Jean-Pierre Cassel

Jean-Pierre Cassel (born Jean-Pierre Crochon; 27 October 1932 – 19 April 2007) was a French actor and dancer. A popular star of French cinema, he was initially known for his comedy film appearances, though he also proved a gifted dramatic actor, and accrued over 200 film and television credits in a career spanning over 50 years.[1]

Jean-Pierre Cassel
Jean-Pierre Cassel at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival.
Born
Jean-Pierre Crochon

(1932-10-27)27 October 1932
Paris France
Died19 April 2007(2007-04-19) (aged 74)
Paris, France
NationalityFrench
Occupations
  • Actor
  • Dancer
Spouses
Sabine Litique
​
​
(m. 1966; div. 1980)​
    Anne Célérier
    ​
    (m. 1981)​
    Children4, including Vincent, Mathias and Cécile
    Parent(s)Georges Crochon
    Louise-Marguerite Fabrègue

    He worked with many notable directors, including Luis Buñuel, Abel Gance, Jean Renoir, Claude Chabrol, Sidney Lumet, Joseph Losey, Chantal Akerman and Robert Altman. He was nominated for a César Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in La Cérémonie (1995).

    Cassel was also the father of actor Vincent Cassel, actress/singer Cécile Cassel, and rapper Mathias Cassel.

    Early life

    Cassel was born Jean-Pierre Crochon in the 13th arrondissement of Paris, the son of Louise-Marguerite (née Fabrègue), an opera singer, and Georges Crochon, a doctor.[2] Cassel was discovered by Gene Kelly as he tap danced on stage, and later cast in the 1957 film The Happy Road.

    Career

    Cassel gained prominence in the late 1950s as a hero in comedies by Philippe de Broca such as Male Companion and through his role as 'Jean François Jardie' in the famous French resistance piece L' Armée des ombres.

    During the 1960s and 1970s, he worked with Claude Chabrol (The Breach), Luis Buñuel (as Stéphane Audran's husband in The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie 1972), Ken Annakin (as the Frenchman in Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines 1965), Gérard Brach (as Claude Jade's lover in The Boat on the Grass), Richard Lester (as Louis XIII of France in The Three Musketeers 1973 and its sequel The Four Musketeers 1974), Sidney Lumet (as Pierre in Murder on the Orient Express) and Joseph Losey (with Isabelle Huppert in The Trout). He also made an appearance in Oh! What a Lovely War as a French military officer singing 'Belgium put the Kibosh on the Kaiser'. In later years, he appeared in Robert Altman's Prêt-à-Porter (1994) and also as Dr. Paul Gachet for Vincent & Theo (1990).

    In 2006, at the age of 74, he returned to the stage for a retrospective of Serge Gainsbourg, Jean-Pierre Cassel chante et danse Gainsbourg Suite. This homage to an old friend (he knew Gainsbourg in the 1950s) featured various songs of the French composer among which three unpublished songs named "Top à Cassel" – "Cliquediclac", "Ouh ! Là là là là", and "Viva la pizza" – all of which were intended for a television show aired in 1964.

    In 2007, Cassel appeared in dual roles (as Père Lucien and the Lourdes souvenir vendor) in Julian Schnabel's film The Diving Bell and the Butterfly.

    During his career, Cassel starred in more than 110 films, fifty stage plays, and many musical theatre performances and television shows.[3]

    Personal life

    Cassel is the father of Vincent Cassel, Mathias Cassel (also known as Rockin' Squat, leader of the French rap crew Assassin), and Cécile Cassel. He was "very close" to his children and his daughter-in-law, Monica Bellucci.[3]

    Death

    On 19 April 2007, Cassel died of cancer at age 74.[4][5]

    Selected filmography

    References
    1. "Jean-Pierre Cassel, 74, Actor Who Starred in '60s French Comedies, Dies". The New York Times. Agence France-Presse. 21 April 2007. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 17 August 2022.
    2. Jean-Pierre Cassel | Obituaries theguardian.com
    3. Lizé, Hubert (21 April 2007). "Jean-Pierre Cassel, ..." [Jean-Pierre Cassel, death of a discreet charmer]. Le Parisien (in French). Archived from the original on 18 August 2022. Retrieved 18 August 2022.
    4. "Jazz ..." [Jazz and emotion for the funeral of Jean-Pierre Cassel]. La Dépêche du Midi (in French). 26 April 2007. Archived from the original on 17 August 2022. Retrieved 18 August 2022.
    5. "L'acteur ..." [Actor Jean-Pierre Cassel swept away by cancer]. Le Devoir (in Canadian French). 21 April 2007. Archived from the original on 17 August 2022. Retrieved 18 August 2022.
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