Michel Jacques Daniel Piccoli is the son of Henri Piccoli, violinist and Marcelle Expert-Bezançon (1892-1990), pianist and daughter of the French industrialist and politician Charles Expert-Bezançon. In 1954, Michel Piccoli married actress Éléonore Hirt with whom he had a daughter, Anne-Cordélia Piccoli. In 1966, he married the singer Juliette Gréco, then in 1978 the screenwriter Ludivine Clerc, with whom he adopted two children of Polish origin, Inord and Missia.
Placed in an establishment for problem children, the commitments of the young Piccoli, are made in opposition to his maternal grandfather, senator of the Third Republic, financier of the Radical Party, and important industrial painter, accused by the trade union left and by Georges Clemenceau, of having intoxicated his workmen through lead white which causes lead poisoning.
Michel Piccoli then trained as an actor first with Andrée Bauer-Théraud and then during Simon. After an appearance as an extra in "Sortilèges" by Christian-Jaque in 1945, Michel Piccoli made his film debut in "Le Point Du Jour" by Louis Daquin. In the theater he distinguished himself with the Renaud-Barrault and Grenier-Hussot companies as well as at the Théâtre de Babylone. Noticed in the film "French Cancan" in 1954, he continued on stage and worked with directors Jacques Audiberti, Jean Vilar, Jean-Marie Serreau, Peter Brook, Luc Bondy, Patrice Chéreau and André Engel, and became also know in popular TV movies. Having become an atheist after a family bereavement, he met Luis Buñuel in 1956, and ironically took on the role of a priest in "La Mort En Ce Jardin". In 1959, he shot "Le Rendez-Vous De Noël", a short film by André Michel based on the short story by Malek Ouary "Le Noël Du Petit Cireur", in Algiers. The 1960s sounded his consecration, noticed in "Le Doulos" by Jean-Pierre Melville, he was revealed internationally with "Le Mépris" by Jean-Luc Godard alongside Brigitte Bardot. From then on, he toured with the greatest French and international filmmakers such as Alfred Hitchcock, Luis Buñuel, Youssef Chahine, Manoel de Oliveira...
He began the 1980s with the interpretation prize at the Cannes festival in 1980, with "Le Saut Dans Le Vide" by Marco Bellocchio, and that of the Berlin festival in 1982, with "Une Étrange Affaire" by Pierre Granier-Deferre. . He worked with Jacques Doillon, Leos Carax, before trying his hand at directing. In 2001 he received the IX Europe Prize for Theatre. He was part of the jury of the 60th Cannes Film Festival in 2007, chaired by Stephen Frears. In 2011, he played in "Habemus Papam" by Nanni Moretti. The last film in which Michel Piccoli appears is the film "Le Goût Des Myrtilles", by Thomas de Thiers in 2013.
Politically committed to the left, member of the Peace Movement (communist), Michel Piccoli distinguished himself by his positions against the National Front, and mobilized for Amnesty International.
Michel Piccoli died on May 12, 2020 following a stroke in his mansion in Saint-Philbert-sur-Risle in Eure. His funeral takes place in Évreux on May 19, 2020, where he is cremated, his ashes are scattered within the family property.
2024 | Ben Değilim as (archive footage) |
2023 | Godard par Godard as Self (archive footage) |
2022 | La TV des 70's : Quand Giscard était président as Self (archive footage) |
2021 | Marx può aspettare as Agostino (archive footage) (uncredited) |
2021 | François Mitterrand et Anne Pingeot, fragments d'une passion amoureuse as Self (archive footage) |
2019 | Chabrol, l'anticonformiste as Self - Actor (archive footage) |
2018 | Dios de monoambiente as Archive footage |
2017 | Coming Apart as (archive footage) |
2017 | Claude Sautet, Romy, Yves, Michel et les autres as Self (archive footage) |
2017 | L'Extravagant Monsieur Piccoli as Self - Actor (archive footage) |
2017 | La lucida follia di Marco Ferreri as Self (archive footage) |
2015 | Notre-Dame des Hormones as Narrator |
2014 | Le goût des myrtilles as Michel |
2012 | Linhas de Wellington as Leópold Scheitzer |
2012 | Vous n'avez encore rien vu as Le père |
2012 | Kutsal Motorlar as Man with the Wine Stain |
2011 | Agnès de ci de là Varda as Self |
2011 | Il était une fois... Vincent, François, Paul et les autres as Self |
2011 | Bir Papamız Var as Melville |
2010 | Ritratto di mio padre as Self |
2009 | Le Bel Âge as Maurice Reverdy |
2009 | Il était une fois… Le Mépris as Self |
2008 | Agnes'in Plajları as Self (archive footage) |
2008 | Η Σκόνη του Χρόνου as Spyros |
2008 | De la guerre as Le grand Hou |
2007 | Chacun son cinema ou Ce petit coup au coeur quand la lumiere s'eteint et que le film commence as Nikita Kruschev (segment "Rencontre unique") |
2007 | Le Roi Lear as Le roi Lear |
2007 | Les Toits de Paris as Marcel |
2007 | Boxes as Daddy |
2007 | Ne touchez pas la hache as Vidame de Pamiers |
2006 | Belle Toujours as Henri Husson |
2006 | Jardins en automne as Marie, la mère de Vincent |
2006 | Espelho Mágico as Prof. Heschel |
2006 | Otar Iosseliani, le merle siffleur as Himself |
2005 | Tout communique as Narrator |
2003 | La Prophétie des grenouilles as Ferdinand (voice) |
2003 | La Petite Lili as acteur qui joue Simon |
2003 | Ce jour-là as Harald |
2003 | Un homme, un vrai as Michel Piccoli |
2002 | Romy Schneider, étrange étrangère as Self |
2002 | Il bambino di Betlemme |
2001 | Je rentre à la maison as Gilbert Valence |
2000 | Tout va bien, on s'en va as Louis |
2000 | A propósito de Buñuel as Self |
2000 | Les acteurs as Self |
2000 | در نزدیکی کیارستمی as as Self |
1999 | Libero Burro as Uncle Tony |
1999 | París-Tombuctú as Michel des Assantes |
1999 | Le plus beau pays du monde as Récitant (voice) |
1999 | Rien sur Robert as Lord Ariel Chatwick-West |
1997 | Passion in the Desert as Jean-Michel Venture de Paradis |
1997 | Généalogies d'un crime as Georges Didier |
1996 | Tykho Moon as Mac Bee / frère Mac Bee |
1996 | Party as Michel |
1996 | Compagna di viaggio as Cosimo |
1996 | Beaumarchais, l'insolent as Prince de Conti |
1995 | L'Univers de Jacques Demy as Self |
1995 | Deux fois cinquante ans de cinéma français as Himself |
1995 | 101 Gece as Simon Cinéma |
1995 | Tödliches Geld as Paul Belmont |
1994 | L'Ange noir as Georges Feuvrier |
1994 | المهاجر as Adam - Ram's father |
1994 | Train de nuit |
1994 | Berau, sur les traces de Joseph Conrad as Presenter |
1994 | Bête de scène |
1993 | Rupture(s) as Paul |
1993 | La Cavale des fous as Henri Toussaint |
1993 | Les demoiselles ont eu 25 ans as Self (archive footage) |
1993 | Archipel as Leonard Wilde |
1992 | Le Souper as Chateaubriand (voice) |
1992 | Le bal des Casse-pieds as Désiré, l'homosexuel |
1992 | La Belle Noiseuse : Divertimento as Edouard Frenhofer |
1991 | Contre l’oubli as Self |
1991 | Le Voleur d'enfants as Mr. Armand |
1991 | Güzel Gürültücü as Edouard Frenhofer |
1991 | Les Équilibristes as Marcel Spadice |
1991 | L'Amour maudit de Leisenbohg as Le baron de Leisenbohg |
1990 | Martha et moi as Ernst |
1990 | Milou en Mai as Milou |
1989 | Le Peuple singe |
1988 | Un coupable as L'avocat |
1988 | La Ruelle au clair de lune as Pierre Willer |
1988 | Blanc de Chine as Batz |
1988 | Ya bon les blancs as Père Jean-Marie |
1987 | Maladie d'amour as Raoul Bergeron |
1987 | L'Homme voilé as Kassar |
1987 | La Rumba as Damien Malleville |
1987 | Das weite Land as Friedrich Hofreiter |
1986 | La Puritaine as Pierre |
1986 | Mauvais Sang as Marc |
1986 | Le Paltoquet as der Tölpel |
1986 | Mon beau-frère a tué ma sœur as Étienne Sembadel |
1985 | وداعا بونابرت as Caffarelli |
1985 | Partir, revenir as Simon Lerner |
1985 | Péril en la demeure as Graham Tombsthay |
1985 | La Lune |
1984 | Le Matelot 512 as Narrator (voice) |
1984 | Success Is the Best Revenge as French Official |
1984 | Viva la vie as Michel Perrin |
1984 | La Diagonale du fou as Akiva Liebskind |
1983 | Il generale dell'armata morta as Benetandi |
1983 | Le Prix du danger as Frédéric Mallaire |
1982 | Que les gros salaires lèvent le doigt ! as José Viss |
1982 | Une chambre en ville as Edmond Leroyer |
1982 | Gli occhi, la bocca as Tío Agostino |
1982 | Oltre la porta as Mr. Mutti |
1982 | Passion as Michel Boulard |
1982 | La Nuit de Varennes as King Louis XVI (uncredited) |
1982 | La Passante du Sans-Souci as Max Baumstein |
1982 | La Cerisaie as Léonid |
1982 | Scénario du film Passion as Self |
1982 | Espion, lève-toi as Jean-Paul Chance |
1981 | Une étrange affaire as Bertrand Malair |
1981 | Du crime considéré comme un des beaux-arts. as Morrand |
1981 | La Confusion des sentiments as Professor |
1981 | Mirasyedi Kız as Le père |
1980 | Atlantic Şehri as Joseph |
1980 | Der Preis fürs Überleben as René Winterhalter |
1980 | Salto nel vuoto as Mauro Ponticelli |
1979 | Le Mors aux dents as Pierre Chazerand |
1979 | Le divorcement as Philippe |
1979 | Giallo napoletano as Victor Navarro |
1978 | Le Sucre as Grezillo |
1978 | Kadife Mavisi Küçük Kız as Conrad Brukner |
1978 | L'État sauvage as Orlaville |
1978 | Strauberg ist da |
1978 | La Part du feu as Robert Hansen |
1977 | L'Imprécateur as Saint-Rame |
1977 | Des enfants gâtés as Bernard Rougerie |
1977 | René la canne as Ispettore Marchand |
1976 | Mado as Simon Léotard |
1976 | F… comme Fairbanks as Etienne |
1976 | Todo modo as Lui |
1976 | La Dernière Femme as Michel |
1975 | Sept morts sur ordonnance as Dr Losseray |
1975 | Leonor as Richard |
1975 | La Faille as L'enquêteur |
1974 | Vincent, François, Paul… et les autres as François, médecin |
1974 | Özgürlük Hayaleti as Le deuxième préfet de police |
1974 | Grandeur nature as Michel |
1974 | Le Trio Infernal as Georges Sarret |
1974 | Touche pas à la femme blanche as Buffalo Bill |
1974 | Un amour de pluie as Mr. Dellerue (voice) |
1974 | E cominciò il viaggio nella vertigine |
1973 | Le Far West |
1973 | La Grande Bouffe as Michel |
1973 | Kanlı Aşıklar as Pierre Maury |
1973 | Themroc as Themroc |
1973 | La Femme en bleu as Pierre |
1972 | César et Rosalie as Narrator (voice) |
1972 | L'Attentat as Colonel Kassar |
1972 | Burjuvazinin Gizemli Çekiciliği as Le Ministre |
1972 | La cagna as Giorgio's friend |
1972 | L'udienza as Padre Amerin |
1971 | La Décade prodigieuse as Paul Regis |
1971 | La poudre d'escampette as Valentin |
1971 | Max et les ferrailleurs as Max |
1970 | L'invasion as Marcello |
1970 | Hayat Bağları as Pierre Bérard |
1969 | Topaz as Jacques Granville |
1969 | L'invitata as François Desailly |
1969 | La Voie lactée as Marquis de Sade |
1969 | Dillinger è morto as Glauco |
1968 | Délire à deux |
1968 | La Prisonnière as L'invité pressé au vernissage (uncredited) |
1968 | La Chamade as Charles |
1968 | Diabolik as Inspector Ginko |
1968 | Benjamin ou les mémoires d'un puceau as Count Philippe |
1967 | Mon amour, mon amour as Marrades |
1967 | Gündüz Güzeli as Henri Husson |
1967 | Un homme de trop as L'homme de trop |
1967 | Cinéastes de notre temps : Le Dinosaure et le Bébé, dialogue en huit parties entre Fritz Lang et Jean-Luc Godard as Paul Javal (archive footage) |
1967 | Tatlı Günler as Simon Dame |
1967 | Romy - Portrait eines Gesichts as Self |
1966 | Paris brûle-t-il? as Edgar Pisani |
1966 | Gülüm Elsa as Narrator (voice) |
1966 | Les Créatures as Edgar Piccoli |
1966 | La Voleuse as Werner Kreuz |
1966 | La Curée as Alexandre Saccard |
1966 | Les Ruses du diable as L'antiquaire |
1966 | La guerre est finie as Inspector #1 |
1966 | Le Coup de grâce as Capri / Bruno |
1965 | Lady L as Lecoeur |
1965 | Compartiment tueurs as René Cabourg, l'employé besogneux (Victime #2) |
1965 | Dom Juan ou le Festin de pierre as Dom Juan |
1965 | Masquerade as Georges Sarrassin |
1964 | Café tabac as Récitant (voice) |
1964 | De l'amour as Raoul |
1964 | Marie Soleil as Kafka |
1964 | La chance et l'amour as Philippe Decharme (segment "Lucky la chance") |
1964 | Paparazzi as Texte dit par (voice) |
1964 | Le Parti des choses : Bardot et Godard as Himself |
1964 | Luis Buñuel : Un cinéaste de notre temps as Narrator (voice) |
1964 | Le Journal d'une femme de chambre as Monsieur Monteil |
1964 | L'Été en hiver as Jean, the reporter |
1963 | Salut les Cubains as Narrator (voice) |
1963 | Nefret as Paul Javal |
1963 | Le Jour et l'heure as Antoine |
1962 | Le Doulos as Nuttheccio |
1962 | Climats as François |
1962 | Le Temps des assassins as Récitant (voice) |
1962 | Parisienne... Parisiennes as Récitant (voice) |
1961 | Le Rendez-vous as Paul |
1961 | Fumée, histoire et fantaisie |
1961 | Hauteclaire as Serlon de Savigny |
1961 | Le vergini di Roma as Console Publicola |
1961 | La Chevelure as L'homme |
1961 | Quarante fontaines as Récitant (voice) |
1960 | Le Rendez-vous de Noël |
1960 | Le Bal des espions as Brian Cannon |
1960 | La dragée haute |
1960 | Les joueurs as Chvokhniev |
1959 | Le Chalet sous la neige as Robert |
1959 | La Bête à l'affût as Commissaire Jacques Guimard |
1959 | La Nuit de Tom Brown as Tom Brown, jeune |
1958 | Tabarin as Jacques Forestier |
1958 | Rafles sur la ville as L'inspecteur Vardier, de la P.J. |
1957 | Nathalie as Franck Marchal |
1957 | Le quadrille des diamants as Richard Burke |
1957 | Le Plus Heureux des trois as Pianist |
1957 | Les Copains du dimanche as Le directeur de l'aéro-club |
1957 | Les Sorcières de Salem as James Putnam |
1956 | La France romane as Récitant (voice) |
1956 | La Mort en ce jardin as Father Lizzardi |
1955 | Les Grandes Manœuvres as Officer (uncredited) |
1955 | Les Mauvaises Rencontres as un inspecteur |
1955 | Ernst Thälmann - Führer seiner Klasse as Maurice Rouger |
1955 | Croissance de Paris as Récitant (voice) |
1955 | Interdit de séjour as Georges |
1954 | French Cancan as Le Capitaine Valorgueil |
1954 | Tout chante autour de moi as Reverdier |
1954 | Saint-Tropez, devoirs de vacances as Gérard |
1954 | Destinées as Pasquerel (segment "Jeanne") |
1952 | Torticola contre Frankensberg as Torticola |
1951 | Chicago Digest as Slim Spring |
1951 | Terreur en Oklahoma as Tommy Goudchote |
1951 | La Leçon d'humour dans un parc |
1951 | Sans laisser d'adresse as Un journaliste aux archives |
1951 | Sans laisser d'adresse as Un journaliste aux archives (uncredited) |
1949 | Le Parfum de la dame en noir as Lebel |
1949 | Le Point Du Jour as Georges Gohelle |
1945 | Sortilèges as Un villageois |
Duvar