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| birth_date = {{birth date|1952|4|16|df=y}}
| birth_date = {{birth date|1952|4|16|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Courbevoie]], France
| birth_place = [[Courbevoie]], France
| death_date = {{death date and age|2024|10|3|1952|4|16|df=y}}
| death_date = {{death date and age|2024|10|4|1952|4|16|df=y}}
| death_place = [[Paris]], France
| death_place = [[Paris]], France
| occupation = {{hlist|Actor|director|writer}}
| occupation = {{hlist|Actor|director|writer}}
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'''Michel Blanc''' (16 April 1952 – 3 October 2024) was a French actor, writer and director.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://en.unifrance.org/directories/person/48086/michel-blanc |title=Michel Blanc |website=Unifrance |access-date=24 March 2015}}</ref> He is noted for his roles of losers and [[hypochondriac]]s. He is frequently associated with [[Le Splendid]], which he co-founded, along with [[Thierry Lhermitte]], [[Josiane Balasko]], [[Christian Clavier]], [[Marie-Anne Chazel]] and [[Gérard Jugnot]]. He also appeared in more serious roles, such as the title role in the [[Patrice Leconte]] film ''[[Monsieur Hire]]''.
'''Michel Blanc''' (16 April 1952 – 4 October 2024) was a French actor, writer and director.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://en.unifrance.org/directories/person/48086/michel-blanc |title=Michel Blanc |website=Unifrance |access-date=24 March 2015}}</ref> He is noted for his roles of losers and [[hypochondriac]]s. He is frequently associated with [[Le Splendid]], which he co-founded, along with [[Thierry Lhermitte]], [[Josiane Balasko]], [[Christian Clavier]], [[Marie-Anne Chazel]] and [[Gérard Jugnot]]. He also appeared in more serious roles, such as the title role in the [[Patrice Leconte]] film ''[[Monsieur Hire]]''.


==Life and career==
==Life and career==
Line 32: Line 32:
Blanc is one of a few people to have won awards at the [[Cannes Film Festival]] in both a creative and performing role, winning the [[Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actor|Male Acting Prize]] in [[1986 Cannes Film Festival|1986]] for Antoine in ''Tenue de Soirée'', and the [[Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Screenplay|Best Screenplay Prize]] for ''[[Grosse Fatigue]]'' in 1994.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.festival-cannes.com/p/michel-blanc/ |title=Michel Blanc |website=Festival de Cannes |language=fr}}</ref>
Blanc is one of a few people to have won awards at the [[Cannes Film Festival]] in both a creative and performing role, winning the [[Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actor|Male Acting Prize]] in [[1986 Cannes Film Festival|1986]] for Antoine in ''Tenue de Soirée'', and the [[Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Screenplay|Best Screenplay Prize]] for ''[[Grosse Fatigue]]'' in 1994.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.festival-cannes.com/p/michel-blanc/ |title=Michel Blanc |website=Festival de Cannes |language=fr}}</ref>


Blanc died at Saint-Antoine Hospital, [[Paris]], following a heart attack, on 3 October 2024, at the age of 72.<ref>{{cite web |title=L'acteur Michel Blanc est mort à l'âge de 72 ans |url=https://www.lefigaro.fr/culture/michel-blanc-est-mort-a-l-age-de-72-ans-20241004 |website=Le Figaro |date=4 October 2024 |language=fr}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2024/10/michel-blanc-dead-cesar-award-french-actor-les-bronzes-1236108431/ |title=Michel Blanc Dies: César-Winning Actor & 'Les Bronzés' Star Was 72 |website=Deadline |date=5 October 2024}}</ref>
Blanc died of cardiac arrest, during a medical examination, at Saint-Antoine Hospital, [[Paris]], on 4 October 2024, at the age of 72.<ref>{{cite web |title=L'acteur Michel Blanc est mort à l'âge de 72 ans |url=https://www.lefigaro.fr/culture/michel-blanc-est-mort-a-l-age-de-72-ans-20241004 |website=Le Figaro |date=4 October 2024 |language=fr}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2024/10/michel-blanc-dead-cesar-award-french-actor-les-bronzes-1236108431/ |title=Michel Blanc Dies: César-Winning Actor & 'Les Bronzés' Star Was 72 |website=Deadline |date=5 October 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-10-04 |title=Michel Blanc, « clown angoissé » du cinéma français, est mort à l’âge de 72 ans |url=https://www.letelegramme.fr/culture-loisirs/cinema/lacteur-et-realisateur-michel-blanc-est-mort-a-lage-de-72-ans-6675078.php |access-date=2024-10-17 |website=Le Télégramme |language=fr-FR}}</ref>


==On stage==
==On stage==

Latest revision as of 08:22, 4 November 2024

Michel Blanc
Blanc in 2009
Born
Michel Jean François Blanc

(1952-04-16)16 April 1952
Courbevoie, France
Died4 October 2024(2024-10-04) (aged 72)
Paris, France
Occupations
  • Actor
  • director
  • writer
Years active1974–2024

Michel Blanc (16 April 1952 – 4 October 2024) was a French actor, writer and director.[1] He is noted for his roles of losers and hypochondriacs. He is frequently associated with Le Splendid, which he co-founded, along with Thierry Lhermitte, Josiane Balasko, Christian Clavier, Marie-Anne Chazel and Gérard Jugnot. He also appeared in more serious roles, such as the title role in the Patrice Leconte film Monsieur Hire.

Life and career

[edit]

Michel Blanc came from a modest family background; being the only son of Marcel, a removals man and Jeanine Blanc, a typist.[2] His parents cosseted him when it was discovered shortly after birth that he had a heart murmur.[3] He attended the Lycée Pasteur in Neuilly-sur-Seine, where he met Gérard Jugnot[4] and the two became friends and later professional colleagues.[5] He also met Marie-Anne Chazel, Christian Clavier, Thierry Lhermitte and Josiane Balasko in those school years, the group later becoming the Le splendid troupe.[6]

Blanc's breakthrough role was in Les Bronzés, a 1978 comedy about French holidaymakers seeking romance at a resort in Cote d'Ivoire. Blanc’s character, Jean-Claude Dusse, an awkward bachelor who just cannot manage to seduce women. Blanc feared, after two Les Bronzés sequels, that he might become typecast as "a lovable deadbeat".[7] Blanc extended his range with serious film roles (such as in the films of André Téchiné), theatre work, screen-writing (from Les Bronzés to Un petit boulot in 2016) and film direction (Grosse Fatigue in 1994, Mauvaise Passe filmed in London in 1999, Embrassez qui vous voudrez in 2002 and Voyez comme on danse in 2018).[7] He declined to direct Une petite zone de turbulences in 2009 while nonetheless preparing the screenplay and starring.[8] Blanc began his directing career with the comedy Marche à l'ombre, starring alongside Gérard Lanvin in 1984. The sharp dialogue and the contrast between the main duo assured the film a great success that year with over 6 million cinema entries.[9]

Blanc commented in 2010 "I’m very wary about forming habits when it comes to film-making, and art in general". In terms of his working methods as a writer, in adaptating a novel or text for a screen play he was wary of losing the original style, and he hated snipping scenes he liked. "So I always work the same way. I write. Then I leave it alone three weeks before reworking it. At that point, it’s no longer the book I’m adapting, but my script. For A Spot of Bother I wrote five different versions, then Alfred worked on my final version to make his shooting script."[8]

Michel Blanc translated and adapted several English-language plays for the French stage, such as Je veux faire du cinéma in 1992 (I ought to be in pictures) by Neil Simon, Temps variable en soirée in 1996 (Communicating Doors) after Alan Ayckbourn, Espèces menacées in 1997 (Funny money) by Ray Cooney, La Chambre bleue in 1999 (The Blue Room, after La Ronde) by David Hare, La Valse à Manhattan in 2001 (The West Side Waltz) by Ernest Thompson, L'amour est enfant de salaud in 2003 (Things we do for love) by Alan Ayckbourn, Frankie et Johnny au clair de lune in 2004 (Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune) after Terrence McNally and Tantine et moi in 2005 (Vigil, aka Auntie and Me) after Morris Panych.[10]

A devotee of classical music since childhood, in 2004 he gave the premiere of the monodrama for speaker and orchestra by Eric Tanguy, Sénèque, dernier jour in Paris with the Orchestre National de Bretagne. Blanc also wrote the text for Tanguy's theatrical work, Photo d’un enfant avec une trompette, for the Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord, which had its premiere during the theatre’s 2013-2014 season.[11]

As an actor he was sometimes dubbed a "sad clown" in the press, but he said this missed the mark. He told the French media and culture periodical Télérama "I'm not a sad clown at all, I'm a worried clown".[7]

Blanc is one of a few people to have won awards at the Cannes Film Festival in both a creative and performing role, winning the Male Acting Prize in 1986 for Antoine in Tenue de Soirée, and the Best Screenplay Prize for Grosse Fatigue in 1994.[12]

Blanc died of cardiac arrest, during a medical examination, at Saint-Antoine Hospital, Paris, on 4 October 2024, at the age of 72.[13][14][15]

On stage

[edit]

As an actor

[edit]
Year Title Director Notes
1976 Foot-ball Michel Fagadau
Je vais craquer Le Splendid Théâtre du Splendid
Ma tête est malade Le Splendid Théâtre du Splendid
1977 Le Pot de terre contre le pot de vin Le Splendid Théâtre du Splendid
1978 Amour, coquillages et crustacés Le Splendid Théâtre du Splendid
1982 Bunny's bar Josiane Balasko Théâtre du Splendid
1985–88 Nuit d'ivresse Josiane Balasko Théâtre du Splendid
1992 Je veux faire du cinéma Michel Blanc Théâtre de la Michodière
'Art' Patrice Kerbrat Théâtre des Champs-Élysées
1995 The Merchant of Venice Jean-Luc Tardieu Maison de la culture de Loire-Atlantique Nantes

As a director

[edit]
Year Title Comedian Notes
1987 L'Excès contraire Dominique Lavanant Théâtre des Bouffes-Parisiens
written by Françoise Sagan
1992 Je veux faire du cinéma Michel Blanc Théâtre de la Michodière
written by Neil Simon

Filmography

[edit]

As an actor

[edit]
Year Title Role Director Notes
1974 Les filles de Malemort Daniel Daërt
Bonne présentation exigée The man who arrived Charles Nemes Short
1975 Let Joy Reign Supreme Louis XV's valet Bertrand Tavernier
Le bol d'air Michel Charles Nemes Short
1976 Attention les yeux! A Cop Gérard Pirès
The Best Way to Walk Deloux Claude Miller
Je t'aime moi non plus A worker Serge Gainsbourg
L'ordinateur des pompes funèbres Gérard Pirès
The Tenant Scope's Neighbor Roman Polanski
On aura tout vu A theatre's friend Georges Lautner
Cours après moi ... que je t'attrape Robert Pouret
1977 Le diable dans la boîte Pierre Lary
Spoiled Children The young man Bertrand Tavernier
Au théâtre ce soir Sandy Remington Pierre Sabbagh TV series (1 Episode)
Vous n'aurez pas l'Alsace et la Lorraine Antremont Coluche
Le point de mire The Cop Jean-Claude Tramont
1978 Madame le juge [fr] Colomar Philippe Condroyer TV series (1 Episode)
Le beaujolais nouveau est arrivé The Captain's son Jean-Luc Voulfow
Surprise Sock The intern Jean-François Davy
Les héritiers Ivan Pierre Lary TV series (1 Episode)
La tortue sur le dos The Reveller Luc Béraud
Le temps d'une République The second officer Michel Wyn TV series (1 Episode)
Les Bronzés Jean-Claude Dusse Patrice Leconte
1979 Heroes Are Not Wet Behind the Ears A passerby Charles Nemes
The Adolescent M. Bertin Jeanne Moreau
Pierrot mon ami François Leterrier TV movie
Cause toujours... tu m'intéresses! The Cop Édouard Molinaro
Histoires insolites The Inspector Maurice Ronet TV series (1 Episode)
Les Bronzés font du ski Jean-Claude Dusse Patrice Leconte
Rien ne va plus Marcel Dupin Jean-Michel Ribes
La Gueule de l'autre Taboureau Pierre Tchernia
Les 400 coups de Virginie The antiquarian Bernard Queysanne TV Mini-Series (1 Episode)
Les enquêtes du commissaire Maigret Crotton Yves Allégret TV series (1 Episode)
1980 The Horse of Pride Corentin Calvez Claude Chabrol
1981 Viens chez moi, j'habite chez une copine Guy Patrice Leconte
Histoire contemporaine Ernest de Bonmont Michel Boisrond TV Mini-Series
Les enquêtes du commissaire Maigret Belloir Yves Allégret TV series (1 Episode)
1982 Ma femme s'appelle reviens Bernard Patrice Leconte
Le Père Noël est une ordure Telephone's voice Jean-Marie Poiré
Le mystère du gala maudit Bernard Lion TV movie
Après tout ce qu'on a fait pour toi Pierre Jacques Fansten TV movie
1983 Circulez y a rien à voir! Leroux Patrice Leconte
Merci Bernard Jean-Michel Ribes TV series (3 Episodes)
Papy fait de la résistance Father Leboeuf Jean-Marie Poiré
1984 Retenez Moi...Ou Je Fais Un Malheur Laurent Martin Michel Gérard
Marche à l'ombre Denis Michel Blanc
Nemo Boris Arnaud Sélignac
1985 Drôle de samedi The pupil Bay Okan
1986 Tenue de soirée Antoine Bertrand Blier Cannes Film Festival – Best Actor
Nominated – César Award for Best Actor
Je hais les acteurs Monsieur Albert Gérard Krawczyk
Les Fugitifs Doctor Bourdarias Francis Veber
1988 Nuit d'ivresse Jacques Belin Alain Dhénaut TV movie
Piazza Navona Gilbert Roger Guillot TV series (1 Episode)
Médecins des hommes Philippe Alain Corneau TV series (1 Episode)
Une nuit à l'Assemblée Nationale Walter Arbeit Jean-Pierre Mocky
Sans peur et sans reproche Verdiglione Gérard Jugnot
1989 Palace The Inspector Jean-Michel Ribes TV series (1 Episode)
Monsieur Hire Monsieur Hire Patrice Leconte Nominated – César Award for Best Actor
Chambre à part Martin Jacky Cukier
1990 Strike It Rich Hotel Manager James Scott
Uranus René Gaigneux Claude Berri
1991 Merci la vie Raymond Pelleveau Bertrand Blier
Les secrets professionnels du Dr Apfelglück The Hindu Alessandro Capone
The Favour, the Watch and the Very Big Fish Norbert Ben Lewin
Prospero's Books Alonso Peter Greenaway
1993 Toxic Affair The suicidal Philomène Esposito
1994 Grosse Fatigue Himself / Patrick Olivier Michel Blanc
The Monster Paride Taccone Roberto Benigni
Prêt-à-Porter Inspector Forget Robert Altman National Board of Review Award for Best Cast
1996 Les Grands Ducs Shapiron Patrice Leconte
1999 C'est plus fort que moi Gilles Marchand Short
2002 Summer Things Jean-Pierre Michel Blanc Director and co-wrote the scenario
2003 L'affaire Dominici The Commissioner Sébeille Pierre Boutron TV movie
2004 Madame Édouard Commissioner Léon Nadine Monfils
93, rue Lauriston Inspector Blot Denys Granier-Deferre TV movie
2006 Je vous trouve très beau Aymé Pigrenet Isabelle Mergault Love is Folly International Film Festival – Best Actor
Nominated – César Award for Best Actor
Nominated – Lumière Film Festival – Best Actor
Les Bronzés 3: Amis pour la vie Jean-Claude Dusse Patrice Leconte
2007 The Witnesses Adrien André Téchiné Nominated – César Award for Best Actor
Le Deuxième souffle Commissioner Blot Alain Corneau
2008 Nos 18 ans Professor Martineau Frédéric Berthe
Musée haut, musée bas Mosk Jean-Michel Ribes
2009 The Girl on the Train Samuel Bleistein André Téchiné
Une petite zone de turbulences Jean-Paul Muret Alfred Lot Also co-wrote the script
2011 The Minister Gilles Pierre Schoeller César Award for Best Supporting Actor
The Day I Saw Your Heart Eli Dhrey Jennifer Devoldère
2013 Demi-soeur Paul Bérard Josiane Balasko
2014 The Hundred-Foot Journey Mayor Lasse Hallström
2015 Memories Michel Jean-Paul Rouve
The New Adventures of Aladdin Sultan Arthur Benzaquen
2016 Odd Job Gardot Pascal Chaumeil Also writer
2017 Raid dingue Jacques Pasquali Dany Boon

As a director

[edit]
Year Title Notes
1984 Marche à l'ombre Also Writer and Actor
Nominated – César Award for Best Debut
1994 Grosse fatigue Also Writer and Actor
Cannes Film Festival – Best Screenplay
Nominated – Palme d'Or
Nominated – César Award for Best Writing
1999 The Escort Also Writer
2002 Summer Things Also Writer and Actor
Nominated – César Award for Best Writing
2018 Voyez comme on danse

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Michel Blanc". Unifrance. Retrieved 24 March 2015.
  2. ^ "Haltères de contraste". Libération (in French). 14 January 2006.
  3. ^ "Michel Blanc: L'heure de devenir père". Paris Match (in French). 25 October 2015.
  4. ^ RTL (4 October 2024). "Gérard Jugnot : « J'ai rencontré Michel Blanc en 4ème, on ne s'est plus lâchés »" (vid) (in French) – via YouTube.
  5. ^ "Mort de Michel Blanc: le lycée Pasteur de Neuilly-sur-Seine, point de départ de l'histoire du Splendid". BFM TV (in French). 4 October 2024.
  6. ^ "Mort de Michel Blanc: comment avait-il rencontré les autres membres de la troupe du Splendid?". Version Femina (in French). 4 October 2024.
  7. ^ a b c "Michel Blanc, star of Monsieur Hire, dies aged 72". The Guardian. 6 October 2024.
  8. ^ a b Dossier de presse (press file) for Une petite zone de turbulences, 2009, UGY YM, TF1 Films Production.
  9. ^ Jean-Michel Frodon (1995). L'âge moderne du cinéma français. Flammarion. p. 465.
  10. ^ "Michel Blanc bibliography". Les Archives du Spectacle. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
  11. ^ Eric Tanguy page. Ircam-Centre Pompidou, 2013 accessed 9 October 2024.
  12. ^ "Michel Blanc". Festival de Cannes (in French).
  13. ^ "L'acteur Michel Blanc est mort à l'âge de 72 ans". Le Figaro (in French). 4 October 2024.
  14. ^ "Michel Blanc Dies: César-Winning Actor & 'Les Bronzés' Star Was 72". Deadline. 5 October 2024.
  15. ^ "Michel Blanc, « clown angoissé » du cinéma français, est mort à l'âge de 72 ans". Le Télégramme (in French). 4 October 2024. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
[edit]
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