Yves Montand
Acting • Born 1921-10-13 – Died 1991-11-09
Biography
Ivo Livi (13 October 1921 – 9 November 1991), better known as Yves Montand, was an Italian-born French actor and singer. He is said to be one of France's greatest 20th-century artists. Montand was born Ivo Livi in Stignano, a small village in the hills of Monsummano Terme, Italy, to Giovanni Livi, a broom manufacturer. Montand's mother Giuseppina Simoni was a devout Catholic. The family left Italy for France in 1923 following fascist Benito Mussolini's rise to power. He grew up in Marseille, where, as a young man, he worked in his sister's beauty salon (Salon de Coiffure), as well as later on the docks. He began a career in show business as a music-hall singer. In 1944, he was discovered by Édith Piaf in Paris; she made him part of her act. Montand achieved international recognition as a singer and actor, starring in many films. He is recognised for crooner style songs, with those about Paris becoming instant classics. He was one of the best known performers at Bruno Coquatrix's Paris Olympia music hall, and toured with musicians including Didi Duprat. In October 1947, he sang "Mais qu'est-ce que j'ai?" (music by Henri Betti and lyrics by Édith Piaf) at the Théâtre de l'Étoile. Betti also asked him to sing "C'est si bon" but Montand refused. Following the success of the recording of this song by the Sœurs Étienne in 1948, he decided to record it. Montand was also very popular in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, where he did a concert tour in 1956-57. During his career, Montand acted in American motion pictures as well as on Broadway. He was nominated for a César Award for Best Actor in 1980 for I comme Icare and again in 1984 for Garçon! In 1986, after his international box-office draw power had fallen off considerably, the 65-year-old Montand gave one of his best remembered performances, as the scheming uncle in Jean de Florette, co-starring Gérard Depardieu, and Manon des Sources (both 1986), co-starring Emmanuelle Béart. The film was a worldwide critical hit and revived Montand's profile in the United States, where he made an appearance on Late Night with David Letterman. In 1951, he married Simone Signoret, and they co-starred in several films throughout their careers. The marriage was, by all accounts, fairly harmonious, lasting until her death in 1985, although Montand had a number of well-publicised affairs, notably with American actress Marilyn Monroe, with whom he starred in one of her final films, Let's Make Love. He was the stepfather to Signoret's daughter from her previous marriage, Catherine Allégret. Montand's only child, a son named Valentin, by his second wife, Carole Amiel (b. 1960), was born in 1988. In a paternity suit that caused commotion across France, another woman accused Montand of being the father of her daughter and went to court to obtain a DNA sample from him. Montand refused, but the woman persisted even after his death. In a court ruling that made international headlines, the woman won the right to have Montand exhumed and a sample taken. The results indicated that he was not the girl's biological father. He supported left-wing causes during the 1950s and 1960s, and attended Communist festivals and meetings. ... Source: Article "Yves Montand" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA.
Filmography
116 credits
The Wages of Fear
Movie • 1953
Mario Livi
The End of a Beautiful Epoch
Movie • 2015
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Cesar and Rosalie
Movie • 1972
César
Z
Movie • 1969
Z
The Witches of Salem
Movie • 1957
John Proctor
The Sleeping Car Murders
Movie • 1965
L'inspecteur Grazzi
Is Paris Burning?
Movie • 1966
Sgt. Marcel Bizien
The War Is Over
Movie • 1966
Diego Mora / Carlos / Domingo
Jean de Florette
Movie • 1986
César Soubeyran, aka 'le Papet'
Manon of the Spring
Movie • 1986
César Soubeyran, aka "le Papet"
1958: Those Who Said No
Movie • 2018
Self (archive footage)
Grand Prix
Movie • 1966
Jean-Pierre Sarti
Womanlight
Movie • 1979
Michel Follin
Les Rois de la comédie
Movie • 2023
Self (archive footage)
Let's Make Love
Movie • 1960
Jean-Marc Clement / Alexander Dumas
Le Cercle Rouge
Movie • 1970
Jansen
Tout Va Bien
Movie • 1972
Him, Jacques
I... for Icarus
Movie • 1979
Henri Volney
T'es fou Marcel
Movie • 1974
Self
The Red Inn
Movie • 1951
Singing Commentator (voice)
Choice of Arms
Movie • 1981
Noel Durieux
Delusions of Grandeur
Movie • 1971
Blaze, Don Sallust's valet
Vincent, Francois, Paul and the Others
Movie • 1974
Vincent, entrepreneur
The Confession
Movie • 1970
Gérard
My Geisha
Movie • 1962
Paul Robaix
Napoleon
Movie • 1955
Lefebvre
Gates of the Night
Movie • 1946
Jean Diego
Police Python 357
Movie • 1976
Inspecteur Marc Ferrot
Les Enfoirés - Les Enfoirés en chœur de 1985 à aujourd'hui
Movie • 2014
On a Clear Day You Can See Forever
Movie • 1970
Dr. Marc Chabot
One Night... a Train
Movie • 1968
Mathias
Rotterdam-Europoort
Movie • 1966
Narrator (French version) (voice)
The Law
Movie • 1959
Matteo Brigante
Trintignant by Trintignant
Movie • 2021
Self (archive footage)
IP5: The Island of Pachyderms
Movie • 1992
Léon Marcel
All Fired Up
Movie • 1982
Victor Valance
A Grin Without a Cat
Movie • 1977
Narrator (voice)
State of Siege
Movie • 1972
Philip Michael Santore
Goodbye Again
Movie • 1961
Roger Demarest
La Menace
Movie • 1977
Henri Savin
Waiter!
Movie • 1983
Alex, head waiter
Lovers Like Us
Movie • 1975
Martin
Live for Life
Movie • 1967
Robert Colomb
Marguerite of the Night
Movie • 1955
M. Léon
Il était une fois... Vincent, François, Paul et les autres
Movie • 2011
Self (archive footage)
Lost Souvenirs
Movie • 1950
Raoul, street singer (segment "Le violon")
Premier mai
Movie • 1958
Jean Meunier
The Devil by the Tail
Movie • 1969
Le baron César Maricorne
Three Seats for the 26th
Movie • 1988
Yves Montand
Rush - Voyage à Moscou
Movie • 1990
Self
The Wide Blue Road
Movie • 1957
Giovanni Squarciò
The Big Operator
Movie • 1976
Morland
Star Without Light
Movie • 1946
Pierre
Montand
Movie • 1994
Self (archive footage)
Men and Wolves
Movie • 1957
Ricuccio
The Son
Movie • 1973
Ange Orahona
Sanctuary
Movie • 1961
Candy Man
Paris Still Sings!
Movie • 1951
Self
The Loneliness of the Long Distance Singer
Movie • 1974
Self
Grand Prix: Challenge of the Champions
Movie • 1966
Self
Heroes and Sinners
Movie • 1955
Michel Rivière
Roads to the South
Movie • 1978
Jean Larrea
Pushing the Limit: The Making of Grand Prix
Movie • 2006
Self (archive footage)
Claude Sautet, Romy, Yves, Michel et les autres
Movie • 2017
Self (archive footage)
One Minute for One Image
Movie • 1983
Self - Narrator
J'ai tout donné
Movie • 1972
Self
Chance and Violence
Movie • 1974
Laurent Bermann
Netchayev is Back
Movie • 1991
Pierre Marroux
Good Morning, Mr. Orwell
Movie • 1984
Self
The Wind Rose
Movie • 1957
Yves (archive footage)
Paris Is Always Paris
Movie • 1951
Yves Montand
Letter to Jane: An Investigation About a Still
Movie • 1974
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Les Deux mémoires
Movie • 1974
Self
The Anatomy of Love
Movie • 1954
Vasco
The Lovely Month of May
Movie • 1963
Narrator (French version) (voice)
You Speak of Prague: The Second Trial of Artur London
Movie • 1971
Self - Interviewee
Special Section
Movie • 1975
Un milicien
Mr. Freedom
Movie • 1969
Capt. Formidable (uncredited)
Making 'The Misfits'
Movie • 2002
Self (archive footage)
Django Reinhardt
Movie • 1957
Narrator (voice)
Comiques de toujours (Vol. 1 à 4)
Movie • 2009
Self (archive footage)
The Idol
Movie • 1948
Fontana
The Incredible Mr. Piccoli
Movie • 2017
Self - Actor (archive footage)
A Butterfly in the Night
Movie • 1976
Voz
Yves Montand is Singing
Movie • 1957
Self
Mitterrand, président culturel
Movie • 2021
Self (archive footage)
Le Parti du cinéma
Movie • 2021
Self (archive footage)
Dans les coulisses: le tournage de 'Trois Places pour le 26'
Movie • 2013
Self (Archive Footage)
Un matin comme les autres
Movie • 1956
Yves
Rendez-vous de l'espérance
Movie • 1950
Self
The Force of Destiny
Movie • 2017
Self
Vive la crise !
Movie • 1984
Self / Self - Presenter
Fascination: Unauthorized Story of Marilyn Monroe
Movie • 2012
Self (archive footage)
Deneuve, la reine Catherine
Movie • 2022
Self (archive footage)
Jean-Louis Trintignant - Mystérieux et insaisissable
Movie • 2022
The Dinah Shore Chevy Show
TV • 1956
Self
The Oscars
TV • 1953
Self
Victoires de la musique
TV • 1985
Self
Le Grand Échiquier
TV • 1972
Self
The Ed Sullivan Show
TV • 1948
Self
Einer wird gewinnen
TV • 1964
Self
À bout portant
TV • 1968
Self
Spécial cinéma
TV • 1974
Self
Le Grand Échiquier
TV • 1972
Self - Main Guest
Spécial cinéma
TV • 1974
Self (archive footage)
Bambi
TV • 1948
Self
Les Rendez-vous du dimanche
TV • 1975
Self
Numéro un
TV • 1975
Self
Champs-Elysées
TV • 1982
Self
What's My Line?
TV • 1950
Self - Mystery Guest
Apostrophes
TV • 1975
Self
Discorama
TV • 1959
Self
Stars 90
TV • 1990
Self
Cinépanorama
TV • 1956
Self
Reflets de Cannes
TV • 1954
Self
Cérémonie des César
TV • 1976
Self - President