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Serge Reggiani

Known For
Acting

Known Credits
107

Gender
Male

Birthday
May 2, 1922 (104 years old)

Place of Birth
Reggio Emilia, Italy

Serge Reggiani

Biography

Serge Reggiani (2 May 1922 – 23 July 2004) was an Italian-born French singer and actor. He was born in Reggio Emilia, Italy and moved to France with his parents at the age of eight. For many years, he struggled with alcoholism, caused in part by the 1980 suicide of his son Stephan.

After acting school (Conservatoire des arts cinématographiques) he was discovered by Jean Cocteau and appeared in a wartime production of Les Parents terribles ("The Terrible Parents"). During World War II, he left Paris to join the French resistance.

His first feature film came in 1946 with his role in Les portes de la nuit ("The Doors of the Night"). He later went on to perform in 80 films including Casque d'or, Les Misérables (1958),Tutti a casa, Le Doulos, Il Gattopardo, La terrazza, The Pianist (1998).

In spite of never quite reaching the peak with his acting career, he did triumph in the theatre in 1959 with his performance in Jean-Paul Sartre’s play Les Séquestrés d'Altona. In the meantime, though, in 1965 he began a second career, that of a singer (at the age of 43), with the help of Simone Signoret and her husband Yves Montand and later with great assistance of the French diva Barbara. Reggiani became one of the most acclaimed performers of French "Chanson" ("song") and although he was in his 40s, his bad-boy rugged image made him popular with both young and older listeners.

His best known songs include Les loups sont entrés dans Paris ("The Wolves Have Entered Paris") and Sarah (La femme qui est dans mon lit) ("The Woman Who Is In My Bed"), the latter written by Georges Moustaki. However, one of his regular songwriters throughout his career was Boris Vian (Le Déserteur, Arthur où t'as mis le corps, La Java des bombes atomiques). His new young fans identified with his left-wing ideals and antimilitarism, most notably during the 1968 student revolts in France. With age he became more and more acclaimed as one of the best interpreters of the French chanson also bringing the poetry of Rimbaud, Apollinaire and Prévert closer to his audience. In 1995, he made a comeback to the singing stage, giving a few concerts despite his deteriorated health and personal distress, the last one being held as late as in the year of his death, in spring of 2004.

In later life he became a painter and gave a number of exhibitions of his artwork.

Serge Reggiani died in Paris of a heart attack at the age of 82, one day after the death of another well known French singer Sacha Distel. He is interred in Montparnasse Cemetery.

Known For

Acting

2022La TV des 70's : Quand Giscard était présidentas Self (archive footage)
2014Les Enfoirés - Les Enfoirés en chœur de 1985 à aujourd'huias
2011Il était une fois... Vincent, François, Paul et les autresas Self (archive footage)
2010They Saw Infernoas Self
2009Henri-Georges Clouzot's Infernoas Marcel (archive footage)
1998Vivement dimancheas Self
1998The Pianistas Rossell mayor
1997Heroinesas monsieur Montgolfier
1995Les Enfoirés 1995 - Les Enfoirés à l'Opéra-Comiqueas
1995The Little Boyas Germain
1993Serge Reggiani - Palais des congrèsas Self
1993Rosen-Emilas Dr. Levy
1993De force avec d'autresas Sergio
1990I Hired a Contract Killeras Vic
1990Plein feras Emilio
1990There Were Days... and Moonsas Le père de Sophie
1989Coupe francheas Mathieu
1988Let Sleeping Cops Lieas Le Stéphanois
1988L'échoas Marius
1987Le monde est à vousas Self
1987Sacrée soiréeas Self
1986Mauvais Sangas Charlie
1986The Beekeeperas Sick Man
1985Victoires de la musiqueas Self
1985Cinecittà Cinecittàas Serge Reggiani
1984La Chance aux chansonsas Self
1982Champs-Elyséesas Self
1980Fantasticaas Euclide Brown
1980The Imprint of Giantsas Fouldroule
1980The Terraceas Sergio Stifler
1977Solemn Communionas Le récitant chanteur (voice)
1977Violette & Francoisas M. Levene
1977Une fille cousue de fil blancas Jérôme
1976The Good and the Badas le chef de la résistance
197630 millions d'amisas Self
1975Cat and Mouseas Lechat
1975Numéro unas Self
1975Numéro unas Self - Host
1975Les Rendez-vous du dimancheas Self
1974Vincent, Francois, Paul and the Othersas Paul, écrivain, journaliste
1974Don't Touch the White Woman!as The Mad Indian
1972The Big Shotsas Thia
19723000 Million Without an Elevatoras Pierrot
1972Midi trenteas Self
1972Le Grand Échiquieras Self
1971Samedi soiras Self
197036, le grand tournantas Narrator (voice)
1970Countdown to Vengeanceas François Nolan
1969Army of Shadowsas Le barbier
1969France, Songas Himself
1968À bout portantas Self
1968The Day of the Owlas Parrinieddu
1968The Seven Cervi Brothersas Ferrari, antifascista in carcere
1967La Plaie et le Couteau, Charles Baudelaireas Un récitant
1967The 25th Houras Trajan Koruga
1967The Last Adventureas the pilot
1966The Threatening Skyas Narrator
1965Bestiary of Loveas Narrator (voice)
1965The Blue Pantheras Ivanov
1963The Leopardas Ciccio Tumeo
1962Le Doulosas Maurice Faugel
1962Warriors Fiveas Libero
1961Cuba, a People Armedas Narrator
1961Pueblo en armasas Narrator (voice)
1961Paris Bluesas Michel 'Gypsy' Devigne
1960Mad Yearsas Récitant / Narrator (voice)
1960Everybody Go Home!as Geniere Assunto Ceccarelli
1959Marie-Octobreas Antoine Rougier
1959Discoramaas Self
1958The Stowawayas Alfred Mougins
1958Les Misérablesas Enjolras
1958Not Deliveredas Bastien Sassey
1957The Seine Meets Parisas Speaker
1957Overseas Press Club - Exclusive!as Sgt. Jean Renaud
1957Élisaas Bernard Voisin
1957The Doll that Took the Townas Mario Grimaldi
1956Une enquête du commissaire Prévôtas Le commissaire Prévôt
1956Cinépanoramaas Self
1955The Wicked Go to Hellas Rudel
1955Napoleonas Lucien Bonaparte
1953Act of Loveas Claude Lacaud
1953The Curious Adventures of Mr. Wonderbirdas Chimney Sweep (voice)
1953Stormsas Sergio Parnell
1953The World Condemns Themas André
1952Red Shirts - Anita Garibaldias Lantini
1952Casque d'Oras Georges
1952Secret Peopleas Louis Balan
1951Good Enough to Eatas Jean-Loup aka 'Loup'
1951On the Set of 'Casque D'Or'as Self (Archive Footage)
1950La Rondeas Franz, le soldat
1950The Elders of Saint-Loupas Abbot Paul Forestier
1949The Perfume of the Lady in Blackas Joseph "Rouletabille"
1949The Sinnersas Pierre
1949Return to Lifeas Louis (segment "Le retour de Louis")
1949The Mystery of the Yellow Roomas Joseph Rouletabille
1949Manonas Léon Lescaut
1949The Lovers of Veronaas Angelo (Romeo)
1948Le Dessous des cartesas Manu
1947Coïncidencesas Jean Ménétrier
1946Gates of the Nightas Guy Sénéchal
1946Star Without Lightas Gaston Lansac
1945François Villonas François Villon
1944Children of Chaosas Joris
1943Le Voyageur de la Toussaintas Bob Éloi
1941Night in Decemberas (uncredited)
1941Saturnin de Marseilleas
1938Boys' Schoolas Un élève

Production