Philippe Léotard (his full name was Ange Philippe Paul André Léotard-Tomasi; 28 August 1940 – 25 August 2001) was a French actor, poet and singer.
Biography He was born in Nice, one of seven children - four girls, then three boys, of which he was the oldest - and was the brother of politician François Léotard. His childhood was normal except for an illness (rheumatic fever) which struck him and forced him to spend days in bed during which time he read a great many books. He was particularly fond of the poets - Baudelaire, Rimbaud, Lautréamont, Blaise Cendrars. He met Ariane Mnouchkine at the Sorbonne and in 1964. Together with students of the L'École Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq, they formed the Parisian avant-garde stage ensemble, Théâtre du Soleil.
He played Philippe, the tormented son of a woman with terminal illness in the 1974 drama film La Gueule ouverte by the controversial director Maurice Pialat. He won a César Award for Best Actor for his role in the 1982 movie La Balance.
One of his few English-language roles was a cameo in the 1973 thriller The Day of the Jackal and he co-starred as "Jacques" in the 1975 John Frankenheimer movie French Connection II, the sequel to The French Connection, which starred Gene Hackman and Fernando Rey.
Léotard died of respiratory failure in Paris on 25 August 2001, three days before his 61st birthday. He was buried at the Montparnasse Cemetery in Paris.
Filmography Year Title Role Director Notes1957Paths of GloryA PoiluStanley KubrickUncredited1970Bed and Boardthe drunkardFrançois Truffaut Uncredited1971Max et les FerrailleursLosfeldClaude SautetTwo English GirlsDiurkaFrançois TruffautLe mot frère et le mot camarade1972RakLucienCharles BelmontTo Be Twenty in the AuresLt. PerrinRené VautierA Gorgeous Girl Like MeClovis BlissFrançois TruffautLe franc-tireurMichel PerratJean-Max Causse1973KamouraskaAntoine TassyClaude Jutra The Day of the JackalGendarme Fred Zinnemann 1974Juliette and JulietteLe dragueur de Juliette VidalRémo ForlaniThe Mouth AgapePhilippeMaurice PialatThe Middle of the WorldPaulAlain Tanner 1975Pas si méchant que çaJulienClaude GorettaThe TrackPaul DanvilleSerge LeroyFrench Connection IIJacquesJohn FrankenheimerLa guerre du pétrole n'aura pas lieuPadovaniSouheil Ben-BarkaLe Chat et la sourisPierre CheminClaude Lelouch1976The Good and the BadLe vendeur de CitroënClaude LelouchLes conquistadoresMarco Pauly1977Le Juge Fayard dit Le ShériffInspecteur MarecYves BoissetSolemn CommunionJacques GravetRené FéretShadow of the CastlesLuigiDaniel DuvalLa comédie du train des pignesFrançois de Chavanes1978VincentFrançois LeterrierJudith Therpauve Jean-Pierre MaurierPatrice Chéreau1979La Mémoire courteFrank BarilaEduardo de Gregorio1980Lucien ChabaudRobert EnricoA Week's VacationDoctor SabouretBertrand TavernierThe Little MermaidGeorges MaréchalRoger Andrieux1981Les Babas CoolBlaiseFrançois Leterrier1982Le ChocFélixRobin DavisParadis pour tousMarc LebelAlain JessuaLa BalanceDede LaffontBob Swaim MoraMoraLéon Desclozeaux1983Winter 1960AndréThierry MichelSo Long, StoogeBauerClaude Berri1984Femmes de personneAntoineChristopher FrankLéandro SantiniJean-Louis DanielThe PirateNumber 5Jacques Doillon Une rébellion à RomansJean Serve, dit 'Paulmier'Philippe Venault1985Tangos, l'exil de GardelPierreFernando E. SolanasRouge-gorgeLouis DucassePierre ZuccaFarewell BlaireauFred Bob DecoutTangos, the Exile of GardelPierreFernando E. Solanas1986DawnGadMiklós JancsóExit-exilDukeLuc MonheimThe Honourable Tradesman Michel DevilleState of GracePierre-JulienJacques RouffioÇa n'arrive jamais1987If the Sun Never ReturnsAnzerul Claude Goretta1988Le testament d'un poète juif assassinéBernard HauptmannFrank CassentiJane B. par Agnès V.Le peintre / MurdererAgnès VardaSouthRobertoFernando Ezequiel SolanasThe AbyssHenri-MaximilienAndré Delvaux Snack Bar BudapestSapoTinto BrassAda dans la jungleRudiGérard ZinggLa Couleur du ventPierrePierre Granier-Deferre1990Le grand ruban (Truck)JeffPhilippe RousselIl y a des jours... et des lunesLe chanteur abandonné / The abandoned singerClaude LelouchLe dénommé (Oublie que tu es un homme)AuclairJean-Claude DagueIn the Eye of the SnakePhil Anzer - Marc's FatherMax Reid Dr. LevinPeter Patzak1991The FleshNicolaMarco Ferreri1992Ville à vendreJean Boulard - un kinésithérapeuteJean-Pierre Mocky1995PandoraRaúlAntónio da Cunha TellesÉlisaGitane SmokerJean BeckerLes MisérablesThénardierClaude LelouchPhilippe Léotard chante et parleHimselfNils Tavernier1997Black DjuInspecteur PlettschettePol CruchtenGueules d'amourPhilippe Dajoux
Discography 1990: À l'amour comme à la guerre 1994: Philippe Léotard chante Léo Ferré (tribute album) 1996: Je rêve que je dors 2000: Demi-mots amers
References
External links BBC News obituary