Serge Reggiani Photo

Serge Reggiani

Acting

1.5 Popularity May 02, 1922 (82 years old) Reggio Emilia, Italy

Serge Reggiani (2 May 1922 – 23 July 2004) was an Italian-born French singer and actor. He was born in Reggio Emilia, Italy and moved to France with his parents at the age of eight. For many years, he struggled with alcoholism, caused in part by the 1980 suicide of his son Stephan.

After acting s...

Biography

Serge Reggiani (2 May 1922 – 23 July 2004) was an Italian-born French singer and actor. He was born in Reggio Emilia, Italy and moved to France with his parents at the age of eight. For many years, he struggled with alcoholism, caused in part by the 1980 suicide of his son Stephan.

After acting school (Conservatoire des arts cinématographiques) he was discovered by Jean Cocteau and appeared in a wartime production of Les Parents terribles ("The Terrible Parents"). During World War II, he left Paris to join the French resistance.

His first feature film came in 1946 with his role in Les portes de la nuit ("The Doors of the Night"). He later went on to perform in 80 films including Casque d'or, Les Misérables (1958),Tutti a casa, Le Doulos, Il Gattopardo, La terrazza, The Pianist (1998).

In spite of never quite reaching the peak with his acting career, he did triumph in the theatre in 1959 with his performance in Jean-Paul Sartre’s play Les Séquestrés d'Altona. In the meantime, though, in 1965 he began a second career, that of a singer (at the age of 43), with the help of Simone Signoret and her husband Yves Montand and later with great assistance of the French diva Barbara. Reggiani became one of the most acclaimed performers of French "Chanson" ("song") and although he was in his 40s, his bad-boy rugged image made him popular with both young and older listeners.

His best known songs include Les loups sont entrés dans Paris ("The Wolves Have Entered Paris") and Sarah (La femme qui est dans mon lit) ("The Woman Who Is In My Bed"), the latter written by Georges Moustaki. However, one of his regular songwriters throughout his career was Boris Vian (Le Déserteur, Arthur où t'as mis le corps, La Java des bombes atomiques). His new young fans identified with his left-wing ideals and antimilitarism, most notably during the 1968 student revolts in France. With age he became more and more acclaimed as one of the best interpreters of the French chanson also bringing the poetry of Rimbaud, Apollinaire and Prévert closer to his audience. In 1995, he made a comeback to the singing stage, giving a few concerts despite his deteriorated health and personal distress, the last one being held as late as in the year of his death, in spring of 2004.

In later life he became a painter and gave a number of exhibitions of his artwork.

Serge Reggiani died in Paris of a heart attack at the age of 82, one day after the death of another well known French singer Sacha Distel. He is interred in Montparnasse Cemetery.

Filmography 103

2022
2010
They Saw Inferno Movie

as Self

2009
Henri-Georges Clouzot's Inferno Movie

as Marcel (archive footage)

1998
1998
The Pianist Movie

as Rossell mayor

1997
Heroines Movie

as monsieur Montgolfier

1995
The Little Boy Movie

as Germain

1993
Rosen-Emil Movie

as Dr. Levy

1993
De force avec d'autres Movie

as Sergio

1990
1990
Plein fer Movie

as Emilio

1990
There Were Days... and Moons Movie

as Le père de Sophie

1988
Let Sleeping Cops Lie Movie

as Le Stéphanois

1988
L'écho Movie

as Marius

1987
1987

Photos 2

Serge Reggiani Photo
Serge Reggiani Photo

Personal Details

Known For Acting
Gender Male
Birthday May 02, 1922 (82 years old)
Died July 22, 2004
Place of Birth Reggio Emilia, Italy
Also Known As Серж Реджани
Years Active 1938 - 2022
Popularity 1.5
Career Stats
103 Total Credits
84 Movie Roles
19 TV Roles
2 Photos