Philippe Noiret(1930-2006)
- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Writer
Philippe Noiret was one of French cinema's most familiar faces who
appeared in more than 140 films in a career that spanned more than half
a century.
He was born on October 1, 1930, in Lille, Nord, France, into a middle
class family of shopkeepers. His father was fond of literature. Young
Noiret attended the College Janson-of-Sally in the 16th arrondissement
in Paris. At school, he was more interested in acting than in
academics; he failed to pass his baccalaureate exams three times and
left school without graduation. He studied acting at the Centre
Dramatique de l'Ouest (Western Drama Theatre). There, in 1950, Noiret
made his debut sharing the stage with Gérard Philipe under directorship of
Roger Blin . From 1953-1960 Noiret was a permanent member of the
troupe with the Théâtre National Populaire (TNP) in Paris. There he
played over 40 roles in seven years under directorship of Jean Vilar.
While there he met actress Monique Chaumette, whom he married in 1962,
and they had one daughter, Frederique. At that time Noiret continued
his acting career as a stand-up comedian and a night club entertainer.
Noiret made his big screen debut playing bit part in Gigi (1949), then
earned his first on-screen credit in Agence matrimoniale (1952). He landed his first
leading role as Lui, a government inspector, in the French New Wave
film La Pointe Courte (1955) by notable female director Agnès Varda. His first big success
came in 1960 with Louis Malle 's film Zazie in the Metro (1960) (aka.. Zazie in the
Metro). In 1968 he became a star in France with the title role in
Very Happy Alexander (1968). After that success, Noiret moved on with his acting career and
devoted himself almost entirely to the big screen. Noiret's trademark
hangdog face and his range allowed him to portray a middle-class man or
an aristocrat, but not a handsome romantic hero, so he was cast
primarily as the Everyman character. In The Big Feast (1973), an allegoric film
about sex orgy and suicide by overeating, which caused a scandal at
Cannes in 1973, Noiret co-starred in a controversial role as suicidal
judge Philippe, alongside Marcello Mastroianni.
Philippe Noiret shot to international fame with the supporting role as
Alfredo, an old man who is a small town projectionist who befriends and
inspires a young boy, in Cinema Paradiso (1988). He received international acclaim for
his portrayal of the exiled Chilean poet Pablo Neruda in The Postman (1994) by director
Michael Radford. Noiret won two Cesar Awards (the French equivalent of the
Oscars) and earned three more Cesar nominations. In 1976 he won his
first Cesar for his exceptional performance as Julien Dandieu, a
surgeon who kills the Nazis in revenge for the death of his wife and
daughter, in The Old Gun (1975) (aka.. The Old Gun). Noiret won his second Cesar
for the leading role as Major Delaplane in Life and Nothing But (1989) (aka.. Life and
Nothing But) in 1990. Over the years, Noiret worked with all of the
France's top directors. He also made excellent radio performances and
popular books readings, which he narrated with his serious voice and
impeccable diction. He was decorated with the Knight of the Legion of
Honor.
Philippe Noiret was also known as an elegant hedonist and an avid dog
lover. His other interests outside of the acting profession included
art, horses, gourmet cuisine and cigars. For about 30 years he resided
in his country house in the wine country near Carcassonne, in the South
of France, where he generously supported the local causes. Noiret died
of generalized complications of cancer on November 23, 2006, in a
hospital, in Paris, and was laid to rest in Cimetière du Monparnasse in
Paris, France.
appeared in more than 140 films in a career that spanned more than half
a century.
He was born on October 1, 1930, in Lille, Nord, France, into a middle
class family of shopkeepers. His father was fond of literature. Young
Noiret attended the College Janson-of-Sally in the 16th arrondissement
in Paris. At school, he was more interested in acting than in
academics; he failed to pass his baccalaureate exams three times and
left school without graduation. He studied acting at the Centre
Dramatique de l'Ouest (Western Drama Theatre). There, in 1950, Noiret
made his debut sharing the stage with Gérard Philipe under directorship of
Roger Blin . From 1953-1960 Noiret was a permanent member of the
troupe with the Théâtre National Populaire (TNP) in Paris. There he
played over 40 roles in seven years under directorship of Jean Vilar.
While there he met actress Monique Chaumette, whom he married in 1962,
and they had one daughter, Frederique. At that time Noiret continued
his acting career as a stand-up comedian and a night club entertainer.
Noiret made his big screen debut playing bit part in Gigi (1949), then
earned his first on-screen credit in Agence matrimoniale (1952). He landed his first
leading role as Lui, a government inspector, in the French New Wave
film La Pointe Courte (1955) by notable female director Agnès Varda. His first big success
came in 1960 with Louis Malle 's film Zazie in the Metro (1960) (aka.. Zazie in the
Metro). In 1968 he became a star in France with the title role in
Very Happy Alexander (1968). After that success, Noiret moved on with his acting career and
devoted himself almost entirely to the big screen. Noiret's trademark
hangdog face and his range allowed him to portray a middle-class man or
an aristocrat, but not a handsome romantic hero, so he was cast
primarily as the Everyman character. In The Big Feast (1973), an allegoric film
about sex orgy and suicide by overeating, which caused a scandal at
Cannes in 1973, Noiret co-starred in a controversial role as suicidal
judge Philippe, alongside Marcello Mastroianni.
Philippe Noiret shot to international fame with the supporting role as
Alfredo, an old man who is a small town projectionist who befriends and
inspires a young boy, in Cinema Paradiso (1988). He received international acclaim for
his portrayal of the exiled Chilean poet Pablo Neruda in The Postman (1994) by director
Michael Radford. Noiret won two Cesar Awards (the French equivalent of the
Oscars) and earned three more Cesar nominations. In 1976 he won his
first Cesar for his exceptional performance as Julien Dandieu, a
surgeon who kills the Nazis in revenge for the death of his wife and
daughter, in The Old Gun (1975) (aka.. The Old Gun). Noiret won his second Cesar
for the leading role as Major Delaplane in Life and Nothing But (1989) (aka.. Life and
Nothing But) in 1990. Over the years, Noiret worked with all of the
France's top directors. He also made excellent radio performances and
popular books readings, which he narrated with his serious voice and
impeccable diction. He was decorated with the Knight of the Legion of
Honor.
Philippe Noiret was also known as an elegant hedonist and an avid dog
lover. His other interests outside of the acting profession included
art, horses, gourmet cuisine and cigars. For about 30 years he resided
in his country house in the wine country near Carcassonne, in the South
of France, where he generously supported the local causes. Noiret died
of generalized complications of cancer on November 23, 2006, in a
hospital, in Paris, and was laid to rest in Cimetière du Monparnasse in
Paris, France.