NOIRET, Philippe 1930–

PERSONAL

Born October 1, 1930, in Lille, France; son of Pierre (a clothing company representative) and Lucy (maiden name, Heirman) Noiret; married Monique Chaumette (an actress), 1962; children: Frederique. Education: Trained for the stage at Centre Dramatique de l'Ouest (Dramatic Center of the West) and with Roger Blin.

Addresses: Agent— Claire Blondel, Artmedia, 20 ave. Rapp, 75007 Paris, France.

Career: Actor. Appeared with Theatre National Populaire, Paris, 1951–63. Also worked as a nightclub entertainer.

Member: Screen Actors Guild.

Awards, Honors: Venice Film Festival Award, best actor, 1963, for Therese Desqueryoux; National Board of Review Award, best supporting actor, 1970, for Topaz; UNICRIT Award (with Annie Girardot) and honorable mention for CIDALC Award, both Berlin International Film Festival, 1972, for La vieille fille; Etoile de cristal, best actor, 1974, for L'horloger de Saint–Paul; Cesar Award, best actor, Academie des Arts et Techniques du Cinema, 1976, for Le vieux fusil; Cesar Award nomination, best actor, 1981, for Pile ou face; Cesar Award nomination, best actor, 1982, and Silver Ribbon, best actor in a foreign film, Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists, 1986, both for Coup de torchon; Rio de Janeiro Film Festival Award, best actor, 1984, and Cesar Award nomination, best actor, 1985, both for Les ripoux; European Film Award, actor of the year, 1989, Film Award, best actor, British Academy of Film and Television Arts, 1991, and ALFS Award, London Critics Circle, 1991, all for Cinema Paradiso; Cesar Award, best actor, and David di Donatello Award, best foreign actor, both 1990, for La vie et rien d'autre; European Silver Ribbon, Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists, 1991; Lifetime Achievement Award, Cannes International Film Festival, 2000.

CREDITS

Film Appearances:

(Film debut; uncredited) Maitre d'hotel, Gigi, 1948.

Olivia (also known as The Pit of Loneliness ), 1950.

A passerby, Agence matrimoniale (also known as Matrimonial Agency ), 1951.

Lui, La pointe courte, 1955.

Maurice, Ravissante (also known as Ravishing and Le mogli degli altri ), 1960.

Louis XIV, "Lauzun," in Les amours celebres (also known as Famous Love Affairs ), 1960.

Uncle Gabriel, Zazie dans le metro (also known as Zazie, Zazie in the Subway, Zazie in the Underground, and Zazie nel metro ), Astor, 1960.

Herode (some sources cite Matamore), Le Capitaine Fracasse (also known as Captain Fracasse and Capitan Fracassa ), 1961.

Inspector Maillard, Le rendez–vous (also known as Rendezvous and Le Rendez–vous de Noel ), 1961.

Victor Hardy, Tout l'or du monde (also known as All the Gold in the World and Tutto l'oro del mondo ), 1961.

Clovis Hugues, "L'Affaire Hugues," Le crime ne paie pas (also known as Crime Does Not Pay, The Gentle Art of Murder, and Il delitto non paga ), Embassy, 1962.

Bellini, Le Massaggiatrici (also known as The Masseuses and Les faux jetons ), 1962.

Lucien Barlemont, Comme un poisson dans l'eau, 1962.

Inspector Mathieu, Ballade pour un voyou, 1963.

The director general, Clementine cherie, 1963.

Jacques Garaud and Paul Harmant, La porteuse de pain (also known as The Bread Peddler and La porteuse di pane ), 1963.

Bernard Desqueyroux, Therese Desqueyroux (also known as Therese ), Pathe Contemporary, 1963.

Jean, Frenesia dell'estate (also known as Shivers in the Summer and Summer Frenzy ), 1963.

Edmond Bernadac, Monsieur (also known as Intrigo a Parigi ), Comacico, 1964.

Ambrose Gerome, Lady L, Metro–Goldwyn–Mayer, 1964.

Louis XIII, Cyrano et d'Artagnan (also known as Cyrano and d'Artagnan, Cyrano e d'Artagnan, and Cyrano y d'Artagnan ), 1964.

Brassy, Mort, ou est ta victoire? (also known as Death, Where Is Your Victory? ), 1964.

Benin, Les copains (also known as The Buddies ), 1964.

Voice, Les amoureux du France (also known as The Lovers of France, Amour, humour, et France, and Il gioco degli innamorati ), 1964.

Jean–Jacques Georges, Qui etes–vous, Polly Maggoo? (also known as Who Are You, Polly Magoo? ), 1966.

Michou, Les sultans (also known as The Sultans and L'amante italiana ), 1966.

Bibi Dumonceaux, Tendre voyou (also known as Tender Scoundrel and Un avventuriere a Tahiti ), 1966.

Traveler, Le voyage du pere (also known as Destinazione marciapiede ), 1966.

Jerome, La vie de chateau (also known as Gracious Resistance and A Matter of Resistance ), Royal Films International, 1966.

Victor, Woman Times Seven (also known as Sept fois femme and Sette volte donna ), Embassy, 1967.

Inspector Morand, The Night of the Generals (also known as La nuit des generaux ), Columbia, 1967.

Andre, L'une et l'autre (also known as The Other One ), 1967.

Title role, Alexandre le bienheureux (also known as Alexander and Very Happy Alexander ), 1968.

De Pourtalain, Adolphe, ou l'age tendre (also known as Adolphe, Adolphe, or The Awkward Age, The Tender Age, and Tanjas Geliebter ), 1968.

Voice of Mr. Charles Clay for French version, The Immortal Story (also known as Une histoire immortelle ), 1968.

Moujik man, Mister Freedom, 1969.

Title role, Clerambard, 1969.

Monsieur Lucoville, The Assassination Bureau (also known as The Assassination Bureau Limited ), Paramount, 1969.

Pombal, Justine, Twentieth Century–Fox, 1969.

Narrator, Bruegel, 1969.

Henri Jarre, Topaz, Universal, 1970.

Gabriel, Les caprices de Marie (also known as Give Her the Moon and Portami quello che hai e prenditi quello che vuoi ), United Artists, 1970.

Louis Brezan, Murphy's War, Paramount, 1971.

Chief Inspector Muller, Les aveux les plus doux (also known as The Most Gentle Confessions and Ricatto di un commissario di polizia a un giovane indiziato di reato ), Metro–Goldwyn–Mayer, 1971.

Marcel, A Time for Loving (also known as Paris Was Made for Lovers ), 1971.

Judge Jannacone, Siamo tutti in liberta provisoria (also known as We Are All in Temporary Liberty ), 1972.

Gabriel Marcassus, La vieille fille (also known as The Old Maid and La tardona ), Valoria, 1972.

Alfred, Le trefle a cinq feuilles (also known as Five–leaf Clover ), 1972.

Georges, La mandarine (also known as Sweet Deception and La mandarina ), Societe Nouvelle Prodis, 1972.

Pierre Garcin, L'attentat (also known as The Assassination, The French Conspiracy, Plot, Das Attentat, L'attentato, and Die Toedliche Falle/Die Affaere Sadiel ), Cine Globe, 1972.

Himself, Jean Vilar, une belle vie, 1972.

Francoise Lepic, Poil de carotte (also known as Carrot Top and Redhead ), United Artists, 1973.

Phillippe, La grande bouffe (also known as Blow–Out, The Big Feast, The Big Feed, The Grande Bouffe, and La grande abbuffata ), 1973.

Lucien Berthon, Le serpent (also known as Night Flight from Moscow, The Serpent, Die Schlange, and Il serpente ), Avco Embassy, 1973.

General Terry, Touche pas a la femme blanche (also known as Don't Touch the White Woman!, Don't Touch White Women, and Non toccare la donna bianca ), 1974.

Gaspard de Montfermeil, Les Gaspards (also known as The Down–in–the–Hole Gang, The Holes, and De Rare snuiters ), 1974.

Thomas Barthlot, Le secret (also known as The Secret and Il segreto ), Valoria, 1974.

Malisard, Un nuage entre les dents (also known as A Cloud in the Teeth ), United Artists, 1974.

Michel Descombes, L'horloger de Saint–Paul (also known as The Clockmaker of St. Paul and The Watchmaker of St. Paul's ), Pathe, 1974.

Georges de Saxe, Le jeu avec le feu (also known as Playing with Fire and Giochi di fuoco ), 1974.

Julien Dandieu, Le vieux fusil (also known as The Old Gun, Vengeance One by One, Abschied in der Nacht, and Das Alte Gewehr ), United Artists, 1975.

Philippe D'Orleans, "Les Nobles," Que la fete commence! (also known as Let Joy Reign Supreme ), Specialty Films/CIC, 1975.

Title role, Monsieur Albert, Gaumont, 1976.

Giorgio Perozzi, Amici miei (also known as My Friends ), Gaumont, 1976.

General, Il deserto dei Tartari (also known as The Desert of the Tartars, Le desert des Tartares, Le desert des Tartars, and Die Tartarenwueste ), Gaumont, 1976.

Judge Emil Rousseau, Le juge et l'assassin (also known as The Judge and the Assassin ), Libra, 1976.

Constanzo, Il comune senso del pudore (also known as A Common Sense of Modesty ), 1976.

Ladislas, Coup de foudre, 1976.

Raoul Malfosse, Une femme a sa fenetre (also known as A Woman at Her Window, Una donna alla finestra, and Die Faur am Fenster ), 1976.

Antoine Lemercier, Tendre poulet (also known as Dear Detective, Dear Inspector, and Tender Cop ), Cinema V, 1978.

Jean–Claude Moulineau, Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe? (also known as Someone Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe, Too Many Chefs, La grande cuisine, Ein Kochtopf voller Leichen, Qualcuno sta uccidendo i piu grandi cuochi d'Europa, and Die Schlemmerorgie ), Warner Bros., 1978.

Phillippe Marchal, Un taxi mauve (also known as The Purple Taxi and Un taxi color malva ), Quartet, 1978.

Robert Maurisson, Le temoin (also known as The Witness and Il testimone ), Europex, 1978.

Eugene Pottier, La Barricade du Point du Jour, (also known as The Barricade at Point du Jour ) World Marketing, 1978.

Father, Rue du Pied de Grue (also known as Street of the Crane's Foot ), World Marketing/CIC, 1979.

Peppe, Two Pieces of Bread (also known as Happy Hobos and Due pezzi di pane ), United Artists, 1979.

Salto nel vuoto (also known as A Leap into the Void ), 1979.

La mort en direct (also known as Deathwatch ), 1979.

Antoine Lermercier, On a vole la cuisse de Jupiter (also known as Jupiter's Thigh ), Films Ariane, 1980.

Inspector Louis Baroni, Pile ou face (also known as Heads or Tails ), 1980.

Michel Descombes, Une semaine de vacances (also known as A Week's Vacation and A Week's Vacation ), ParaFrance, 1980.

Athanase, Il faut tuer Birgitt Haas (also known as Birgit Haas Must Be Killed ), 1981.

Raffaele Giuranna, I tre fratelli (also known as Three Brothers and Trois freres ), New World, 1981.

Lucien Cordier, Coup de torchon (also known as Clean Slate ), ParaFrance, 1982.

Edouard Binet, L'etoile du nord (also known as The North Star ), ParaFrance, 1982.

Giorgio Perozzi, Amici miei, atto II (also known as All My Friends Part 2 and My Friends Act II ), Gaumont, 1983.

Etienne Labrouche, Le grand carnaval (also known as The Big Carnival ), Gaumont, 1983.

Victor, L'Africain (also known as The African ), AMLF, 1983.

Albert Palm, Un ami de Vincent (also known as A Friend of Vincent's ), World Marketing, 1983.

Dubreuilh, Fort Saganne, Roissy–AAA, 1984.

Principal, Souvenirs, souvenirs (also known as Memories, Memories ), Metro–Goldwyn–Mayer/United Artists, 1984.

Rene, Les ripoux (also known as My New Partner and Le cop ), Orion, 1984.

Edouard, L'ete prochain (also known as Next Summer ), European Classics, 1985.

Count Leonardo, Speriamo che sia femmina (also known as Let's Hope It's a Girl and Pourvu que ce soit une fille ), President Films, 1985.

Yves Dorget, Le quatrieme pouvoir (also known as The Fourth Power ), President Films, 1985.

Himself, Les rois du gag, 1985.

Himself, The Thrill of Genius, 1985.

Redon, 'Round Midnight (also known as Autour de minuit ), Warner Bros., 1986.

Pierre Franchin, La femme secrete (also known as The Secret Wife ), AAA, 1986.

Igor Tatiatev, Twist Again in Moscow (also known as Twist again a Moscou ), Gaumont, 1986.

Christian Legagneur, Masques (also known as Masks ), Cannon, 1986.

Doctor Fadigati, The Gold–Rimmed Glasses (also known as Gli occhiala d'oro and Les lunettes d'or ), Ofer/OmniFilms, 1987.

Inspector Molinat, Noyade interdite (also known as No Drowning Allowed, Widow's Walk, and L'estate impura ), Bac Films, 1987.

Narrator of French version, L'homme qui plantait des arbres (animated short film; also known as The Man Who Planted Trees ), Societe Radio, 1987.

Jean–Luc, La famiglia (also known as The Family and La famille ), 1987.

Savinien de Kerfadec, Chouans!, 1988.

Dom Pedro II, Il Giovane Toscanini (also known as Toscanini and Young Toscanini ), 1988.

Major Delaplane, La vie et rien d'autre (also known as Life and Nothing But ), Union Generale Cinematographique, 1989.

Gabriele Battistini, Il frullo del passero (also known as The Sparrow's Fluttering ), Medusa, 1989.

La femme de mes amours, 1989.

Cardinal Mazarin, The Return of the Musketeers (also known as El regreso de los mosqueteros and Le retour des mousquetaires ), 1989.

Rene Lesbuch, Ripoux contre ripoux (also known as My New Partner at the Races, My New Partner II, and Le cop 2 ), 1990.

Anatole Hirsch, Faux et usage de faux (also known as Forgery and the Use of Forgeries ), 1990.

Alfredo, Cinema Paradiso (also known as Nuovo Cinema Paradiso ), Miramax, 1990, released as Cinema Paradiso: The New Version, 2002.

Gianni Mucci, The Palermo Connection (also known as To Forget Palermo, Dimenticare Palermo, and Oublier Palerme ), Gaumont, 1991.

Watrin, Uranus, Miramax, 1991.

Romain, J'embrasse pas (also known as I Don't Kiss and Niente baci sulla bocca ), 1991.

Gioacchino Rossini, Rossini! Rossini!, 1991.

Himself, Contre l'oubli (also known as Against Oblivion, Lest We Forget, and Ecrire contre l'oubli ), 1992.

Toussaint, Nous deux (also known as The Two of Us ), 1992.

Robert "Max" Maxendre, Max et Jeremie (also known as Max and Jeremy ), 1992.

Alberto, Zuppa di pesce (also known as Fish Soup ), 1992.

The elegant man, Tango, 1993.

Antonio Amleto, "The Blue Dog" (also known as "Il cane blu"), Especially on Sunday (also known as Le dimanche de preference and La domenica specialmente ), Miramax, 1993.

Himself, Grosse fatigue (also known as High Stress and Dead Tired ), Gaumont, 1994.

Pablo Neruda, Il postino (also known as The Postman and Le facteur ), Miramax, 1994.

Himself, Veillees d'armes: Le journalisme en temps de guerre (also known as 1st and 2nd Journeys, The Troubles We've Seen: A History of Journalism in Wartime, The Troubles We've Seen—Die Geschichte der Kriegsberichterstattung, Veillees d'armes, and Veillees d'armes: Histoire du journalisme en temps de guerre ), 1994.

The general, Les milles (also known as Les milles— Gefangen im Lager and Les milles: Le train de la liberte ), 1994.

D'Artagnan, La fille de de'Artagnan (also known as D'Artagnan's Daughter, The Daughter of D'Artagnan, and The Revenge of the Musketeers ), 1994.

Bertelli, Facciamo paradiso (also known as Looking for Paradise ), 1995.

Victor Derval, Le roi de Paris (also known as The King of Paris ), 1995.

Victor Vialat, Les grands ducs (also known as The Grand Dukes ), 1996.

Philippe Bruneau–Tessier, Fantome avec chauffeur, 1996.

Duke Signoretto, Marianna Ucria (also known as La vie silencieuse de Marianna Ucria ), 1997.

Joseph Levy, Soleil, 1997.

Monsieur Schultz, Les palmes de M. Schutz, 1997.

Philippe d'Orleans, Le bossu (also known as On Guard, Il cavaliere di Lagardere, and Duell der Degen ), 1997.

In and Out of Fashion, 1998.

Joseph Steg, Le pique–nique de Lulu Kreutz (also known as Lulu Kreutz's Picnic ), Les Films du Losange, 1999.

Mr. Louis Chevalier, Un honnete commercant (also known as Step by Step ), Sharada Distribuzione, 2002.

Leonce Grison, Les cotelettes, EuropaCorp. Distribution, 2003.

Rene Boirond, Ripoux 3, Gaumont, 2003.

Leo, Pere et fils, 2003.

Also appeared in The Billionaire and Moments of Love.

Television Appearances; Movies:

Dr. Andre Feretti, Aurora (also known as Qualcosa di biondo and Aurora by Night ), NBC, 1984.

Le veilleur de nuit, 1996.

Also appeared in The Thrill of Genius, RAI; and as the announcer, Discorama.

Television Appearances; Episodic:

M. Mareuil, "La chasse," L'Inspecteur Leclerc enquete, 1963.

Himself, "Noiret: Verites et mensonges," Cinema cinemas, 1987.

Himself, Les enfants de la tele, 1999.

Himself, "Philippe Noiret: Parts 1 & 2," Les feux de la rampe, FR3, 2002.

Himself, Ombre et lumiere, 2002.

Television Appearances; Other:

Richard, Clarisse Fenigan, 1959.

Macduff, Macbeth, 1959.

M. Van Dam, De fil en aiguille, 1960.

Lignere, Cyrano de Bergerac, 1960.

Les amours celebres (series), 1961.

Parfait XVIII, Le mal court, 1962.

Hugo, Chateau en Suede, 1964.

Max, Anatole, 1966.

Bernard, La fin de la nuit, 1966.

Himself, Dans le jardin de Franc–Nohain, 1972.

Himself, Dialogue pour un portrait: Philippe Noiret, 1981.

Himself, Philippe le bienheureux, 1996.

Inspector Castelli, Mio figlio ha 70 anni, 1999.

Himself, Un jour dans la vie du cinema francais, 2002.

Stage Appearances:

(Broadway debut) Duke Alexandre, Lorenzaccio, Theatre National Populaire, Broadway Theatre, New York City, 1958.

Simon Renard, Marie Tudor, Theatre National Populaire, Broadway Theatre, 1958.

Count Don Gormas, Le Cid, Theatre National Populaire, Broadway Theatre, 1958.

Castle in Sweden, 1960.

Also appeared in Don Juan, Oedipus, and Richard II, all Theatre National Populaire, Paris; Dona Rosita, Noctabules Theatre, Paris; The Night of the Kings, Theatre de l'Oeuvre, Paris; The Odd Couple; and Photo Finish.

OTHER SOURCES

Books:

Maillet, Dominique, Philippe Noiret, 1978, revised edition, 1989.

Periodicals:

Cinema, April, 1983.

Cine Revue, February 10, 1983.

Ecran, March, 1978.

Films, August, 1982.

Films in Review, March/April, 1983.

Revue de Cinema, April, 1987.

Sequences, April, 1984; June, 1989.

NOIRET, Philippe

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Nationality: French. Born: Lille, 1 October 1930. Education: Attended Lycée Janson-de-Sailly, Paris; and Coll. Des oratoriens, Juilly; studied theater under Roger Blin, and at the Dramatic Centre of the West, and the Théâtre National Populaire. Family: Married the actress Monique Chaumette, 1962, daughter: Frédérique. Career: Worked in cabaret with the comedian Jean-Pierre Darras; 1948—film debut in Gigi; 1951—stage debut; then member of the Théâtre National Populaire; announcer on TV show Discorama. Awards: Best Actor, Venice Festival, for Thérèse Desqueyroux, 1962; Étoile de cristal for Best Actor, for L'Horloger de Saint-Paul, 1974; Césars for Best Actor, for Le Vieux Fusil, 1975, and La Vie et rien d'autre, 1989; European Film Award for Best Actor, 1989. Address: 104 rue des Sablons, Mareil-Marly 78750, France. Agent: Artmédia, 10 av George V, 75008 Paris, France.

Films as Actor:

1948

Gigi (Audry) (bit role)

1950

Olivia (Audry) (bit role)

1951

Agence matrimoniale (Le Chanois)

1955

La Pointe courte (Varda)

1960

Zazie dans le métro (Zazie; Zazie in the Underground) (Malle) (as Uncle Gabriel); Ravissante (Lamoureux) (as Maurice)

1961

Le Capitaine Fracasse (Gaspard-Huit) (as Hérode); "Lauzun" ep. of Les Amours célèbres (Boisrond) (as Louis XIV); Le Rendez-vous (Delannoy) (as Inspector Maillard); Tout l'or du monde (All the Gold in the World) (Clair) (as Victor Hardy)

1962

Comme un poisson dans l'eau (Michel) (as Lucien Barlemont); "L'affaire Hugues" ("The Hugues Case") ep. of Le Crime ne paie pas (Crime Does Not Pay; The Gentle Art of Murder) (Oury) (as Clovis Hugues); Thérèse Desqueyroux (Thérèse) (Franju) (as Bernard Desqueyroux); Le Massaggiatrici (Fulci) (as Bellini)

1963

Ballade pour un voyou (Bonnardot) (as Inspector Mathieu); Clémentine Chérie (Chevalier) (as Director General); La Porteuse de pain (Cloche) (as Jacques Garaud/Paul Harmant)

1964

Cyrano et d'Artagnan (Gance) (as Louis XIII); Mort, où est ta victoire? (Death, Where Is Thy Victory?) (Bromberger) (as Brassy); Les Copains (Robert) (as Bénin); Monsieur (Le Chanois) (as Edmond Bernadac)

1965

Lady L (Ustinov) (as Ambroise Gérôme)

1966

La Vie de château (A Matter of Resistance) (Rappeneau) (as Jérôme); Qui êtes-vous, Polly Magoo? (Klein) (as Jean-Jacques Georges); Les Sultans (Delannoy) (as gynecologist); Tendre Voyou (Tender Scoundrel) (Jean Becker) (as Bibi Dumonceux); Le Voyage du père (de la Patellière) (as traveler)

1967

The Night of the Generals (La Nuit des generaux) (Litvak) (as Inspector Morand); L'Une et l'autre (The Other One) (Allio) (as André); "Snow" ep. of Woman Times Seven (Sette volta donna; Sept fois femme) (De Sica) (as Victor)

1968

Alexandre le bienheureux (Very Happy Alexander; Happy Alexander) (Robert) (title role); Adolphe, ou l'âge tendre (Toublanc-Michel) (as de Pourtalain)

1969

The Assassination Bureau (Dearden) (as Lucoville); Mister Freedom (Klein) (as Moujik Man); Justine (Strick and Cukor) (as Pombal); Clérambard (Robert) (title role); Topaz (Hitchcock) (as Henri Jarré)

1970

Les Caprices de Marie (Give Her the Moon) (de Broca) (as Gabriel)

1971

Time for Loving (Paris Was Made for Lovers) (Miles) (as Marcel); Les Aveux les plus doux (Molinaro) (as Inspector Muller); Murphy's War (Yates) (as Louis Brézan)

1972

La Vieille Fille (Blanc) (as Gabriel Marcassus); La Mandarine (Molinaro) (as Georges); Le Trèfle à cinq feuilles (Five-Leaf Clover) (Freess) (as Alfred); L'Attentat (Plot; The French Conspiracy) (Boisset) (as Garcin); Siamo tutti im libertà provvisoria (Scarpelli) (as Judge Jannacone)

1973

Poil de carotte (Graziani) (as M. Lepic); Le Serpent (The Serpent; Night Flight from Moscow) (Verneuil) (as Berthon); La Grande Bouffe (The Big Feast; Blow-Out) (Ferreri) (as Phillippe); Touche pas à la femme blanche (Don't Touch White Women) (Ferreri) (as Gen. Terry)

1974

L'Horloger de Saint-Paul (The Clockmaker; The Watchmaker of Lyon) (Tavernier) (as Michel Descombe); Un Nuage entre les dents (Pico) (as Malisard); Les Gaspards (Tchernia) (as Gaspard de Montfermeil); Le Secret (The Secret) (Enrico) (as Thomas Berthelot)

1975

Le Jeu avec le feu (Robbe-Grillet) (as Georges de Saxe); "Les Nobles" ep. of Que la fête commence! (Let Joy Reign Supreme) (Tavernier) (as Philippe d'Orléans); Le Vieux Fusil (The Old Gun) (Enrico) (as Julien Dandieu)

1976

Amici miei (My Friends) (Monicelli) (as Giorgio Perozzi); Monsieur Albert (Renard) (title role); Le Juge et l'assassin (The Judge and the Assassin) (Tavernier) (as Judge Emile Rousseau); Il commune senso del pudore (A Common Sense of Modesty) (Sordi) (as Constanzo); Une Femme à sa fenêtre (A Woman at Her Window) (Granier-Deferre) (as Raoul Malfosse); Coup de foudre (Enrico) (as Ladislas)

1977

Le désert des Tartares (Il deserto dei tartari; The Desert of the Tartars) (Zurlini) (as "The General"); Un Taxi mauve (The Purple Taxi) (Boisset) (as Philippe Marchal)

1978

La Barricade du point du jour (Richon) (as Eugène Pottier); Tendre poulet (Dear Detective; Dear Inspector) (de Broca) (as Antoine Lemercier); Le Témoin (The Witness; Il Testimone) (Mocky) (as Robert Maurisson); Due pezzi di pane (Citti); Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe? (Too Many Chefs) (Kotcheff) (as Jean-Claude Moulineau)

1979

Salto nel vuoto (A Leap into the Void) (Bellocchio); La Mort en direct (Deathwatch) (Tavernier)

1980

On a volé la cuisse de Jupiter (Jupiter's Thigh) (de Broca) (as Antoine Lemercier); Une Semaine de vacances (A Week's Vacation) (Tavernier) (as Michel Descombe); Pile ou face (Heads or Tails) (Enrico) (as Baroni)

1981

Tre fratelli (Three Brothers) (Rosi) (as Raffaele Giuranna); Il faut tuer Birgitt Haas (Birgitt Haas Must Be Killed) (Heynemann); Coup de torchon (Clean Slate) (Tavernier) (as Lucien Cordier)

1982

L'Étoile du nord (The North Star) (Granier-Deferre) (as Edouard Binet); Amici miei, atto due (Monicelli) (as Giorgio Perozzi)

1983

L'Africain (The African) (de Broca) (as Victor); Un Ami de Vincent (A Friend of Vincent) (Granier-Deferre); Le Grand Carnaval (Arcady) (as Ètienne Labrouche)

1984

Aurora (Ponzi—for TV); Fort Saganne (Corneau) (as Dubreuilh); Les Ripoux (My New Partner; Le Cop) (Zidi) (as René); Souvenirs, souvenirs (Zeitoun)

1985

Le Quatrième Pouvoir (The Fourth Power) (Leroy) (as Yves Dorget); Speriamo che sia femmina (Let's Hope It's a Girl) (Monicelli) (as Count Leonardo); L'Été prochain (Next Summer) (Trintignant) (as Edouard); Qualcosa di biondo (Aurora) (Ponzi)

1986

La Femme secrète (The Secret Wife) (Grall) (as Pierre Franchin); Masques (Chabrol) (as Christian Legagneur); Twist Again a Moscou (Twist Again in Moscow) (Poure) (as Igor Tatiatev); Autour de minuit ('Round Midnight) (Tavernier) (as Redon)

1987

Noyade interdite (Widow's Walk) (Granier-Deferre) (as Molinat); La famiglia (The Family) (Scola) (as Jean-Luc); Gli occhiali d'oro (The Gold Rimmed Glasses; Les Lunettes d'or) (Montaldo) (as Dr. Fadigati)

1988

Chouans! (de Broca) (as Savinien de Kerfardec); Il Frullo del passero (Mingozzi); Cinema Paradiso (Nuovo Cinema Paradiso) (Tornatore) (as Alfredo)

1989

La Vie et rien d'autre (Life and Nothing But) (Tavernier) (as Maj. Dellaplanne); The Return of the Musketeers (Lester) (as Cardinal Mazarin)

1990

Ripoux contre ripoux (My New Partner II; Le Cop 2) (Zidi) (as René); Faux et l'usage de Faux (Forgery and the Use of Forgeries) (Heynemann) (as Anatole Hirsch)

1991

Uranus (Berri) (as Watrin); Dimenticare Palermo (The Palermo Connection) (Rosi) (as the hotel manager); J'embrasse pas (I Don't Kiss) (Téchiné) (as Romain); "The Blue Dog" ep. of La Domenica specialmente (Especially on Sunday) (Tornatore) (as Amleto); Rossini, Rossini (as Gioacchino Rossini)

1992

Nous Deux (The Two of Us) (Graziani) (as Toussaint); Max et Jérémie (Max and Jeremy) (Devers) (as Robert "Max" Maxendre); Contre l'oubli (Against Oblivion) (Akerman and others) (as himself); Zuppa Di Pesce (Fish Soup) (Infascelli) (as Alberto)

1993

Tango (Leconte) (as François,the elegant man)

1994

Il Postino (The Postman) (Radford) (as Pablo Neruda); Veillées d'armes (The Troubles We've Seen: A History of Journalism in Wartime) (Marcel Ophüls—doc) (as himself); Grosse Fatigue (Dead Tired) (Blanc) (as himself); La Fille de D'Artagnan (D'Artagnan's Daughter) (Tavernier) (as D'Artagnan); Les Milles (Grall) (as Le General)

1995

Le Roi de Paris (The King of Paris) (Maillet) (as Victor Derval); Facciamo paradiso (Monicello) (as Bertelli)

1996

Les Grands ducs (Leconte) (as Victor Vialat); Fantôme avec chauffeur (Oury) (as Philippe Bruneau-Tessier); Le Veilleur de nuit (TV) (de Broca) (as Monsieur) Philippe le bienheureux(TV) (as himself); Marianna Ucria (Faenza)

1997

Soleil (Hanin) (as Joseph Lévy); Le Bossu (On Guard) (de Broca) (as Philippe d'Orléans); Les Palmes de Monsieur Schutz (Pinoteau) (as Monsieur Schutz)

1999

Mio figlio ha 70 anni

2000

Le Pique-nique de Lulu Kreutz

Publications

By NOIRET: articles—

Interview with I. F. McAsh, in Films (London), August 1982.

Interview with Joseph Hurley and Bertrand Tavernier, in Films in Review (New York), March and April 1983.

Interview with M. Amiel, in Cinéma (Paris), April 1983.

Interview with J. Zimmer and D. Parra, in Revue du Cinéma (Paris), April 1987.

Interview with M. Buruiana, in Séquences (Montreal), June 1989.

"La guerre n'est pas finie," interview with K. Jaehne, in Cineaste (New York), no 1, 1990.

Interview with G. Midding, in Filmbulletin (Winterthur, Switzerland), no. 4, 1991.

"Max et Jérémie," interview with Thierry Klifa in Studio Magazine (Paris) no. 66, October 1992.

"Tango," interview with Y. Poncelet, in Grand Angle (Mariembourg, Belgium), February 1993.

"Philippe Noiret má rád svou profesi," interview with Pavla Frýdlová, in Film a Doba, Winter 1994.

"Le roi de Paris," interview with M. Venchiarutti and P. Auvertus, in Grand Angle (Mariembourg), February 1995.

"Les Grands ducs," interview in Première (Paris), no. 228, March 1996.

Interview in Télérama (Paris), no. 2481, 30 July, 1997.

On NOIRET: book—

Maillet, Dominique, Philippe Noiret, Paris, 1978; rev. ed., 1989.

On NOIRET: articles—

Ecran (Paris), March 1978.

Ciné Revue (Paris), 10 February 1983.

Schupp, P., "Philippe Noiret, la stabilité dans la diversité," in Séquences (Montreal), April 1984.

Stars (Mariembourg, Belgium), March 1990.

Dominicus, M., "Liegen met de blik van eel uilskuiken," in Skrien (Amsterdam, Netherlands), December 1990/January 1991.

"Philippe Noiret," in Film Dope (Nottingham, England), July 1992.

Stars (Mariembourg), Winter 1992, Autumn 1994.

Le Film Français (Paris), no. 2540, 6 January 1995.

* * *

A tall, heavily built actor who only established himself in his thirties, Philippe Noiret has no youthful role to his credit and has usually depicted middle-aged, and often middle-class, characters. Though initially cast in fairly predictable secondary roles such as the outsmarted property developer in Tout l'or du monde, he gradually made his mark both in comic creations and more serious roles. He excelled as the complacent, sanctimonious husband of Thérèse Desqueyroux and as the ruthless self-seeking businessman of La Porteuse de pain, while his comic gifts were revealed as the diffident, city-fearing Jérôme of La Vie de château; as the transvestite artiste of Zazie dans le métro; and as the bogus priest giving sex sermons in Les Copains. With his endearing performance as the idle, misogynistic farmer of Alexandre le bienheureux, Noiret confirmed his position as a leading comic actor.

His already varied career now became international. Noiret's first English part came as a libertine politician in Lady L. before playing a politician-cum-brothel keeper in The Assassination Bureau, a Nazi-hunter in The Night of the Generals, and in Woman Times Seven an unhappily married bourgeois. In America he was the sexually deficient diplomat of Justine, the NATO economist of Topaz, and the timid engineer of Murphy's War. Now a commercial star, Noiret generously appeared for emerging directors, but despite good performances the films were invariably commercial failures.

It was not until the 1970s that he worked regularly with Italian directors, often in co-productions and initially in outrageous satirical roles. His performances for Ferreri in La Grande Bouffe and Touche pas à la femme blanche were landmarks: in the former as a degenerate oedipal judge hosting a decadent party; in the latter as General Terry in a loose parody of Custer's last stand. Weightier roles came as the cynical reporter in Pico's Un Nuage entre les dents, as Judge Jannacone in Scarpelli's Siamo tutti im libertà provvisoria, or as the magistrate in Rosi's Tre fratelli. For Enrico in Le Vieux Fusil he gave an intensely moving portrayal of a surgeon dedicated to avenging the murder of his family by the Nazis. Further notable interpretations came as the homosexual professor driven to suicide in Montaldo's Gli occhiali d'oro and, for Tornatore, two sensitive portrayals of atypical relationships: in Cinema Paradiso as Alfredo, the avuncular projectionist at a failing provincial cinema affectionately sharing his love of film with an adolescent enthusiast, and in La Domenica specialmente, as Amleto, a dog-hating village barber-cum-cobbler who, eventually won over by a persistent, friendly stray, is devastated at the dog's cruel death. Now in his sixties, Noiret was cast by other Italian directors in a series of roles reflecting his age. For Monicello he was the older Rossini in Rossini, Rossini! and as the middle-class father coping with his daughter's rebellious conduct in Facciamo paradiso; for Infascelli, he was Alberto, a mercurial film producer, again having trouble with his daughter in Zuppa di pesce; for Graziani, playing opposite his wife Monique Chaumette, he became Toussant, a former subway worker, enjoying retirement in Corsica (Nous Deux). Minor roles during this period saw him as a traditional Sicilian patriarch in Faenza's 18th-century costume drama Marianna Ucria and as the hotel director Gianna Mucci in Rossi's political thriller Dimenticare Palermo. However, his most commanding Italian role of the decade came in Radford's touching study of friendship in Il Postino, as the exiled Chilean poet Pablo Neruda, acting as sympathetic confidant and wise counsellor to his dedicated postman, innately gifted for poetry, but too shy to declare himself to his childhood sweetheart.

Over his long career Noiret has worked with a host of French directors, notably with de Broca in highly successful comic roles, Granier-Deferre in darker crime dramas or with Zidi as the charming, cynical and corrupt policeman René of Les Ripoux and the sequel Ripoux contre Ripoux. It has been through Tavernier, however, that Noiret's depth of talent has been revealed. In L'Horloger de Saint-Paul he was outstanding as Michel Descombe, the quiet widower protecting his criminal son, yet finding friendship with the investigator; in Que la fête commence! he brilliantly conveyed the human complexity of the Regent as a public and private person; in Le Juge et l'assassin he was the domineering and chillingly cruel investigating magistrate; and in Coup de torchon he was masterful as a cunning, authoritarian, and lubricious colonial policeman. There were only minor roles in Une Semaine de vacances (again as Michel Descombe) and as Redon in Autour de minuit, but in La Vie et rien d'autre Noiret again triumphed as the dedicated Major Dellaplanne intent on identifying the war-dead, despite official opposition. In a pastiche of the swashbuckling genre, La Fille de D'Artagnan, Noiret resumed his association with Tavernier as a now shabby, out-of-favor D'Artagnan, living as a fencing master.

Memorable roles, both major and minor, have come with other directors: as the nasty, petty crook of Monsieur Albert (Renard); as the child murderer of Le Témoin (Mocky); as the principled journalist in Le Quatrième Pouvoir (Leroy); and as the corrupt television presenter of Chabrol's Masques. In La Vieille Fille (Blanc), Noiret gave one of his finest performances as the shy Gabriel Marcassus tentatively building a relationship with a withdrawn spinster. Among minor, but masterfully executed, roles he has appeared as an actor in L'Une et l'autre; the headmaster of Souvenirs, souvenirs; and, untypically, as a morbid artist in La Femme secrète.

In the last decade Noiret has worked successfully with well established directors such as Berri and Oury and relative newcomers like Devers, Leconte and Techiné. In Berri's Occupation drama Uranus he excelled as Watrin, a shy, humanist teacher suffering in the knowledge of his dead wife's infidelity, while in a less successful comic role for Oury he played a murdered businessman who, now invisible, returns with his argumentative driver to watch over his family and friends (Fantôme avec chauffeur). For Techiné he played a relatively minor but key role as a gay, sharp-witted TV presenter in J'embrasse pas, while for Leconte he enjoyed two substantial comic roles: as the eccentric, misogynist judge addicted to porn films and prepared to condone murder (Tango) and as a self-confident, but unsuccessful, boulevard artist, Victor Vialat, on tour with a corrupt manager (Les Grands Ducs). He appeared as himself in Blanc's film about acting Grosse Fatigue and in the directorial debut of his biographer Dominique Maillet, Le Roi de Paris, as the popular actor Victor Derval, the toast of thirties Parisian society, involved with a stage struck young actress. In Faux et usage de faux (Heynemann) he was the larger than life figure Anatole Hirsch, a cigar-chewing writer successfully publishing under a pseudonym in a reworking of Romain Gary's career. Further notable roles came as Schutz, a research institute director desperate for recognition in Pinoteau's Les Palmes de M. Schuz; as Max a sophisticated and meticulous former professional killer who befriends his would-be assassin Jérémie in Devers' Max et Jérémie, and in Graal's account of German detainees in France during the Armistice he played the General prepared to hand over refugees to the Nazis. He has also appeared in documentaries about war-reporting, Ophul's Veillées d'armes and Amnesty International's film about political detainees, Contre l'oubli. In a career exploring more than 130 disparate roles, Philippe Noiret has, in turn, appalled as the vicious, depraved, or despicable; reassured as the solid, dependable authority figure; disturbed and amused with his subversive presence in comedy, satire, and farce or revealed with consummate delicacy complex facets of human nature in studies of individual relationships. His contribution to European cinema has been outstanding, not only in high performance standards but also in his encouragement of talented newcomers.

—R. F. Cousins