Jean-Pierre Cassel
French actor and dancer (1932–2007)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jean-Pierre Cassel (French pronunciation: [ʒɑ̃ pjɛʁ ka'sɛl]; born Jean-Pierre Crochon; 27 October 1932 – 19 April 2007) was a French actor and dancer. A popular star of French cinema, he was initially known for his comedy film appearances, though he also proved a gifted dramatic actor, and accrued over 200 film and television credits in a career spanning over 50 years.[1]
27 October 1932
- Actor
- dancer
Jean-Pierre Cassel | |
|---|---|
 Jean-Pierre Cassel at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival. | |
| Born | Jean-Pierre Crochon 27 October 1932 Paris, France |
| Died | 19 April 2007 (aged 74) Paris, France |
| Occupations |
|
| Spouses | Sabine Litique
(m. 1966; div. 1980)Anne Célérier (m. 1981) |
| Children | 4, including Vincent, Mathias and Cécile |
| Relatives | Deva Cassel (granddaughter) |
He worked with many notable directors, including Luis Buñuel, Abel Gance, Jean Renoir, Claude Chabrol, Sidney Lumet, Joseph Losey, Chantal Akerman and Robert Altman. He was nominated for a César Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in La Cérémonie (1995).
Cassel was also the father of actor Vincent Cassel, actress/singer Cécile Cassel, and rapper Mathias Cassel.
Early life
Cassel was born Jean-Pierre Crochon in the 13th arrondissement of Paris, the son of Louise-Marguerite (née Fabrègue), an opera singer, and Georges Crochon, a doctor.[2] Cassel was discovered by Gene Kelly as he tap danced on stage, and later cast in the 1957 film The Happy Road.
Career
Cassel gained prominence in the late 1950s as a hero in comedies by Philippe de Broca such as Male Companion and through his role as 'Jean François Jardie' in the famous French resistance piece L' Armée des ombres.
During the 1960s and 1970s, he worked with Claude Chabrol (The Breach), Luis Buñuel (as Stéphane Audran's husband in The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie 1972), Ken Annakin (as the Frenchman in Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines 1965), Gérard Brach (as Claude Jade's lover in The Boat on the Grass), Richard Lester (as Louis XIII in The Three Musketeers 1973 and its sequel The Four Musketeers 1974), Sidney Lumet (as Pierre in Murder on the Orient Express) and Joseph Losey (with Isabelle Huppert in The Trout). He also made an appearance in Oh! What a Lovely War as a French military officer singing 'Belgium put the Kibosh on the Kaiser'. In later years, he appeared in Robert Altman's Prêt-à-Porter (1994) and also as Dr. Paul Gachet for Vincent & Theo (1990).
In 2006, at the age of 74, he returned to the stage for a retrospective of Serge Gainsbourg, Jean-Pierre Cassel chante et danse Gainsbourg Suite. This homage to an old friend (he knew Gainsbourg in the 1950s) featured various songs of the French composer among which three unpublished songs named "Top à Cassel" – "Cliquediclac", "Ouh ! Là là là là", and "Viva la pizza" – all of which were intended for a television show aired in 1964.
In 2007, Cassel appeared in dual roles (as Père Lucien and the Lourdes souvenir vendor) in Julian Schnabel's film The Diving Bell and the Butterfly.
During his career, Cassel starred in more than 110 films, fifty stage plays, and many musical theatre performances and television shows.[3]
Personal life
Cassel was the father of Vincent Cassel, Mathias Cassel (also known as Rockin' Squat, leader of the French rap crew Assassin), and Cécile Cassel. He was "very close" to his children and his daughter-in-law, Monica Bellucci.[3]
Death
Selected filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1953 | Act of Love | Un danseur | Uncredited |
| 1957 | The Happy Road | Young lover at the Guinguette | |
| On Foot, on Horse, and on Wheels | Mariel | ||
| 1958 | Le désordre et la nuit | Un jeune militaire | Uncredited |
| In Case of Adversity | Le trompettiste | ||
| And Your Sister? | |||
| 1960 | The Love Game | Victor | |
| The Joker | Édouard Berlon | ||
| Candide ou l'optimisme au XXe siècle | Candide | ||
| 1961 | Five Day Lover | Antoine | |
| Goodbye Again | Dancer | Uncredited cameo | |
| Napoleon II, the Eagle | Gustav von Neipperg | ||
| 1962 | The Dance | Albert | |
| The Seven Deadly Sins | Raymond | "Avarice, L" segment | |
| The Elusive Corporal | Le caporal/The Corporal | ||
| Arsène Lupin Versus Arsène Lupin | Gérard Dagmar | ||
| 1964 | High Infidelity | Tonino | "La Sospirosa" segment |
| Les plus belles escroqueries du monde | Alain des Arcys | "L'homme qui vendit la Tour Eiffel" segment | |
| Cyrano et d'Artagnan | Monsieur d'Artagnan, de la Compagnie des Mousquetaires du Roy | ||
| Male Companion | Antoine Mirliflor | ||
| 1965 | Nunca pasa nada | Juan | |
| Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines | Pierre Dubois | ||
| The Lace Wars | Jolicoeur | ||
| 1966 | Is Paris Burning? | Lieutenant Henri Karcher | |
| 1967 | The Killing Game | Pierre Meyrand | |
| Anyone Can Play | Aldo | ||
| 1969 | Oh! What a Lovely War | French Colonel | |
| Army of Shadows | Jean François Jardie | ||
| 1970 | L'Ours et la Poupée | Gaspard | |
| The Breach | Paul Thomas | ||
| 1971 | The Boat on the Grass | David | |
| Malpertuis | Lampernisse | ||
| 1972 | The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie | Henri Sénéchal | |
| 1973 | Il magnate | Gianni | |
| Baxter! | Roger Tunnell | ||
| The Three Musketeers | King Louis XIII | ||
| 1974 | The Four Musketeers | ||
| Le Mouton enragé | Claude Fabre | ||
| Murder on the Orient Express | Pierre | ||
| 1975 | That Lucky Touch | Leo | |
| 1976 | Docteur Françoise Gailland | Daniel Letessier | |
| Scrambled Eggs | Le représentant du dirigeant italien | ||
| The Twist | Jacques Lavolet | ||
| 1978 | Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe? | Kohner | |
| Les Rendez-vous d'Anna | Daniel | ||
| 1979 | From Hell to Victory | Dick Sanders | |
| 1980 | Superman II | French Officer at the White House | Uncredited cameo |
| 1981 | Portrait of a Woman, Nude | Pierre | |
| 1982 | Alice | Rabbit | |
| The Trout | Rambert | ||
| Ehrengard | Cazotte | ||
| 1985 | Tranches de vie | Le comte de Forcheville | |
| 1987 | Vado a riprendermi il gatto | ||
| 1988 | Chouans! | Baron de Tiffauges | |
| Young Toscanini | Comparsa | Uncredited | |
| 1989 | The Return of the Musketeers | Cyrano de Bergerac | |
| 1990 | Mister Frost | Inspector Corelli | |
| Vincent & Theo | Dr. Paul Gachet | ||
| 1991 | The Favour, the Watch and the Very Big Fish | Zalman | |
| 1992 | Between Heaven and Earth | Le rédacteur en chef | |
| Amor e Dedinhos de Pé | Gonçalo Botelho | ||
| 1993 | Métisse | Gynecologist | |
| 1994 | Hell | M. Vernon | |
| Prêt-à-Porter | Olivier de la Fontaine | ||
| 1995 | La Cérémonie | Georges Lelievre | |
| 1998 | The Ice Rink | Ice Rink's Manager | |
| 2000 | Sade | Le vicomte de Lancris | |
| The Crimson Rivers | Dr. Bernard Chernezé | ||
| 2003 | The Wooden Camera | Mr. | |
| Michel Vaillant | Henri Vaillant | ||
| 2004 | Narco | Le père de Gus | |
| 2006 | Congorama | Hervé Roy | |
| 2007 | Contre-enquête | Le docteur Delmas | |
| The Diving Bell and the Butterfly | Père Lucien et le Vendeur | ||
| Vous êtes de la police ? | Simon Sablonnet | ||
| 2008 | Asterix at the Olympic Games | Panoramix |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1956 | La Famille Anodin | Jean Lou Anodin | |
| 1980 | Love in a Cold Climate | Fabrice | 3 episodes |
| 1990 | The Maid | C.P. Oliver | TV movie |
| 1995 | Tatort | Bruno Dupeyron | Episode: "Camerone" |
