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Michel Blanc
Michel Blanc
	Blanc in 2009
Born	Michel Jean François Blanc; 16 April 1952; Courbevoie, France
Died	4 October 2024 (aged 72); Paris, France
Occupations	Actor; director; writer;
Years active	1974–2024

Michel Blanc (16 April 1952 – 4 October 2024) was a French actor, writer and director.^[1] He is noted for his roles of losers and hypochondriacs. He is frequently associated with Le Splendid, which he co-founded, along with Thierry Lhermitte, Josiane Balasko, Christian Clavier, Marie-Anne Chazel and Gérard Jugnot. He also appeared in more serious roles, such as the title role in the Patrice Leconte film Monsieur Hire.

Life and career

Michel Blanc came from a modest family background; being the only son of Marcel, a removals man and Jeanine Blanc, a typist.^[2] His parents cosseted him when it was discovered shortly after birth that he had a heart murmur.^[3] He attended the Lycée Pasteur in Neuilly-sur-Seine, where he met Gérard Jugnot^[4] and the two became friends and later professional colleagues.^[5] He also met Marie-Anne Chazel, Christian Clavier, Thierry Lhermitte and Josiane Balasko in those school years, the group later becoming the Le splendid troupe.^[6]

Blanc's breakthrough role was in Les Bronzés, a 1978 comedy about French holidaymakers seeking romance at a resort in Cote d'Ivoire. Blanc’s character, Jean-Claude Dusse, an awkward bachelor who just cannot manage to seduce women. Blanc feared, after two Les Bronzés sequels, that he might become typecast as "a lovable deadbeat".^[7] Blanc extended his range with serious film roles (such as in the films of André Téchiné), theatre work, screen-writing (from Les Bronzés to Un petit boulot in 2016) and film direction (Grosse Fatigue in 1994, Mauvaise Passe filmed in London in 1999, Embrassez qui vous voudrez in 2002 and Voyez comme on danse in 2018).^[7] He declined to direct Une petite zone de turbulences in 2009 while nonetheless preparing the screenplay and starring.^[8] Blanc began his directing career with the comedy Marche à l'ombre, starring alongside Gérard Lanvin in 1984. The sharp dialogue and the contrast between the main duo assured the film a great success that year with over 6 million cinema entries.^[9]

Blanc commented in 2010 "I’m very wary about forming habits when it comes to film-making, and art in general". In terms of his working methods as a writer, in adaptating a novel or text for a screen play he was wary of losing the original style, and he hated snipping scenes he liked. "So I always work the same way. I write. Then I leave it alone three weeks before reworking it. At that point, it’s no longer the book I’m adapting, but my script. For A Spot of Bother I wrote five different versions, then Alfred worked on my final version to make his shooting script."^[8]

Michel Blanc translated and adapted several English-language plays for the French stage, such as Je veux faire du cinéma in 1992 (I ought to be in pictures) by Neil Simon, Temps variable en soirée in 1996 (Communicating Doors) after Alan Ayckbourn, Espèces menacées in 1997 (Funny money) by Ray Cooney, La Chambre bleue in 1999 (The Blue Room, after La Ronde) by David Hare, La Valse à Manhattan in 2001 (The West Side Waltz) by Ernest Thompson, L'amour est enfant de salaud in 2003 (Things we do for love) by Alan Ayckbourn, Frankie et Johnny au clair de lune in 2004 (Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune) after Terrence McNally and Tantine et moi in 2005 (Vigil, aka Auntie and Me) after Morris Panych.^[10]

A devotee of classical music since childhood, in 2004 he gave the premiere of the monodrama for speaker and orchestra by Eric Tanguy, Sénèque, dernier jour in Paris with the Orchestre National de Bretagne. Blanc also wrote the text for Tanguy's theatrical work, Photo d’un enfant avec une trompette, for the Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord, which had its premiere during the theatre’s 2013-2014 season.^[11]

As an actor he was sometimes dubbed a "sad clown" in the press, but he said this missed the mark. He told the French media and culture periodical Télérama "I'm not a sad clown at all, I'm a worried clown".^[7]

Blanc is one of a few people to have won awards at the Cannes Film Festival in both a creative and performing role, winning the Male Acting Prize in 1986 for Antoine in Tenue de Soirée, and the Best Screenplay Prize for Grosse Fatigue in 1994.^[12]

Blanc died of cardiac arrest, during a medical examination, at Saint-Antoine Hospital, Paris, on 4 October 2024, at the age of 72.^[13]^[14]^[15]

On stage

As an actor

Year	Title	Director	Notes
1976	Foot-ball	Michel Fagadau
	Je vais craquer	Le Splendid	Théâtre du Splendid
	Ma tête est malade	Le Splendid	Théâtre du Splendid
1977	Le Pot de terre contre le pot de vin	Le Splendid	Théâtre du Splendid
1978	Amour, coquillages et crustacés	Le Splendid	Théâtre du Splendid
1982	Bunny's bar	Josiane Balasko	Théâtre du Splendid
1985–88	Nuit d'ivresse	Josiane Balasko	Théâtre du Splendid
1992	Je veux faire du cinéma	Michel Blanc	Théâtre de la Michodière
1992	'Art'	Patrice Kerbrat	Théâtre des Champs-Élysées
1995	The Merchant of Venice	Jean-Luc Tardieu	Maison de la culture de Loire-Atlantique Nantes

As a director

Year	Title	Comedian	Notes
1987	L'Excès contraire	Dominique Lavanant	Théâtre des Bouffes-Parisiens written by Françoise Sagan
1992	Je veux faire du cinéma	Michel Blanc	Théâtre de la Michodière written by Neil Simon

Filmography

As an actor

Year	Title	Role	Director	Notes
1974	Les filles de Malemort		Daniel Daërt
1974	Bonne présentation exigée	The man who arrived	Charles Nemes	Short
1975	Let Joy Reign Supreme	Louis XV's valet	Bertrand Tavernier
1975	Le bol d'air	Michel	Charles Nemes	Short
1976	Attention les yeux!	A Cop	Gérard Pirès
	The Best Way to Walk	Deloux	Claude Miller
	Je t'aime moi non plus	A worker	Serge Gainsbourg
	L'ordinateur des pompes funèbres		Gérard Pirès
	The Tenant	Scope's Neighbor	Roman Polanski
	On aura tout vu	A theatre's friend	Georges Lautner
	Cours après moi ... que je t'attrape		Robert Pouret
1977	Le diable dans la boîte		Pierre Lary
	Spoiled Children	The young man	Bertrand Tavernier
	Au théâtre ce soir	Sandy Remington	Pierre Sabbagh	TV series (1 Episode)
	Vous n'aurez pas l'Alsace et la Lorraine	Antremont	Coluche
	Le point de mire	The Cop	Jean-Claude Tramont
1978	Madame le juge [fr]	Colomar	Philippe Condroyer	TV series (1 Episode)
	Le beaujolais nouveau est arrivé	The Captain's son	Jean-Luc Voulfow
	Surprise Sock	The intern	Jean-François Davy
	Les héritiers	Ivan	Pierre Lary	TV series (1 Episode)
	La tortue sur le dos	The Reveller	Luc Béraud
	Le temps d'une République	The second officer	Michel Wyn	TV series (1 Episode)
	Les Bronzés	Jean-Claude Dusse	Patrice Leconte
1979	Heroes Are Not Wet Behind the Ears	A passerby	Charles Nemes
	The Adolescent	M. Bertin	Jeanne Moreau
	Pierrot mon ami		François Leterrier	TV movie
	Cause toujours... tu m'intéresses!	The Cop	Édouard Molinaro
	Histoires insolites	The Inspector	Maurice Ronet	TV series (1 Episode)
	Les Bronzés font du ski	Jean-Claude Dusse	Patrice Leconte
	Rien ne va plus	Marcel Dupin	Jean-Michel Ribes
	La Gueule de l'autre	Taboureau	Pierre Tchernia
	Les 400 coups de Virginie	The antiquarian	Bernard Queysanne	TV Mini-Series (1 Episode)
	Les enquêtes du commissaire Maigret	Crotton	Yves Allégret	TV series (1 Episode)
1980	The Horse of Pride	Corentin Calvez	Claude Chabrol
1981	Viens chez moi, j'habite chez une copine	Guy	Patrice Leconte
	Histoire contemporaine	Ernest de Bonmont	Michel Boisrond	TV Mini-Series
	Les enquêtes du commissaire Maigret	Belloir	Yves Allégret	TV series (1 Episode)
1982	Ma femme s'appelle reviens	Bernard	Patrice Leconte
	Le Père Noël est une ordure	Telephone's voice	Jean-Marie Poiré
	Le mystère du gala maudit		Bernard Lion	TV movie
	Après tout ce qu'on a fait pour toi	Pierre	Jacques Fansten	TV movie
1983	Circulez y a rien à voir!	Leroux	Patrice Leconte
	Merci Bernard		Jean-Michel Ribes	TV series (3 Episodes)
	Papy fait de la résistance	Father Leboeuf	Jean-Marie Poiré
1984	Retenez Moi...Ou Je Fais Un Malheur	Laurent Martin	Michel Gérard
	Marche à l'ombre	Denis	Michel Blanc
	Nemo	Boris	Arnaud Sélignac
1985	Drôle de samedi	The pupil	Bay Okan
1986	Tenue de soirée	Antoine	Bertrand Blier	Cannes Film Festival – Best Actor Nominated – César Award for Best Actor
	Je hais les acteurs	Monsieur Albert	Gérard Krawczyk
	Les Fugitifs	Doctor Bourdarias	Francis Veber
1988	Nuit d'ivresse	Jacques Belin	Alain Dhénaut	TV movie
	Piazza Navona	Gilbert	Roger Guillot	TV series (1 Episode)
	Médecins des hommes	Philippe	Alain Corneau	TV series (1 Episode)
	Une nuit à l'Assemblée Nationale	Walter Arbeit	Jean-Pierre Mocky
	Sans peur et sans reproche	Verdiglione	Gérard Jugnot
1989	Palace	The Inspector	Jean-Michel Ribes	TV series (1 Episode)
	Monsieur Hire	Monsieur Hire	Patrice Leconte	Nominated – César Award for Best Actor
	Chambre à part	Martin	Jacky Cukier
1990	Strike It Rich	Hotel Manager	James Scott
1990	Uranus	René Gaigneux	Claude Berri
1991	Merci la vie	Raymond Pelleveau	Bertrand Blier
	Les secrets professionnels du Dr Apfelglück	The Hindu	Alessandro Capone
	The Favour, the Watch and the Very Big Fish	Norbert	Ben Lewin
	Prospero's Books	Alonso	Peter Greenaway
1993	Toxic Affair	The suicidal	Philomène Esposito
1994	Grosse Fatigue	Himself / Patrick Olivier	Michel Blanc
	The Monster	Paride Taccone	Roberto Benigni
	Prêt-à-Porter	Inspector Forget	Robert Altman	National Board of Review Award for Best Cast
1996	Les Grands Ducs	Shapiron	Patrice Leconte
1999	C'est plus fort que moi		Gilles Marchand	Short
2002	Summer Things	Jean-Pierre	Michel Blanc	Director and co-wrote the scenario
2003	L'affaire Dominici	The Commissioner Sébeille	Pierre Boutron	TV movie
2004	Madame Édouard	Commissioner Léon	Nadine Monfils
2004	93, rue Lauriston	Inspector Blot	Denys Granier-Deferre	TV movie
2006	Je vous trouve très beau	Aymé Pigrenet	Isabelle Mergault	Love is Folly International Film Festival – Best Actor Nominated – César Award for Best Actor Nominated – Lumière Film Festival – Best Actor
2006	Les Bronzés 3: Amis pour la vie	Jean-Claude Dusse	Patrice Leconte
2007	The Witnesses	Adrien	André Téchiné	Nominated – César Award for Best Actor
2007	Le Deuxième souffle	Commissioner Blot	Alain Corneau
2008	Nos 18 ans	Professor Martineau	Frédéric Berthe
2008	Musée haut, musée bas	Mosk	Jean-Michel Ribes
2009	The Girl on the Train	Samuel Bleistein	André Téchiné
2009	Une petite zone de turbulences	Jean-Paul Muret	Alfred Lot	Also co-wrote the script
2011	The Minister	Gilles	Pierre Schoeller	César Award for Best Supporting Actor
2011	The Day I Saw Your Heart	Eli Dhrey	Jennifer Devoldère
2013	Demi-soeur	Paul Bérard	Josiane Balasko
2014	The Hundred-Foot Journey	Mayor	Lasse Hallström
2015	Memories	Michel	Jean-Paul Rouve
2015	The New Adventures of Aladdin	Sultan	Arthur Benzaquen
2016	Odd Job	Gardot	Pascal Chaumeil	Also writer
2017	Raid dingue	Jacques Pasquali	Dany Boon

As a director

Year	Title	Notes
1984	Marche à l'ombre	Also Writer and Actor Nominated – César Award for Best Debut
1994	Grosse fatigue	Also Writer and Actor Cannes Film Festival – Best Screenplay Nominated – Palme d'Or Nominated – César Award for Best Writing
1999	The Escort	Also Writer
2002	Summer Things	Also Writer and Actor Nominated – César Award for Best Writing
2018	Voyez comme on danse