ACTOR · BORN 1930 · DIED 2006
Philippe Noiret
- Born
- 1 October 1930, Lille, Nord, France
- Died
- 23 November 2006
- Known for
- Nuovo Cinema Paradiso (1988), Il postino (1994), La Grande Bouffe (1973), Coup de torchon (1981)
24 archived facts 5 topics 1 source Last reviewed Nov 2026
Philippe Noiret (1 October 1930 – 23 November 2006) was an actor best known for Nuovo Cinema Paradiso, Il postino and La Grande Bouffe.
24 Interesting Facts About Philippe Noiret
Interesting Facts (13)
- #001
Hergé, the Belgian writer and illustrator of the world-famous Tintin comics, considered Noiret the ideal choice to play a live-action version of Tintin's character Captain Haddock.
- #002
Noiret, known for his droopy bloodhound features, was an outspoken dog lover in real life.
- #003
He was once a nightclub entertainer.
- #004
He was director Bertrand Tavernier's favourite.
- #005
After failing the baccalauréat (the French high school diploma) exams three times, he decided to train in theatre.
- #006
He was the only French actor with a major role in 'The Return of the Three Musketeers' (1989). Ironically, his character, Cardinal Mazarin, was Italian, despite serving as Prime Minister of France from 1642 to 1661.
- #007
In 1963, together with Jean-Pierre Darras, he recorded the French songs 'Consuela', 'Marche Grecque', 'Mon Grand' and 'Paris-Paname', written by Henri Betti (music) and Jean Cosmos (lyrics).
- #008
Noiret did not believe in watching footage from shoots. He did not want to see his work in fragments before the film was edited.
- #009
In 2005 he received the Légion d'Honneur, France's highest decoration.
- #010
After spending his early years as an actor at the French National Theatre (T.N.P.), Noiret entered cinema in 1956.
- #011
He trained at the Centre Dramatique de l'Ouest.
- #012
Noiret was primarily cast as an Everyman character, but he did not shy away from controversial roles such as 'La Grande Bouffe', which caused a scandal at Cannes in 1973 with its story of suicide by overeating, and in 1991 André Téchiné cast him in 'J'embrasse pas' (I Don't Kiss) as a melancholic older homosexual obsessed with young male flesh.
- #013
Noiret's film debut (1949) was an uncredited role in 'Gigi', directed by Jacqueline Audry.
Behind the Scenes (6)
- #014
A two-time César Award (the French Oscar) winner, Noiret never tried to become a star in Hollywood.
- #015
He was a favorite of director Bertrand Tavernier.
- #016
Noiret played the Walter Matthau role in the Paris stage production of Neil Simon's play 'The Odd Couple'.
- #017
After spending his early years as an actor at the French National Theater (T.N.P.), Noiret entered cinema in 1956.
- #018
His nightclub comedy career, in which he performed duets with Jean-Pierre Darras, developed; in this duo, while Darras played the playwright Jean Racine, Noiret played Louis XIV in an exaggerated wig. In these roles they satirized the policies of Charles de Gaulle, Michel Debré and André Malraux.
- #019
Noiret was cast primarily as an Everyman character, but he did not shy away from accepting controversial roles such as 'La Grande Bouffe', about a suicide by overeating that caused a scandal at Cannes in 1973, and in 1991 André Téchiné had Noiret play a melancholic older homosexual obsessed with young male flesh in 'J'embrasse pas' (I Don't Kiss).
Characters & Cast (1)
- #020
He developed a career as a nightclub comedian in a double act with Jean-Pierre Darras; in the pairing, Darras played the playwright Jean Racine while Noiret played Louis XIV in an exaggerated wig. In these roles they satirised the policies of Charles de Gaulle, Michel Debré and André Malraux.
Career & Awards (3)
- #021
Noiret, who won two César Awards (the French Oscar), never tried to become a star in Hollywood.
- #022
He was honoured with a special tribute during the In Memoriam segment at the 79th Academy Awards (2007).
- #023
He appeared in three films nominated for the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film: 'Three Brothers' (1981), 'Coup de torchon' (1981) and 'Cinema Paradiso' (1988) — the last of which won the award in that category. He also appeared in 'The Postman' (1994), which was nominated for Best Picture.
Life & Family (1)
- #024
Noiret played the Walter Matthau role in the Paris stage production of Neil Simon's 'The Odd Couple'.
Sources & editorial notes
Reference databases
- Wikipedia
- IMDb
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