Michel Piccoli
Known for: Acting
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.
Filmography
Series
Ciné regards
Self
1978
Series
Wetten, dass..?
Self
1981
Series
Vivement dimanche
Self
1998
Series
Apostrophes
Self
1975
Series
Champs-Elysées
Self
1982
Series
Spécial cinéma
Self
1974
Series
Midi Première
Self
1975
German Film Award
Self
1951
Series
Les Rendez-vous du dimanche
Self
1975
Series
Midi trente
Self
1972
Series
Nulle part ailleurs
Self
1987
Samedi soir
Self
1971
V.I.P. Schaukel
Self
1971
Film
Belle de Jour
Henri Husson
1967
Film
Holy Motors
Man with the Wine Stain
2012
Film
Contempt
Paul Javal
1963
Film
Is Paris Burning?
Edgar Pisani
1966
Film
That Obscure Object of Desire
Mathieu Faber (voice) (uncredited)
1977
Series
Il était une fois Champs-Élysées
Self (archive footage)
2022
Film
The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie
Interior Minister
1972
Film
La Belle Noiseuse
Edouard Frenhofer
1991
Film
La Grande Bouffe
Michel
1973
Film
How Good the Whites Are
Père Jean-Marie
1988
Film
The Young Girls of Rochefort
Simon Dame
1967
Film
Topaz
Jacques Granville
1969
Film
The Phantom of Liberty
Police Prefect #2
1974
Film
Adieu Philippine
Izquierdo dans l'émission de télévision 'Montserrat' (uncredited)
1962
Film
Cesar and Rosalie
Narrator (voice)
1972
Film
Mauvais Sang
Marc
1986
Tödliches Geld
Paul Belmont
1995
Film
Atlantic City
Joseph
1980
Film
Going and Coming Back
Simon Lerner
1985
Film
Coming Apart
(archive footage)
2017
Film
Actors
Michel Piccoli
2000
Film
Ousmane Sow
Narrateur
1996
Film
The Milky Way
Marquis de Sade
1969
Film
Themroc
Themroc
1973
Film
The Last Woman
Michel
1976
Film
We Have a Pope
Melville
2011
Treffpunkte
Self
1970
Film
To Each His Own Cinema
Nikita Kruschev (segment "Rencontre unique")
2007
Film
Max and the Junkmen
Max, inspector
1971
Film
Diary of a Chambermaid
Monsieur Monteil
1964
Film
Hauteclaire
Serlon de Savigny
1961
Film
Raining Cats and Frogs
Ferdinand (voice)
2003
Film
The Assassination
Colonel Kassar
1972
Film
A Room in Town
Edmond Leroyer
1982
Film
Danger: Diabolik
Inspector Ginko
1968
Film
Le Doulos
Nuttheccio
1962
Series
Chili Impressions
Self - Le lecteur des écrits d'A. Pinochet (voice)
1978
Henry James Stories
Captain Roger
1976
Film
The Beaches of Agnès
Self (archive footage)
2008
Film
The War Is Over
Inspector #1
1966
Film
French Cancan
Le Capitaine Valorgueil
1955
Film
May Fools
Milou
1990
Film
One Hundred and One Nights
Simon Cinéma
1995
Film
The Passerby
Max Baumstein
1982
Film
Spy, Stand Up
Jean-Paul Chance
1982
Film
The Sleeping Car Murders
René Cabourg, l'employé besogneux (Victime #2)
1965
Film
Lines of Wellington
Leópold Scheitzer
2012
Film
The Things of Life
Pierre Bérard
1970
Film
La Voleuse
Werner Kreuz
1966
Film
The Infernal Trio
Georges Sarret
1974
Film
Dom Juan
Dom Juan
1965
Film
The Creatures
Edgar Piccoli
1966
Film
Daughters of Destiny
Pasquerel (segment "Jeanne")
1954
Series
Les Grandes Familles
Noël Schoudler
1989
Film
Vincent, Francois, Paul and the Others
François, médecin
1974
Film
The Witches of Salem
James Putnam
1957
Film
The Dust of Time
Spyros
2008
Film
That Night of Varennes
King Louis XVI (uncredited)
1982
Film
Godard's Passion
Michel Boulard
1982
Film
The Taste of Blueberries
Michel
2014
Film
Little Girl in Blue Velvet
Conrad Brukner
1978
Film
Long Live Life
Michel Perrin
1984
Film
Little Lili
acteur qui joue Simon
2003
Film
It's Not Me
(archive footage)
2024
Film
Mado
Simon Léotard
1976
Series
Docteur Teyran
Jean Teyran
1980
Film
The Black Angel
Georges Feuvrier
1994
Film
Lady L
Lecoeur
1965
Series
Agnès Varda: From Here to There
Self
2011
Film
Parisienne... Parisiennes
Récitant (voice)
1962
Film
Marx Can Wait
Agostino (archive footage) (uncredited)
2021
Film
The Children Thief
Mr. Armand
1991
Film
Nathalie
Franck Marchal
1957
Film
The Prize of Peril
Frédéric Mallaire
1983
Film
Strange Affair
Bertrand Malair
1981
Film
The Grand Manoeuvre
Officer (uncredited)
1955
Film
Boxes
Daddy
2007
Film
Dillinger Is Dead
Glauco
1969
Film
The Prodigal Daughter
Le père
1981
Film
Paparazzi
Texte dit par (voice)
1964
Film
Everything's Connected
Narrator
2005
Film
Woman in Chains
L'invité pressé au vernissage (uncredited)
1968
Film
The Diary of an Innocent Boy
Count Philippe
1968
Film
La TV des 70's : Quand Giscard était président
Self (archive footage)
2022
Film
Without Leaving an Address
Un journaliste aux archives (uncredited)
1951
Film
Without Leaving an Address
Un journaliste aux archives
1951
Film
Liza
Giorgio's friend
1972
Film
Train de nuit
1994
Film
Climates of Love
François
1962
Film
Rene the Cane
Ispettore Marchand
1977
Film
Death in a French Garden
Graham Tombsthay
1985
Film
I’m Going Home
Gilbert Valence
2001
Film
Claude Chabrol, the Maverick
Self - Actor (archive footage)
2019
Film
The World of Jacques Demy
Self
1995
Film
Godard by Godard
Self (archive footage)
2023
Film
Romy, A Free Woman
archive footage
2022
Film
Malady of Love
Raoul Bergeron
1987
Film
Party
Michel
1996
Film
The Veiled Man
Kassar
1987
Film
París-Tombuctú
Michel des Assantes
1999
Film
Masquerade
Georges Sarrassin
1965
Film
Genealogies of a Crime
Georges Didier
1997
Film
Seven Deaths by Prescription
Dr Losseray
1975
Film
A Leap in the Dark
Mauro Ponticelli
1980
Film
Weak Spot
L'enquêteur
1975
Film
That Day
Harald
2003
Rupture(s)
Paul
1993
Film
One Way or Another
Him
1976
Film
The Emigrant
Adam - Ram's father
1994
Film
Wedding in Blood
Pierre Maury
1973
Film
Le Coup de grâce
Capri / Bruno
1966
Film
Shock Troops
L'homme de trop
1967
Film
Death in the Garden
Father Lizzardi
1956
Film
Heartbeat
Charles
1968
Film
Dangerous Moves
Akiva Liebskind
1984
Film
Chance at Love
Philippe Decharme (segment "Lucky la chance")
1964
Film
Tout chante autour de moi
Reverdier
1954
Film
The Day and the Hour
Antoine
1963
Film
Ernst Thälmann – Leader of the Working Class
Maurice Rouger
1955
Film
Belle Toujours
Henri Husson
2006
Film
Life Size
Michel
1974
Film
Success Is the Best Revenge
French Official
1984
Film
Atrocious Tales of Love and Death
Victor Navarro
1979
Archipel
Leonard Wilde
1993
Film
The Incredible Mr. Piccoli
Self - Actor (archive footage)
2017
Film
Hello Cubans
Narrator (voice)
1963
Film
The Savage State
Orlaville
1978
Film
Beyond the Door
Mr. Mutti
1982
Film
Adieu Bonaparte
Caffarelli
1985
Film
Will the High Salaried Workers Raise Their Hands!
José Viss
1982
Film
Don't Touch the White Woman!
Buffalo Bill
1974
Film
Brigitte Bardot: The Icon of France
2009
Film
Horizons...
un ouvrier
1953
Film
Ten Days' Wonder
Paul Regis
1971
Film
The Game Is Over
Alexandre Saccard
1966
Film
La Chevelure
L'homme
1961
Film
Romy Schneider, étrange étrangère
Self
2002
Film
Touch and Go
Valentin
1971
Film
Chicago Digest
Slim Spring
1951
Film
La Belle Noiseuse: Divertimento
Edouard Frenhofer
1992
Film
Far West
Indian chief
1973
Film
The Young Girls Turn 25
Self (archive footage)
1993
Film
The Uninvited
François Desailly
1969
Film
Amazons of Rome
Console Publicola
1961
Film
Beaumarchais the Scoundrel
Prince de Conti
1996
Film
François Mitterrand & Anne Pingeot: Pieces of a Love Story
Self (archive footage)
2021
Film
The Mark of the Day
Georges Gohelle
1949
Film
The Accuser
Saint-Ramé
1977
Film
Speaking of Buñuel
Self
2000
Film
Rendezvous
Paul
1961
Film
Le Bel Âge
Maurice Reverdy
2009
Film
Marco Ferreri: Dangerous But Necessary
Self (archive footage)
2017
Film
Sunday Buddies
Le directeur de l'aéro-club
1957
Film
Spoiled Children
Bernard Rougerie
1977
Film
Rencontre Unique
Nikita Khrouchtchev
2007
Film
Leonor
Richard
1975
Film
Tykho Moon
Mac Bee / frère Mac Bee
1996
Film
Loving in the Rain
Mr. Dellerue (voice)
1974
Film
On War
Le grand Hou
2008
Film
Romy: Anatomy of a Face
Self
1967
Film
All About Loving
Raoul
1964
Film
The Perfume of the Lady in Black
Lebel
1949
Film
Lest We Forget
Self (segment "Pour Nasrin Rasooli, Iran")
1991
Film
My Love, My Love
Marrades
1967
Film
Sugar
Grezillo
1978
Film
Un divertissement et Michel Piccoli
Self
2004
Film
The Voyage Into the Whirlpool Has Begun
1974
Film
Once Upon a Time… Contempt
Self
2009
Film
Elsa the Rose
Narrator (voice)
1966
Film
Le Quadrille des diamants
Richard Burke
1957
Film
The Life of Mirrors
2025
Film
Saint-Tropez, devoirs de vacances
Gérard
1954
Film
From Time to Time
Jules Verne
1992
Film
You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet
Le père
2012
Film
Otar Iosseliani, le merle siffleur
Himself
2006
Film
The Bardot mystery
2012
Quarante fontaines
Récitant (voice)
1961
Film
The Woman in Blue
Pierre
1973
Film
The Dinosaur and the Baby
Paul Javal (archive footage)
1967
Film
Beast at Bay
Commissioner Jacques Guimard
1959
Film
Magic Mirror
Prof. Heschel
2006
Film
My Brother-in-law Killed My Sister
Étienne Sembadel
1986
Film
Bad Liaisons
un inspecteur
1955
Film
Kiarostami in Close up
as Self
2000
Film
La dragée haute
Hugo Barsac
1960
Film
Bardot et Godard
Self
1964
Film
The Audience
Padre Amerin
1972
Film
Scénario du film Passion
Self
1982
Film
Nothing About Robert
Lord Ariel Chatwick-West
1999
Film
The Bit Between the Teeth
Pierre Chazerand
1979
Film
The Eyes, the Mouth
Tío Agostino
1982
Film
The Duchess of Langeais
Vidame de Pamiers
2007
Film
The General of the Dead Army
Benetandi
1983
Film
Invasion
Marcello
1970
Film
A Man, a Real One
Michel Piccoli
2003
Film
Loonies at Large
Henri Toussaint
1993
Film
Gardens in Autumn
Marie, la mère de Vincent
2006
Film
Délire à deux
Him
1968
Film
The Price of Survival
René Winterhalter
1980
Film
The Prude
Pierre
1986
Film
La Rumba
Damien Malleville
1987
Film
Il était une fois... Vincent, François, Paul et les autres
Self
2011
Film
Agnès Varda: From Here to There
Self
2011
Film
The Fate of Baron Leisenbohg
Le baron de Leisenbohg
1991
Film
La Ruelle au clair de lune
Pierre Willer
1988
Film
The Supper
Chateaubriand (voice)
1992
Film
Price of Love
Georges
1955
Film
The Happiest Place on Earth
Récitant (voice)
1999
Bête de scène
1994
Film
Libero Burro
Zio Tony
1999
Film
Passion in the Desert
Jean-Michel Venture de Paradis
1997
Café tabac
Récitant (voice)
1964
Dios de monoambiente
Self (archive footage)
2018
Film
La Nuit de Tom Brown
Tom Brown, jeune
1959
Film
F as in Fairbanks
Etienne
1976
Film
Portrait Of My Father
Self
2010
Berau, sur les traces de Joseph Conrad
Presenter
1994
Film
2 x 50 Years of French Cinema
Self
2008
Film
Le Bal des casse-pieds
Désiré, l'homosexuel
1992
Le Chalet sous la neige
Robert
1959
Le Roi Lear
Le roi Lear
2007
Film
The Nonentity
der Tölpel
1986
Film
The Devil's Tricks
L'antiquaire
1966
Film
Danger in the Middle East
Brian Cannon
1960
Film
Sinners of Paris
L'inspecteur Vardier, de la P.J.
1958
Film
Claude Sautet, Romy, Yves, Michel et les autres
Self (archive footage)
2017
Film
La Cerisaie
Léonid
1982
Film
Le Matelot 512
Narrator (voice)
1984
Film
Les paradoxes de Buñuel
Self
1998
Film
The Distant Land
Friedrich Hofreiter
1987
Film
Les Joueurs
Chvokhniev
1960
Film
Luis Buñuel : Un cinéaste de notre temps
Narrator (voice)
1964
Film
Martha and I
Ernst
1990
Film
Fire's Share
Robert Hansen
1978
Torticola versus Frankensberg
Torticola
1952
Film
Marie Soleil
Kafka
1964
Film
Our Lady of Hormones
Narrator
2015
Film
Confused Feelings
Professor
1981
Film
Beneath the Rooftops of Paris
Marcel
2007
Film
The Bellman
Un villageois
1945
Le Plus Heureux des trois
Pianist
1957
Film
Tabarin
Jacques Forestier
1958
Film
Croissance de Paris
Récitant (voice)
1955
Film
L'Été en hiver
Jean, the Reporter
1964
Fumée, histoire et fantaisie
1961
Du crime considéré comme un des beaux-arts.
Morrand
1981
Le Rendez-vous de Noël
1960
La Leçon d'humour dans un parc
1951
Film
Le Divorcement
Philippe
1979
Film
Traveling Companion
Cosimo
1996
Film
Walking a Tightrope
Marcel Spadice
1991
Film
Blanc de Chine
Batz
1988
Le Temps des assassins
Récitant (voice)
1962
Film
Un coupable
L'avocat
1988
Film
Everything's Fine, We're Leaving
Louis
2000
Film
The Monkey Folk
1989
Film
La Lune
1985
Terreur en Oklahoma
Tommy Goudchote
1951
Strauberg ist da
Strauberg
1978
Il bambino di Betlemme
2002
La France romane
Récitant (voice)
1956