Everything about Yves Montand totally explained
Yves Montand (in French) (
October 13,
1921 –
November 9,
1991) was an Italian-born
French actor and
singer.
Biography
Early life
Montand was born
Ivo Livi in
Monsummano Terme,
Italy to Josephine and Giovanni, poor peasants. Montand's family left
Italy for
France. He grew up in
Marseille, where as a young man he worked in his sister's barber shop, and 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 and she made him part of her act, becoming his
mentor and
lover.
Career
He went on to international recognition as a singer and actor, starring in numerous films. His recognizably
crooner songs, especially those about Paris, became instant classics.
In
1951 he married the actress
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
Marilyn Monroe, with whom he starred in one of her last films,
Let's Make Love.
During his career, Montand acted in a number of American motion pictures as well as on
Broadway. He was nominated for a
Cesar Award for "Best Actor" in 1980 for "
I comme Icare" and again in
1984 for "
Garçon!"
In the French dubbings of
Looney Tunes, the character
Pepé Le Pew is an Italian skunk named "
Pépé le putois". The voice characterization was often based on Montand's performances.
In
1986, after his international box-office draw power had fallen off considerably, the 65-year-old Montand gave one of his most memorable performances, as the scheming uncle in the two-part film:
Jean de Florette, co-starring
Gérard Depardieu, and
Manon des Sources, co-starring
Emmanuelle Béart. The film was a world-wide critical hit and raised Montand's profile in the U.S., where he made an appearance on "
Late Night with David Letterman."
Personal life
Montand's only child, Valentin, his son by his second wife Carole Amiel, was born in 1988. In a paternity suit that rocked 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 after his death. In a court ruling that made international headlines, the woman won the right to have Montand exhumed and a sample taken. It subsequently showed that he wasn't the girl's father.
In his later years he maintained a home in
St Paul de Vence,
Provence until his death. He is buried in the
Père Lachaise Cemetery, Paris, France.
In 2004,
Catherine Allégret, Montand's stepdaughter and Signoret's daughter from her first marriage, published a book titled
World Upside Down (
Un monde à l'envers ISBN 2-253-11442-1) in which she contended that Montand had abused her sexually since she was five years old.
He is the voice in the remake of the popular Italian partisan song,
Bella ciao which is making the rounds on the Internet in mp3 format.
Filmography
Further Information
Get more info on 'Yves Montand'.
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