Alain Delon | |
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Born | Alain Fabien Maurice Marcel Delon 8 November 1935 Sceaux, France |
Died | 18 August 2024 Douchy-Montcorbon, France | (aged 88)
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Occupations |
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Years active | 1949–2019 |
Works | Full list |
Spouse | |
Partners |
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Children | At least 4, including Anthony, Anouchka, Alain-Fabien, and Christian Aaron Boulogne |
Military service | |
Allegiance | France |
Branch/service | French Navy Fusiliers |
Years of service | 1952–1956 |
Battles/wars | First Indochina War |
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Alain Fabien Maurice Marcel Delon (French: [alɛ̃ dəlɔ̃]; 8 November 1935 – 18 August 2024) was a French actor, film producer, screenwriter, and singer. Acknowledged as a cultural and cinematic leading man of the 20th century, Delon emerged as one of the foremost European actors of the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, and became an international sex symbol.[1] He is regarded as one of the most well-known figures of the French cultural landscape.[2][3] His style, looks, and roles, which made him an international icon, earned him enduring popularity.[4]
Delon achieved critical acclaim for his roles in films such as Women Are Weak (1959), Purple Noon (1960), Rocco and His Brothers (1960), L'Eclisse (1962), The Leopard (1963), The Black Tulip (1964), The Last Adventure (1967), Le Samouraï (1967), The Girl on a Motorcycle (1968), La Piscine (1969), Le Cercle Rouge (1970), Un flic (1972), and Monsieur Klein (1976). Over the course of his career, Delon worked with many directors, including Luchino Visconti, Jean-Luc Godard, Jean-Pierre Melville, Michelangelo Antonioni, and Louis Malle.
Delon received many film and entertainment awards throughout his career. In 1985, he won the César Award for Best Actor for his performance in Notre histoire (1984). In 1991, he became a member of France's Legion of Honour. At the 45th Berlin International Film Festival, he won the Honorary Golden Bear. At the 2019 Cannes Film Festival, he received the Honorary Palme d'Or.
In addition to his acting career, Delon also recorded the spoken part in the popular 1973 song "Paroles, paroles", a duet with Dalida as the main singing voice. He acquired Swiss citizenship in 1999.