Michel Piccoli
Acting
🎂 1925-12-27
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.
Cast credits(267)
Self
1975
Self
1982
Self
1981
Self
1998
Self
1974
Self
1975
Paul Javal
1963
Self
1971
Self
1972
Self
1975
Self
1987
Self
1951
Self (archive footage)
2022
Self
1971
Adam - Ram's father
1994
Jean, the reporter
1964
Spyros
2008
Man with the Wine Stain
2012
Henri Husson
1967
Marie, la mère de Vincent
2006
Melville
2011
2025
Mathieu Faber (voice) (uncredited)
1977
Simon Dame
1967
The Second Police Prefect
1974
Michel
1973
Edouard Frenhofer
1991
Edgar Pisani
1966
Interior Minister
1972
Indian chief
1973
Damien Malleville
1987
Narrator (voice)
1972
Joseph
1980
Caffarelli
1985
Jacques Granville
1969
Self (archive footage)
2022
Le père
1981
Lecoeur
1965
Le Capitaine Valorgueil
1955
Max Baumstein
1982
Pierre BĂ©rard
1970
François, médecin
1974
Self
1991
Serlon de Savigny
1961
Maurice Reverdy
2009
Inspector Ginko
1968
Nikita Kruschev (segment "Rencontre unique")
2007
Georges Gohelle
1949
Glauco
1969
Conrad Brukner
1978
Max, inspector
1971
Pasquerel (segment "Jeanne")
1954
Izquierdo dans l'émission de télévision 'Montserrat' (uncredited)
1962
Count Philippe
1968
Friedrich Hofreiter
1987
Marquis de Sade
1969
François Desailly
1969
James Putnam
1957
Slim Spring
1951
Désiré, l'homosexuel
1992
Etienne
1976
Henri Toussaint
1993
Alexandre Saccard
1966
Self
2002
Graham Tombsthay
1985
Kafka
1964
Simon LĂ©otard
1976
Lebel
1949
Nuttheccio
1962
Richard
1975
Jean-Paul Chance
1982
Werner Kreuz
1966
Edgar Piccoli
1966
Robert Hansen
1978
Buffalo Bill
1974
Victor Navarro
1979
Frédéric Mallaire
1983
Daddy
2007
Officer (uncredited)
1955
Mr. Armand
1991
Ispettore Marchand
1977
Marc
1986
Akiva Liebskind
1984
Philippe
1979
Pierre Chazerand
1979
Themroc
1973
Bernard Rougerie
1977
Bertrand Malair
1981
Maurice Rouger
1955
Milou
1990
Commissioner Jacques Guimard
1959
Zio Tony
1999
José Viss
1982
RĂ©citant (voice)
1999
René Winterhalter
1980
Georges Sarret
1974
Michel Piccoli
2000
Monsieur Monteil
1964
Saint-Ramé
1977
Raoul Bergeron
1987
Marcel Spadice
1991
Pierre
1973
Mauro Ponticelli
1980
Michel des Assantes
1999
Simon Cinéma
1995
Inspector #1
1966
Chateaubriand (voice)
1992
Self
1970
Dom Juan
1965
Pierre Maury
1973
Franck Marchal
1957
Michel
1976
Vidame de Pamiers
2007
Batz
1988
Father Lizzardi
1956
Georges Sarrassin
1965
Philippe Decharme (segment "Lucky la chance")
1964
(archive footage)
2024
Henri Husson
2006
Jacques Forestier
1958
Le directeur de l'aéro-club
1957
Étienne Sembadel
1986
Self (archive footage)
2023
René Cabourg, l'employé besogneux (Victime #2)
1965
Edouard Frenhofer
1992
Mr. Dellerue (voice)
1974
Self (archive footage)
2008
Self
1995
Dr Losseray
1975
Self (archive footage)
2021
L'invité pressé au vernissage (uncredited)
1968
LĂ©onid
1982
Prince de Conti
1996
LeĂłpold Scheitzer
2012
L'homme de trop
1967
Mac Bee / frère Mac Bee
1996
Un journaliste aux archives (uncredited)
1951
Un journaliste aux archives
1951
Michel
2014
Marrades
1967
Orlaville
1978
Georges Feuvrier
1994
Texte dit par (voice)
1964
Le père
2012
Michel Perrin
1984
Agostino (archive footage) (uncredited)
2021
TĂo Agostino
1982
Tommy Goudchote
1951
1974
Narrator (voice)
1984
Ferdinand (voice)
2003
Chvokhniev
1960
Professor
1981
L'inspecteur Vardier, de la P.J.
1958
French Official
1984
Grezillo
1978
Giorgio's friend
1972
Self - Actor (archive footage)
2017
Leonard Wilde
1993
Tom Brown, jeune
1959
Capitaine Roger
1976
Richard Burke
1957
King Louis XVI (uncredited)
1982
Narrator (voice)
1963
Valentin
1971
Marcello
1970
Self
2010
Raoul
1964
Self
2011
Edmond Leroyer
1982
François
1962
Self
1967
Georges Didier
1997
Self
2011
Antoine
1963
Self
2004
Michel Piccoli
2003
Self
1982
Self - Actor (archive footage)
2019
Michel Boulard
1982
1960
Strauberg
1978
Paul Regis
1971
Pierre Willer
1988
Colonel Kassar
1972
Le grand Hou
2008
L'enquĂŞteur
1975
Georges
1955
Prof. Heschel
2006
Le baron de Leisenbohg
1991
Lord Ariel Chatwick-West
1999
Ernst
1990
Brian Cannon
1960
Louis
2000
RĂ©citant (voice)
1955
Simon Lerner
1985
Self
2000
acteur qui joue Simon
2003
Père Jean-Marie
1988
1961
Le roi Lear
2007
Marcel
2007
Mr. Mutti
1982
Pianist
1957
Narrator (voice)
1964
GĂ©rard
1954
Self
1964
Paul
1961
Michel
1996
Harald
2003
Padre Amerin
1972
Benetandi
1983
Console Publicola
1961
Charles
1968
der Tölpel
1986
2002
un inspecteur
1955
Capri / Bruno
1966
Michel
1974
1994
Paul Belmont
1995
1994
Un villageois
1945
Self (archive footage)
2017
Lui
1976
1951
as Self
2000
Gilbert Valence
2001
L'antiquaire
1966
Narrator (voice)
1966
Self (archive footage)
2017
Self
2009
Jean-Michel Venture de Paradis
1997
Self (archive footage)
2018
RĂ©citant (voice)
1964
Jean Teyran
1980
Morrand
1981
Narrator
2015
(archive footage)
2017
Presenter
1994
Narrator
2005
Robert
1959
Pierre
1986
Self (archive footage)
1993
Paul Javal (archive footage)
1967
Paul
1993
Himself
1995
Cosimo
1996
Him
1968
Narrateur
1996
Reverdier
1954
1989
L'avocat
1988
Footage from La Belle Noiseuse
2025
un ouvrier
1953
Torticola
1952
1960
RĂ©citant (voice)
1956
Self
2011
1985
Kassar
1987
Himself
2006
L'homme
1961
RĂ©citant (voice)
1962
Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev
2007
RĂ©citant (voice)
1962
RĂ©citant (voice)
1961
