YVES MONTAND Biography - Actors and Actresses

 
 

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YVES MONTAND

Name: Yves Montand                                                                               
Birth name: Ivo Livi                                                                             
Born: 13 October 1921 Monsummano Terme, Italy                                                   
Died: 9 November 1991 Senlis, Oise, France                                                       
                                                                                                 
Yves Montand (October 13, 1921 - November 9, 1991) was an Italian-born French actor and singer. 
                                                                                                 
Montand was born Ivo Livi in Monsummano Terme, Italy to Josephine and Giovanni,                 
poor peasants. Montand's family left Italy for France. Montand 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.                                                                   
                                                                                                 
He went on to international recognition as a singer and actor, starring in                       
numerous films. His songs 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 Pepe Le Pew is an Italian                 
skunk named "Pepe 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         
Gerard Depardieu, and Manon des Sources, co-starring Emmanuelle Beart. 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."