Alain Delon 1935-2024
The iconic French actor was throughout his career often regarded as one of the most beautiful men in the world. He rose to fame during the late 1950s and throughout the 1960s and 1970s starred in numerous and timeless classics of European cinema that made him a revered figure in the film industry, with a career that spanned over six decades and more than 80 films
Alain Delon 1935-2024
Alain Delon, born on November 8, 1935, in Sceaux, a suburb of Paris, emerged as one of France’s most celebrated actors, renowned for his striking looks and captivating performances. His early life was far from easy; following his parents’ divorce, Delon spent much of his childhood in foster care and strict boarding schools. This tumultuous upbringing shaped his independent and rebellious spirit.
At 17, Delon joined the French Navy, seeking adventure and purpose. However, his military career was short-lived, and after returning to Paris, his good looks and charisma quickly caught the eye of the film industry.
He made his first appearance on film in 1957, playing a hitman in the thriller “Quand la femme s’en mêle,” titled “Send a Woman When the Devil Fails” in English and he soon found success with his role in Christine (1958).
This was to be the first of many anti-hero roles for Delon, who went on to become a major figure in European film in the 1960s. The 1960s and 70s were the pinnacle of Delon’s career, and he starred in numerous classics working with such lauded directors as René Clément (“Plein Soleil,” 1960, titled “Purple Noon” in the United States), Luchino Visconti (“Rocco and his brothers,” 1960, and “The Leopard,” 1963) and Jean-Pierre Melville (“Le Samouraï,” 1967). Delon’s partnership with director Jean-Pierre Melville was particularly significant, resulting in some of his most iconic roles.
He also appeared in many English-language productions, including anthology movie “The Yellow Rolls-Royce” (1964) and Westerns “Texas Across the River” (1966), and “Red Sun” (1971), but he failed to replicate the success he enjoyed in European cinema.
Delon won a César Award, France’s equivalent of an Oscar, for best actor in 1985 for his role as an alcoholic in Bertrand Blier’s “Our Story.” He was also nominated for a Golden Globe for his performance as the passionate, penniless Tancredi in “The Leopard.”
In his later years, Delon continued to act, although with less frequency, as he shifted focus to other ventures, including film production and business. Despite stepping back from the spotlight, he remained a revered figure in the film industry, with a career that spanned over six decades and more than 80 films.
Delon had several high-profile relationships, most notably with Romy Schneider, with whom he shared a passionate, though tumultuous, romance. He married Nathalie Barthélémy in 1964, and they had a son, Anthony Delon, before divorcing in 1969. Delon also had two other children, Anouchka and Alain-Fabien, from different relationships.
In 1968, Delon was caught up in a sex, drug and murder scandal involving French high society, known as the Markovic affair. He was questioned but never charged.
In later years, Delon expressed regret over some aspects of his personal life, particularly his relationships with his children. During the 1960’s he had an affair with the then model, chanteuse Nico, known as one of Andy Warhol superstars and singer for the Velvet Underground, which resulted in a child, Christian Boulogne, that controversially he never acknowledged as his own, despite being raised by his own parents who acknowledged Boulogne as grandson.
In 2005, Delon was made an Officer in the French Legion of Honor for his contribution to world cinema. In recent years Delon had been outspoken about his wish to end his life in Switzerland through euthanasia. He passed on August 18th at age 88. His family stated that “He passed away peacefully in his home in Douchy, surrounded by his three children and his family.” RIP
Look back at one of Alain Delon’s most memorable roles alongside Romy Schneider in a scene from the 1969 film “La Piscine”
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