On 11 August 1962, Nico gave birth to a son, Christian Aaron "Ari", fathered by Delon. The child was raised mostly by Delon's parents. Nico died in 1988, from a bicycling accident.
In December 1963, Schneider and Delon decided to break the engagement. On 13 August 1964, Delon married Nathalie Barthélemy
. Their son, Anthony Delon
, was born in September. The couple divorced on 14 February 1969.
In 1968, during the shooting of the film Jeff, he met French actress Mireille Darc
with whom he started a 15-year relationship, lasting until 1982.
In 1987, Delon met Dutch
model Rosalie van Breemen
on the shooting of the video clip for his song "Comme au cinéma" and started a relationship. They had two children: Anouschka (25 November 1990) and Alain-Fabien (18 March 1994). The relationship ended in October 2002.
Alain Delon lives in Geneva
, Switzerland
with his two youngest children.
Gérard Philipe
Gérard Philipe was a prominent French actor, who had appeared in 34 films between 1944 and 1959.-Career:...
and Jean Marais
Jean Marais
-Biography:A native of Cherbourg, France, Marais starred in several movies directed by Jean Cocteau, for a time his lover, most famously Beauty and the Beast and Orphée ....
, as well as American actor James Dean
James Dean
James Byron Dean was an American film actor. He is a cultural icon, best embodied in the title of his most celebrated film, Rebel Without a Cause , in which he starred as troubled Los Angeles teenager Jim Stark...
. He was even called the male Brigitte Bardot
Brigitte Bardot
Brigitte Anne-Marie Bardot is a French former fashion model, actress, singer and animal rights activist. She was one of the best-known sex-symbols of the 1960s.In her early life, Bardot was an aspiring ballet dancer...
. Over the course of his career, Delon has worked with many well-known directors, including Luchino Visconti
Luchino Visconti
Luchino Visconti di Modrone, Count of Lonate Pozzolo was an Italian theatre, opera and cinema director, as well as a screenwriter. He is best known for his films The Leopard and Death in Venice .-Life:...
, Jean-Luc Godard
Jean-Luc Godard
Jean-Luc Godard is a French-Swiss film director, screenwriter and film critic. He is often identified with the 1960s French film movement, French Nouvelle Vague, or "New Wave"....
, Jean-Pierre Melville, Michelangelo Antonioni
Michelangelo Antonioni
Michelangelo Antonioni, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI was an Italian modernist film director, screenwriter, editor and short story writer.- Personal life :...
and Louis Malle
Louis Malle
Louis Malle was a French film director, screenwriter, and producer. He worked in both French cinema and Hollywood. His films include Ascenseur pour l'échafaud , Atlantic City , and Au revoir, les enfants .- Early years in France :Malle was born into a wealthy industrialist family in Thumeries,...
.
Delon acquired Swiss
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
citizenship in 1999, and the company managing products sold under his name is based in Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
.
Early life
Delon was born in SceauxSceaux, Hauts-de-Seine
Sceaux is a commune in the southern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.-Wealth:Sceaux is famous for the Château of Sceaux, set in its large park , designed by André Le Nôtre, measuring...
, Seine (now Hauts-de-Seine
Hauts-de-Seine
Hauts-de-Seine is designated number 92 of the 101 départements in France. It is part of the Île-de-France region, and covers the western inner suburbs of Paris...
), Île-de-France
Île-de-France (région)
Île-de-France is the wealthiest and most populated of the twenty-two administrative regions of France, composed mostly of the Paris metropolitan area....
, a suburb of Paris. His parents, Édith (née
Married and maiden names
A married name is the family name adopted by a person upon marriage. When a person assumes the family name of her spouse, the new name replaces the maiden name....
Arnold) and Fabien Delon, divorced when Delon was four. Both remarried, and Delon has a half-sister and two half-brothers. He attended a Roman Catholic boarding school, the first of several schools from which he was expelled because of unruly behavior. Teachers once tried to convince him to enter the priesthood because of his aptitude in religious studies.
At 14, Delon left school, and worked for a brief time at his stepfather's butcher shop. He enlisted in the French Navy
French Navy
The French Navy, officially the Marine nationale and often called La Royale is the maritime arm of the French military. It includes a full range of fighting vessels, from patrol boats to a nuclear powered aircraft carrier and 10 nuclear-powered submarines, four of which are capable of launching...
three years later, and in 1953/54 he served as a fusilier marin in the First Indochina War
First Indochina War
The First Indochina War was fought in French Indochina from December 19, 1946, until August 1, 1954, between the French Union's French Far East...
. Delon has said that out of his four years of military service he spent 11 months in prison for being "undisciplined". In 1956, after being dishonorably discharged from the military he returned to France. He didn't have any money, and got by on whatever employment he could find. He spent time working as a waiter, a porter, a secretary and a sales clerk. During this time he became friends with the actress Brigitte Auber
Brigitte Auber
Brigitte Auber is a French actress who has worked extensively on film and TV in Europe, but is little-known in the United States....
, and joined her on a trip to the Cannes Film Festival
Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes International Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is among the world's most prestigious and publicized film festivals...
, where his film career would begin.
Career
At CannesCannes
Cannes is one of the best-known cities of the French Riviera, a busy tourist destination and host of the annual Cannes Film Festival. It is a Commune of France in the Alpes-Maritimes department....
, Delon was seen by a talent scout for David O. Selznick
David O. Selznick
David O. Selznick was an American film producer. He is best known for having produced Gone with the Wind and Rebecca , both of which earned him an Oscar for Best Picture.-Early years:...
. After a screen test Selznick offered him a contract, provided he learned English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
. Delon returned to Paris to study the language, but when he met French director Yves Allégret
Yves Allégret
Yves Allégret was a French film director in the film noir genre.He is noted as having been the husband of actress Simone Signoret between the years 1944–1949.-Selected filmography:...
, he was convinced that he should stay in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
to begin his career. Selznick allowed Delon to cancel his contract, and Allégret gave him his debut in the film Quand la Femme s'en Mêle (When the Woman Butts In). Delon then appeared in the film Faibles Femmes (Women Are Weak/Three Murderesses). This was also the very first of his films to be seen in America, where it became a huge success.
In 1960, Delon appeared in René Clément's Purple Noon
Plein Soleil
Purple Noon is a 1960 film directed by René Clément, based on The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith, and starring Alain Delon in his first major movie...
, which was based on the Patricia Highsmith
Patricia Highsmith
Patricia Highsmith was an American novelist and short-story writer most widely known for her psychological thrillers, which led to more than two dozen film adaptations. Her first novel, Strangers on a Train, has been adapted for stage and screen numerous times, notably by Alfred Hitchcock in 1951...
novel The Talented Mr. Ripley
The Talented Mr. Ripley
The Talented Mr. Ripley is a psychological thriller novel by Patricia Highsmith. This novel first introduced the character of Tom Ripley who returns in the novels Ripley Under Ground, Ripley's Game, The Boy Who Followed Ripley and Ripley Under Water...
. He played protagonist Tom Ripley to critical acclaim; Highsmith herself was also a fan of his portrayal. He then appeared in Luchino Visconti
Luchino Visconti
Luchino Visconti di Modrone, Count of Lonate Pozzolo was an Italian theatre, opera and cinema director, as well as a screenwriter. He is best known for his films The Leopard and Death in Venice .-Life:...
's Rocco and His Brothers. Critic Bosley Crowther
Bosley Crowther
Bosley Crowther was a journalist and author who was film critic for The New York Times for 27 years. His reviews and articles helped shape the careers of actors, directors and screenwriters, though his reviews, at times, were unnecessarily mean...
of the New York Times said Delon's work was : "touchingly pliant and expressive." John Beaufort in the Christian Science Monitor said:
- "Rocco's heartbroken steadfastness furnishes the film with the foremost of its ironic tragedies ... [I]ts believability rests finally on Mr. Delon's compelling performance."
Delon made his stage debut in 1961 in John Ford
John Ford (dramatist)
John Ford was an English Jacobean and Caroline playwright and poet born in Ilsington in Devon in 1586.-Life and work:...
’s play Tis Pity She’s a Whore alongside Romy Schneider
Romy Schneider
Romy Schneider was an Austrian-born German film actress who also held French citizenship.-Early life:Schneider was born Rosemarie Magdalena Albach in Nazi-era Vienna, six months after the Anschluss, into a family of actors that included her paternal grandmother Rosa Albach-Retty, her Austrian...
in Paris. Visconti directed the production. Delon would work with him again for Il Gattopardo
The Leopard (film)
The Leopard is a 1963 Italian film by director Luchino Visconti, based on Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa's novel of the same name.-Cast:* Burt Lancaster as Prince Don Fabrizio Salina* Claudia Cardinale as Angelica Sedara / Bertiana...
(The Leopard). Delon also worked with Jean-Pierre Melville, who directed him in Un Flic
Un flic
Un flic is a 1972 French film, the last directed by Jean-Pierre Melville. It stars Alain Delon, Catherine Deneuve, and Richard Crenna.-Plot:Four men rob a bank in Saint-Jean-de-Monts...
, Le Cercle Rouge
Le Cercle rouge
Le Cercle rouge is a 1970 crime film set in Paris, France. It was directed by Jean-Pierre Melville and stars Alain Delon, Bourvil, Gian Maria Volonté and Yves Montand...
, and Le Samouraï
Le Samouraï
Le Samouraï is a 1967 French crime film directed by French filmmaker Jean-Pierre Melville, starring Alain Delon.- Plot :The story follows a perfectionist free-agent hitman, Jef Costello , who religiously adheres to a strict code of duty...
.
In 1964, the Cinémathèque Française
Cinémathèque Française
The Cinémathèque Française holds one of the largest archives of films, movie documents and film-related objects in the world. Located in Paris, the Cinémathèque holds daily screenings of films from around the world.-History:...
held a showcase of Delon's films and Delon started a production company, Delbeau Production, with Georges Beaume. They produced a film called L’insoumis, which had to be re-edited because of legal issues. Delon then started his own production company, Adel, and starred in the company’s first film, Jeff. Delon followed the success of the film with Borsalino
Borsalino (film)
Borsalino is a 1970 gangster film directed by Jacques Deray and starring Alain Delon, Jean-Paul Belmondo and Catherine Rouvel. It was entered into the 20th Berlin International Film Festival....
, which became one of France’s highest grossing films of the time. In 1973, he made a duet
Duet (music)
A duet is a musical composition for two performers. In classical music, the term is most often used for a composition for two singers or pianists; with other instruments, the word duo is also often used. A piece performed by two pianists performing together on the same piano is referred to as...
with the French pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
singer Dalida
Dalida
Dalida , born with Italian name of Iolanda Cristina Gigliotti, was a world-famous singer and actress born in Egypt with Italian origins but naturalised French with the name Yolanda Gigliotti. She spent her early years in Egypt amongst the Italian Egyptian community, but she lived most of her adult...
on "Paroles, paroles". He also played Johnston McCulley
Johnston McCulley
Johnston McCulley was the author of hundreds of stories, fifty novels, numerous screenplays for film and television, and the creator of the character Zorro...
's popular masked hero in 1975's Zorro
Zorro (1975 film)
Zorro is a 1975 Italian film based on the character created by Johnston McCulley. Directed by Duccio Tessari, it stars famous French actor Alain Delon as Zorro. The film is the only Zorro film to take place in South America, rather than the traditional California or Mexico...
. In 1976, Delon starred in Monsieur Klein
Monsieur Klein
Monsieur Klein is a 1976 French film directed by Joseph Losey, with Alain Delon starring in the title role.- Synopsis :It is 1942, the war is in full swing and France is occupied by the Nazis. To Robert Klein, however, these events are of little concern...
, which won him the César awards (French equivalent of Oscars).
He was awarded the Best Actor César Award for his role in Bertrand Blier
Bertrand Blier
Bertrand Blier is a French screenwriter and film director.Born in Boulogne-Billancourt, France. He is the son of Bernard Blier....
's Notre histoire (1984), and portrayed the aristocratic dandy
Dandy
A dandy is a man who places particular importance upon physical appearance, refined language, and leisurely hobbies, pursued with the appearance of nonchalance in a cult of Self...
Baron de Charlus in a film adaptation of Marcel Proust
Marcel Proust
Valentin Louis Georges Eugène Marcel Proust was a French novelist, critic, and essayist best known for his monumental À la recherche du temps perdu...
's novel Swann in Love in the same year. Then followed a string of box office
Box office
A box office is a place where tickets are sold to the public for admission to an event. Patrons may perform the transaction at a countertop, through an unblocked hole through a wall or window, or at a wicket....
failures in the late 1980s and 1990s, culminating in the failure of Patrice Leconte
Patrice Leconte
Patrice Leconte is a French film director, actor, comic strip writer, and screenwriter.-Biography:...
's Une chance sur deux. Delon announced his decision to give up acting in 1997, although he still occasionally accepts roles.
In 1990, he worked with auteur Jean-Luc Godard
Jean-Luc Godard
Jean-Luc Godard is a French-Swiss film director, screenwriter and film critic. He is often identified with the 1960s French film movement, French Nouvelle Vague, or "New Wave"....
, on Nouvelle vague, in which he played twins. In 2003, the Walter Reade Theater showed a series of Delon's films under the aegis
Aegis
An aegis is a large collar or cape worn in ancient times to display the protection provided by a high religious authority or the holder of a protective shield signifying the same, such as a bag-like garment that contained a shield. Sometimes the garment and the shield are merged, with a small...
, Man in the Shadows: The Films of Alain Delon.
Products
Since the formation of a perfume label in his name, Delon has had a variety of products sold under his name including wristwatches, clothing, eyewear, stationery and cigarettes.Delon's sunglasses brand became particularly popular in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
after actor Chow Yun-fat
Chow Yun-Fat
Chow Yun-fat, SBS is an actor from Hong Kong. He is best known in Asia for his collaboration with filmmaker John Woo in heroic bloodshed genre films A Better Tomorrow, The Killer, and Hard Boiled; and to the West for his role as Li Mu-bai in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon...
wore them in the 1986 crime film A Better Tomorrow
A Better Tomorrow
A Better Tomorrow is a 1986 Hong Kong action film which had a profound influence on the Hong Kong film-making industry, and later on an international scale.Directed by John Woo, it stars Chow Yun-fat, Ti Lung and Leslie Cheung...
(as well as two sequels). Delon reportedly wrote a letter thanking Chow for helping the sunglasses sell out in the region. The film's director John Woo
John Woo
John Woo Yu-Sen SBS is a Hong Kong-based film director and producer. Recognized for his stylised films of highly choreographed action sequences, Mexican standoffs, and use of slow-motion, Woo has directed several notable Hong Kong action films, among them, A Better Tomorrow, The Killer, Hard...
has acknowledged Delon as one of his idols and wrote a short essay on Le Samourai
Le Samouraï
Le Samouraï is a 1967 French crime film directed by French filmmaker Jean-Pierre Melville, starring Alain Delon.- Plot :The story follows a perfectionist free-agent hitman, Jef Costello , who religiously adheres to a strict code of duty...
as well as Le Cercle Rouge
Le Cercle rouge
Le Cercle rouge is a 1970 crime film set in Paris, France. It was directed by Jean-Pierre Melville and stars Alain Delon, Bourvil, Gian Maria Volonté and Yves Montand...
for the Criterion Collection DVD releases.
Relationships
On 20 March 1959, Delon was engaged to actress Romy SchneiderRomy Schneider
Romy Schneider was an Austrian-born German film actress who also held French citizenship.-Early life:Schneider was born Rosemarie Magdalena Albach in Nazi-era Vienna, six months after the Anschluss, into a family of actors that included her paternal grandmother Rosa Albach-Retty, her Austrian...
, whom he met when they co-starred in the film Christine
Christine (1958 film)
Christine is a 1958 film, based on the novel Liebelei by Arthur Schnitzler. The film was directed by Pierre Gaspard-Huit and the title character was played by Romy Schneider...
(1958). During their relationship, he had an affair with German actress, singer and model Nico
Nico
Nico was a German singer, lyricist, composer, musician, fashion model, and actress, who initially rose to fame as a Warhol Superstar in the 1960s...
. On 11 August 1962, Nico gave birth to a son, Christian Aaron "Ari", fathered by Delon. The child was raised mostly by Delon's parents. Nico died in 1988, from a bicycling accident.
In December 1963, Schneider and Delon decided to break the engagement. On 13 August 1964, Delon married Nathalie Barthélemy
Nathalie Delon
Nathalie Delon, is a French actress, former wife of Alain Delon and mother of Anthony Delon.-Filmography:-External links:...
. Their son, Anthony Delon
Anthony Delon
Anthony Delon is a French-American actor, and son of actors Alain Delon and Nathalie Delon .-Selected filmography:* Poliss...
, was born in September. The couple divorced on 14 February 1969.
In 1968, during the shooting of the film Jeff, he met French actress Mireille Darc
Mireille Darc
Mireille Darc is a French model and actress. She was Alain Delon's longtime co-star and companion. She appeared as a lead character in Jean-Luc Godard's 1967 film Week End...
with whom he started a 15-year relationship, lasting until 1982.
In 1987, Delon met Dutch
Dutch people
The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United...
model Rosalie van Breemen
Rosalie van Breemen
Rosalie van Breemen is a former Dutch model, a presenter and a journalist. She is best known for her relationships with French actor Alain Delon and optician tycoon Alain Afflelou .-Model:...
on the shooting of the video clip for his song "Comme au cinéma" and started a relationship. They had two children: Anouschka (25 November 1990) and Alain-Fabien (18 March 1994). The relationship ended in October 2002.
Alain Delon lives in Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
with his two youngest children.
Honours
- At the 60th Cannes Film Festival, he presented the Best Actress Award to South KoreaSouth KoreaThe Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
n actress Jeon Do-yeonJeon Do-yeonJeon Do-yeon is a highly-acclaimed South Korean actress who has won many awards including best actress at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival...
for her role in Lee Chang Dong's Secret SunshineSecret SunshineSecret Sunshine is a 2007 South Korean film directed by acclaimed South Korean director, novelist, and former Minister of Culture Lee Chang-dong. The story focuses on a woman as she wrestles with the questions of grief, madness, and faith. The Korean title, 밀양 is given after the city that served...
. She became the first South Korean to win a prize at the Cannes Film FestivalCannes Film FestivalThe Cannes International Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is among the world's most prestigious and publicized film festivals...
. - At the 2008 César Awards on February 22, 2008, he presented the César Award for Best ActressCésar Award for Best ActressList of winners and nominees of the César Award for Best Actress .-Winners and nominees:...
to Marion CotillardMarion CotillardMarion Cotillard is a French actress and singer. She garnered critical acclaim for her roles in films such as La Vie en Rose, My Sex Life... or How I Got Into an Argument, Taxi, Furia and Jeux d'enfants...
, who two days later won the Academy Award for Best ActressAcademy Award for Best ActressPerformance by an Actress in a Leading Role is one of the Academy Awards of merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance while working within the film industry...
for La Vie En RoseLa Vie en rose (film)La Vie En Rose is a 2007 French biographical film about the life of French chanteuse Édith Piaf co-written, and directed by Olivier Dahan. Marion Cotillard stars as Piaf. The title La Vie en Rose comes from Piaf's signature song...
. - Delon appears on the cover of the 1986 album The Queen Is DeadThe Queen Is DeadThe Queen Is Dead is the third studio album by the English alternative rock band The Smiths. It was released on 16 June 1986 in the United Kingdom by Rough Trade Records and released in the United States on 23 June 1986 through Sire Records. The album reached #2 on the UK Albums Chart, maintaining...
by The SmithsThe SmithsThe Smiths were an English alternative rock band, formed in Manchester in 1982. Based on the song writing partnership of Morrissey and Johnny Marr , the band also included Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce...
. - He was made Officier (Officer) of the Ordre national du MériteOrdre National du MériteThe Ordre national du Mérite is an Order of State awarded by the President of the French Republic. It was founded on 3 December 1963 by President Charles de Gaulle...
in 1995. - He was made Chevalier (Knight) of the Légion d'honneurLégion d'honneurThe Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
on 21 February 1991. He was promoted to Officier (Officer) in 2005.
Filmography
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Asterix at the Olympic Games Astérix at the Olympic Games (film) Asterix at the Olympic Games is a French film, adapted from René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo's Astérix comic series. It was filmed essentially in Spain in the course of the year 2006. Its €78 million budget makes it one of the most expensive European movies ever... |
Jules César Julius Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire.... |
|
| 2004 | Frank Riva | Frank Riva | TV series, 2nd season |
| 2003 | Frank Riva | Frank Riva | TV series, 1st season |
| 1999 | Les Acteurs | Himself | |
| 1997 | Une Chance sur deux | Julien Vignal | |
| 1996 | Le Jour et la nuit | Alexandre | |
| 1994 | Les Cent et une nuits | L'acteur d'un jour | |
| 1993 | L'Ours en peluche | Jean Rivière | |
| 1992 | Un Crime | Maitre Charles Durand | |
| 1992 | Le Retour de Casanova The Return of Casanova The Return of Casanova is a 1992 French comedy film directed by Édouard Niermans. It was entered into the 1992 Cannes Film Festival.-Cast:* Alain Delon - Casanova* Fabrice Luchini - Camille* Elsa Lunghini - Marcolina... |
Casanova Giacomo Casanova Giacomo Girolamo Casanova de Seingalt was an Italian adventurer and author from the Republic of Venice. His autobiography, Histoire de ma vie , is regarded as one of the most authentic sources of the customs and norms of European social life during the 18th century... |
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| 1990 | Nouvelle Vague Nouvelle Vague (film) Nouvelle Vague is a 1990 film written and directed by Jean-Luc Godard. It follows the story of hitchiker Lennox credited as "Lui" , taken in by a wealthy industrialist, Elena Torlato-Favrini or "Elle" , played by Domiziana Giordano.The film was entered into the 1990 Cannes Film... |
L'homme | |
| 1990 | Dancing Machine | Alan Wolf | |
| 1988 | Ne réveillez pas un flic qui dort | Commissaire Eugène Grindel | |
| 1985 | Parole de flic | Daniel Pratt | |
| 1984 | Notre histoire | Robert Avranche | Won - César Award for Best Actor César Award for Best Actor This is the list of winners and nominees of the César Award for Best Actor .-1970s:-1980s:-1990s:-2000s:-2010s:... |
| 1984 | Le Passage | Jean Diaz | |
| 1983 | Le Battant | Jacques Darnay | |
| 1983 | Swann in Love Un amour de Swann (film) Un amour de Swann is a 1984 Franco-German film directed by Volker Schlöndorff. Its screenplay is largely inspired by the novel of the same name by Marcel Proust.... |
Baron de Charlus | |
| 1982 | Le choc Le choc Le choc is a 1982 crime thriller film directed by Robin Davis and featuring Alain Delon and Catherine Deneuve.-Cast:* Alain Delon - Martin Terrier / Christian* Catherine Deneuve - Claire* Philippe Léotard - Félix* François Perrot - Cox... |
Martin Terrier | |
| 1981 | Pour la peau d'un flic | Choucas | |
| 1980 | Trois hommes à abattre | Michel Gerfaut | |
| 1980 | Teheran 43. Nid d'espions Teheran 43 Teheran 43 is a 1981 USSR-France-Switzerland film made by Mosfilm, Mediterraneo Cine and Pro Dis Film, directed by Aleksandr Alov and Vladimir Naumov.The film was the leader of Soviet distribution in 1981 and had 47.5 million viewers... |
Foche | |
| 1979 | Le Toubib Le Toubib The Medic is a 1979 French film directed by Pierre Granier-Deferre, adapted from the novel Harmonie ou les horreurs de la guerre by Jean Freustié.- Plot :The film is set in a modern war, probably between a European country and a country in the Far East... |
Jean-Marie Desprès | |
| 1979 | The Concorde ... Airport '79 | Paul Metrand | |
| 1978 | Attention, les enfants regardent | L'homme | |
| 1977 | Le Gang | Robert le Dingue | |
| 1977 | Mort d'un pourri Death of a Corrupt Man Death of a Corrupt Man is a 1977 French crime film directed by Georges Lautner and starring Alain Delon.-Cast:* Alain Delon - Xavier 'Xav' Maréchal* Ornella Muti - Valérie* Stéphane Audran - Christiane* Mireille Darc - Françoise... |
Xavier Maréchal | Nominated - César Award for Best Actor César Award for Best Actor This is the list of winners and nominees of the César Award for Best Actor .-1970s:-1980s:-1990s:-2000s:-2010s:... |
| 1976 | Monsieur Klein Monsieur Klein Monsieur Klein is a 1976 French film directed by Joseph Losey, with Alain Delon starring in the title role.- Synopsis :It is 1942, the war is in full swing and France is occupied by the Nazis. To Robert Klein, however, these events are of little concern... |
Robert Klein | by Joseph Losey Joseph Losey Joseph Walton Losey was an American theater and film director. After studying in Germany with Bertolt Brecht, Losey returned to the United States, eventually making his way to Hollywood... Nominated - César Award for Best Actor César Award for Best Actor This is the list of winners and nominees of the César Award for Best Actor .-1970s:-1980s:-1990s:-2000s:-2010s:... |
| 1976 | Armaguedon | Dr. Michel Ambrose | |
| 1976 | Comme un boomerang | Jacques Batkin | |
| 1976 | L'Homme pressé | Pierre Niox | |
| 1975 | Flic Story Flic Story Flic Story is a French crime thriller released on October 1, 1975, based on the autobiography of the same name written by French police detective Roger Borniche. Both film and book portray Borniche's nine year pursuit of French gangster and murderer Emile Buisson, who was executed on February 28,... |
Roger Borniche Roger Borniche Roger Borniche was a French detective of the Sûreté nationale and author of a number of works. He started as a Singer, but his fledgling musical career was interrupted by the German invasion of 1940. To make a living, he took a job as a store detective... |
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| 1975 | Le Gitan | Le Gitan | |
| 1975 | Zorro (1975 film) Zorro (1975 film) Zorro is a 1975 Italian film based on the character created by Johnston McCulley. Directed by Duccio Tessari, it stars famous French actor Alain Delon as Zorro. The film is the only Zorro film to take place in South America, rather than the traditional California or Mexico... |
Don Diego de la Vega/Zorro Zorro Zorro is a fictional character created in 1919 by New York-based pulp writer Johnston McCulley. The character has been featured in numerous books, films, television series, and other media.... |
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| 1974 | Les Seins de glace | Marc Rilsen | |
| 1974 | Borsalino & Co. Borsalino & Co. Borsalino & Co. is a 1974 French action film directed by Jacques Deray and starring Alain Delon, Riccardo Cucciolla and Daniel Ivernel. It is the sequel to the 1970 film Borsalino.-Partial cast:* Alain Delon - Roch Siffredi... |
Roch Siffredi | |
| 1973 | Deux hommes dans la ville Deux hommes dans la ville Deux hommes dans la ville is a 1973 Franco-Italian film diected by José Giovanni.- Plot Summary :After an early release from prison, an ex-safe cracker finds honest work and a new love... |
Gino Strabliggi | |
| 1973 | La Race des seigneurs | Julien Dandieu | |
| 1973 | Les Granges brûlées Les Granges Brûlées Les Granges Brûlées is an album by Jean Michel Jarre, released on Eden Roc in France and Canada in 1973. It is the soundtrack to the film of the same name starring Simone Signoret and Alain Delon... |
Larcher | |
| 1973 | Scorpio Scorpio (film) Scorpio is a 1973 spy film directed by Michael Winner.It is about a Central Intelligence Agency agent named Cross , a successful but retiring assassin, who is training "Scorpio" to replace him... |
Jean Laurier, alias Scorpio | |
| 1973 | Les Grands fusils | Tony Arzenta | |
| 1972 | Traitement de choc | Devillers | |
| 1972 | Il était une fois un flic | Man searching Rodriguez | |
| 1972 | La prima notte di quiete La prima notte di quiete La prima notte di quiete, released in USA as Indian Summer is a 1972 Italian and French drama film directed by Valerio Zurlini. It is starred and produced by Alain Delon. In France it runs less than the Italian cut... |
Daniele Dominici | by Valerio Zurlini Valerio Zurlini Valerio Zurlini was an Italian film director, stage director and screenwriter.-Biography:During his law studies in Rome, he started working in the theatre. In 1943, he joined the Italian resistance. Zurlini became a member of the Italian Communist Party... |
| 1971 | Un Flic Un flic Un flic is a 1972 French film, the last directed by Jean-Pierre Melville. It stars Alain Delon, Catherine Deneuve, and Richard Crenna.-Plot:Four men rob a bank in Saint-Jean-de-Monts... |
Coleman | |
| 1971 | La Veuve Couderc La Veuve Couderc La Veuve Couderc is a Belgian novel by Georges Simenon. It was first published in 1942.... |
Jean | |
| 1971 | Soleil Rouge Red Sun Red Sun is a Western film, one of few with an international cast. It stars U.S.-born actor Charles Bronson, Japanese actor Toshirō Mifune, French actor Alain Delon and Swiss actress Ursula Andress. It was filmed in Spain by the British director Terence Young. It was released in Europe in 1971 and... |
Gauche | by Terence Young |
| 1971 | Fantasia chez les ploucs | A caïd | |
| 1971 | The Assassination of Trotsky The Assassination of Trotsky The Assassination of Trotsky is a 1972 British film directed by Joseph Losey with a screenplay by Nicholas Mosley. It starred Richard Burton as Leon Trotsky, as well as Romy Schneider and Alain Delon.-Plot:... |
Frank Jackson | by Joseph Losey Joseph Losey Joseph Walton Losey was an American theater and film director. After studying in Germany with Bertolt Brecht, Losey returned to the United States, eventually making his way to Hollywood... |
| 1970 | Le Cercle rouge Le Cercle rouge Le Cercle rouge is a 1970 crime film set in Paris, France. It was directed by Jean-Pierre Melville and stars Alain Delon, Bourvil, Gian Maria Volonté and Yves Montand... |
Corey | by Jean-Pierre Melville |
| 1970 | Borsalino Borsalino (film) Borsalino is a 1970 gangster film directed by Jacques Deray and starring Alain Delon, Jean-Paul Belmondo and Catherine Rouvel. It was entered into the 20th Berlin International Film Festival.... |
Rocco Siffredi | |
| 1970 | Doucement les basses | Simon | |
| 1969 Sicilian clan English Movie | Le Clan des Siciliens Le Clan des Siciliens The Sicilian Clan is a 1969 French crime film directed by Henri Verneuil and starring Jean Gabin, Lino Ventura and Alain Delon. The film was largely marketed by the casting together of three of the leading French movie actors of the day.The film score was written by Italian composer Ennio Morricone... |
Roger Sartet | |
| 1969 | Madly | Julian | |
| 1969 | Jeff | Laurent | |
| 1968 | La Piscine La Piscine (film) La Piscine is a 1969 Italian-French film directed by Jacques Deray. It is set in a villa with a pool in August at the Côte d'Azur... |
Jean-Paul | |
| 1968 | La Motocyclette The Girl on a Motorcycle The Girl on a Motorcycle , also known as Naked Under Leather, is a 1968 British-French film starring Alain Delon, Marianne Faithfull, Roger Mutton, Marius Goring, and Catherine Jourdan. It was listed to compete at the 1968 Cannes Film Festival, but the festival was cancelled due to the events of... |
Daniel | |
| 1968 | Adieu l'ami Adieu l'ami Adieu l’ami is a 1968 French-Italian film directed by Jean Herman; producer Serge Silberman, screenplay by Sebastien Japrisot.-Plot summary:... |
Dino Barran | co-starring with Charles Bronson Charles Bronson Charles Bronson , born Charles Dennis Buchinsky was an American actor, best-known for such films as Once Upon a Time in the West, The Magnificent Seven, The Dirty Dozen, The Great Escape, Rider on the Rain, The Mechanic, and the popular Death Wish series... |
| 1968 | Spirits of the Dead | William Wilson | Episode "William Wilson", by Louis Malle Louis Malle Louis Malle was a French film director, screenwriter, and producer. He worked in both French cinema and Hollywood. His films include Ascenseur pour l'échafaud , Atlantic City , and Au revoir, les enfants .- Early years in France :Malle was born into a wealthy industrialist family in Thumeries,... |
| 1967 | Le Samouraï Le Samouraï Le Samouraï is a 1967 French crime film directed by French filmmaker Jean-Pierre Melville, starring Alain Delon.- Plot :The story follows a perfectionist free-agent hitman, Jef Costello , who religiously adheres to a strict code of duty... |
Jef Costello | by Jean Pierre Melville |
| 1967 | Diaboliquement vôtre | Pierre | |
| 1966 | Les Aventuriers Les aventuriers (1967 film) Les Aventuriers is a drama film directed by Robert Enrico. It is based on a novel by José Giovanni.-Synopsis:Three very likeable losers fail while they pursue individual goals. Roland Darbont is an inventor who has designed his own engine. Manu Borelli on the other hand is a pilot who prepares a... |
Manu | |
| 1966 | Lost Command Lost Command Lost Command is a 1966 war film directed by Mark Robson and filmed in Spain. The screenplay was written by Nelson Gidding, based on the 1960 novel The Centurions by Jean Lartéguy... |
Capt. Philippe Esclavier | |
| 1966 | Texas Across the River Texas Across the River Texas Across The River is a 1966 western film comedy with Dean Martin and Joey Bishop. The film was directed by Michael Gordon.-Plot:Phoebe Ann Naylor is about to be wed to Don Andrea Baldazar, El Duce de la Casala in Louisiana. The festivities are broken up with the arrival of Yancey Cottle ... /Texas nous voilà |
Don Andrea | |
| 1965 | Paris brûle-t-il ? | Jacques Chaban-Delmas | |
| 1965 | Once a Thief Once a Thief (1965 film) Once a Thief is a 1965 film directed by Ralph Nelson. It was written by Zekial Marko, based on his novel Scratch A Thief. Nelson won the OCIC award at the 1965 San Sebastián International Film Festival for the film.-Plot:... |
Eddie Pedak | Ralph Nelson Ralph Nelson Ralph Nelson was an American movie and television director, producer, writer, and actor.-Life and career:... director, Zekial Marko screenwriter Screenwriter Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:... |
| 1965 | The Yellow Rolls-Royce The Yellow Rolls-Royce -External links:, a promotional short subject for the film... |
Stefano | |
| 1964 | L'Insoumis L'Insoumis L'Insoumis is a 1964 film film noir starring Alain Delon opposite Lea Massari. The film's background is the Algerian War and Alain Delon plays Thomas Vlassenroot, a deserter of the French Foreign Legion in Algeria during the 1961 uprising... |
Thomas | |
| 1963 | La Tulipe noire La Tulipe noire La tulipe noire was only loosely based on the novel of the same name by Alexandre Dumas. It was basically a star vehicle for the popular French actor Alain Delon.-Synopsis:... |
Count de Saint Preux | |
| 1963 | The Leopard The Leopard (film) The Leopard is a 1963 Italian film by director Luchino Visconti, based on Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa's novel of the same name.-Cast:* Burt Lancaster as Prince Don Fabrizio Salina* Claudia Cardinale as Angelica Sedara / Bertiana... |
Tancredi | by Luchino Visconti Luchino Visconti Luchino Visconti di Modrone, Count of Lonate Pozzolo was an Italian theatre, opera and cinema director, as well as a screenwriter. He is best known for his films The Leopard and Death in Venice .-Life:... Nominated - Golden Globe Award for Most Promising Newcomer - Male |
| 1963 | Mélodie en sous-sol | Francis | |
| 1963 | Les Félins Les félins Les Félins, also known as The Love Cage and Joy House , is a 1964 black-and-white film based on the novel Joy House by Day Keene. Directed by René Clément and starring Alain Delon, Jane Fonda, and Lola Albright, this mystery/thriller features a criminal on the run from both police and killers... |
Marc | |
| 1962 | Le Diable et les Dix Commandements Le Diable et les Dix Commandements Le Diable et les Dix Commandements , is a French comedy-drama film from 1963, directed by Julien Duvivier, written by David Alexander and Michel Audiard, starring Michel Simon and Louis de Funès... |
Pierre Messager | |
| 1962 | Carambolages | Lambert | |
| 1962 | Eclipse | Piero | by Michelangelo Antonioni Michelangelo Antonioni Michelangelo Antonioni, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI was an Italian modernist film director, screenwriter, editor and short story writer.- Personal life :... |
| 1962 | L'Amour à la mer | The film actor | |
| 1961 | Les Amours celebres | Prince Albert | Episode "Agnes Bernauer" |
| 1961 | Quelle joie de vivre | Ulysse | |
| 1960 | Plein Soleil Plein Soleil Purple Noon is a 1960 film directed by René Clément, based on The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith, and starring Alain Delon in his first major movie... |
Tom Ripley | |
| 1960 | Rocco and His Brothers | Rocco Parondi | by Luchino Visconti Luchino Visconti Luchino Visconti di Modrone, Count of Lonate Pozzolo was an Italian theatre, opera and cinema director, as well as a screenwriter. He is best known for his films The Leopard and Death in Venice .-Life:... |
| 1959 | Le chemin des écoliers | Antoine Michaud | |
| 1959 | Faibles femmes | Julien Fenal | |
| 1958 | Christine Christine (1958 film) Christine is a 1958 film, based on the novel Liebelei by Arthur Schnitzler. The film was directed by Pierre Gaspard-Huit and the title character was played by Romy Schneider... |
Franz Lobheiner | |
| 1957 | Quand la femme s'en mêle | Jo | |
| 1957 | Sois belle et tais-toi | Loulou |