Alain Delon facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Alain Delon CLH
Delon in 2019
Born	Alain Fabien Maurice Marcel Delon (1935-11-08)8 November 1935 Sceaux, France
Died	18 August 2024(2024-08-18) (aged 88) Douchy, France
Citizenship	France Switzerland
Occupation	Actor film producer screenwriter singer
Years active	1949–2019
Works	Performances
Spouse(s)	Nathalie Barthélémy (m. 1964; div. 1969)
Partner(s)	Romy Schneider (1958–1964) Mireille Darc (1968–1983) Rosalie van Breemen (1987–2001)
Children	At least 3, including Anthony, Anouchka and Alain-Fabien

Military service
Allegiance	France
Branch/service	French Navy Fusiliers
Years of service	1952–1956
Battles/wars	First Indochina War


Signature

Alain Delon (born 8 November 1935 – died 18 August 2024) was a famous French actor and film producer. He was known as a leading star in movies during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. His unique style, good looks, and the many different characters he played made him a global icon. People all over the world loved him.

Alain Delon won many awards for his acting. In 1985, he won the César Award for Best Actor for his role in the film Notre histoire. He also received special honors for his entire career. These included the Honorary Golden Bear at the 45th Berlin International Film Festival and the Honorary Palme d'Or at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival. In 1991, he became a member of France's important Legion of Honour.

Delon was praised for his roles in many popular films. Some of these include Purple Noon (1960), Rocco and His Brothers (1960), The Leopard (1963), and Le Samouraï (1967). He worked with famous directors like Luchino Visconti and Jean-Luc Godard. Besides acting, Delon was also a singer. He recorded a very popular duet called "Paroles, paroles" (1973) with Dalida. He became a Swiss citizen in 1999.

Early Life and First Steps

Alain Delon was born in Sceaux, a rich suburb near Paris, France. His parents divorced when he was four years old. He lived with foster parents for a while. Later, he went to a Catholic boarding school but was often expelled for being unruly.

When he was 14, Delon left school. He worked for a short time in his stepfather's butcher shop. At 17, he joined the French Navy. He served as a marine during the First Indochina War from 1953 to 1954.

Becoming an Actor

After his time in the Navy, Delon returned to France in 1956. He worked different jobs, like a waiter and a sales assistant. During this time, he met actress Brigitte Auber. She invited him to the Cannes Film Festival, where his acting journey began.

First Film Roles

At Cannes, a talent scout for American producer David O. Selznick noticed Delon. Selznick offered him a contract if he learned English. But Delon met French director Yves Allégret and decided to start his career in France instead. Allégret gave him his first role in the film Quand la femme s'en mêle (1957).

He then starred with Romy Schneider in Christine (1958). Delon and Schneider also started a well-known romance in real life. This film was very popular in France.

French Stardom

Delon's next big role was in the comedy Women Are Weak (1959). This movie was a huge success in France. It was also the first of his films to be shown in America.

International Fame

Italy, August 1959: Delon (as Tom Ripley) and Marie Laforêt (as Marge Duval) during the shooting of Purple Noon (1960).

Delon in Rocco and His Brothers (1960).

Alain Delon then made two films that made him famous worldwide. In 1960, he starred in Purple Noon, playing the main character Tom Ripley. Critics loved his performance. The movie was a hit in France and in other countries.

He then played the main role in Luchino Visconti's Rocco and His Brothers (1960). A critic from The New York Times said Delon's acting was "touchingly expressive."

Delon also started acting on stage in 1961. He performed in a play with Romy Schneider in Paris. This play broke box office records. He worked with Visconti again in Il Gattopardo (The Leopard). This film was a big hit in France and was also shown widely in the U.S. By now, Delon was one of the most popular stars in France.

Trying Hollywood

Delon tried to become a Hollywood star. He appeared in films like The Yellow Rolls-Royce (1965) and Once a Thief. He also played a member of the French Foreign Legion in Lost Command (1966). He even starred in a Western called Texas Across the River with Dean Martin.

Despite these efforts, Delon's Hollywood films did not do as well in the U.S. as he hoped. However, he remained a huge star in France and was very popular in Japan.

Return to French Cinema

After making six Hollywood movies, Delon returned to France. He starred in The Last Adventure, which was one of his most popular films in the 1960s. He also made Le Samouraï with Jean-Pierre Melville, which became a classic movie.

He tried another English-language film, The Girl on a Motorcycle (1968), which was a surprise hit in Britain. He also starred with Charles Bronson in Farewell Friend, a film that helped Bronson become a star in Europe.

Gangster Movies

Delon then starred in many gangster films. Some of these include The Sicilian Clan (1969) with Jean Gabin, and Borsalino (1970) with Jean-Paul Belmondo. These films were blockbusters in Europe. He also starred in The Red Circle with Yves Montand.

Later Career

Delon signing autographs, 1971

In the early 1970s, Delon continued to make many films. He appeared in Red Sun (1972) with Charles Bronson and Toshiro Mifune. He also made thrillers like Tony Arzenta (1973). In 1973, his duet "Paroles, paroles" with Dalida became a very famous French song.

He starred as Zorro in the 1975 Italian-French film. He also made more crime films like Flic Story (1975) and Monsieur Klein (1976), for which he was nominated for a César Award.

1980s and 1990s

In the 1980s, Delon continued to act in thrillers and other films. He won the Best Actor César Award for Notre histoire (1984). He also starred in Jean-Luc Godard's Nouvelle Vague in 1990.

Delon announced he would stop acting in 1997, but he still took on roles sometimes. He became a Swiss citizen in 1999 and lived in Switzerland.

2000s and 2010s

Delon with his daughter Anouchka at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival

In 2001, Delon starred in the French TV show Fabio Montale, playing an older, stylish policeman. This show was very popular. He also played Jules Cesar in the hit movie Asterix aux jeux Olympiques (2008).

In 2018, he planned to star in a new movie called La Maison Vide, but the project was canceled. His last roles were in TV movies and a Russian film where he played himself.

Alain Delon at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival

In April 2019, Delon released a new song called Je n'aime que toi. At the 2019 Cannes Film Festival, he received an honorary Palme d'Or for his long and amazing film career. His daughter Anouchka Delon presented him with the award.

2020s

In 2021, after having two strokes, Delon said he planned to make one more film. In 2022, he interviewed Ukrainian president Zelenskyy on TV5Monde, showing his support for the Ukrainian people.

Business Ventures

In the 1970s, Alain Delon started other businesses. He bought racehorses and promoted boxing matches. He also helped create and sell many products under his name. These included watches, clothes, glasses, perfume, and cigarettes.

His brand of sunglasses became very popular in Hong Kong. This happened after actor Chow Yun-fat wore them in the 1986 crime film A Better Tomorrow. Delon even wrote a letter to Chow, thanking him for helping to sell his sunglasses in Asia.

Personal Life

Alain Delon filming the aborted Marco Polo in Belgrade, 1962

Alain Delon was engaged to actress Romy Schneider in 1959. They met while filming Christine. They broke up in 1963. After Romy's death in 1982, he said she was the love of his life.

In 1963, Delon met Francine Canovas, a model known as Nathalie Barthélémy. They married in 1964, and she became Nathalie Delon. Their son, Anthony Delon, was born in September 1964. They divorced in 1969.

Delon also had relationships with other actresses, including Mireille Darc and Rosalie van Breemen. With Rosalie van Breemen, he had two children: Anouchka Delon (born 1990) and Alain-Fabien Delon (born 1994).

Alain Delon lived in Chêne-Bougeries, Switzerland, and Douchy, Loiret, France. He was good friends with the Argentine boxer Carlos Monzon.

Health

Alain Delon had a stroke in June 2019. He was in a Swiss hospital recovering in August 2019. In January 2024, it was reported that his health was not good. He passed away peacefully on 18 August 2024, at his home in Douchy, surrounded by his family.

Influences

Alain Delon's favorite actor was John Garfield. He also looked up to actors like Montgomery Clift, Marlon Brando, and Robert Walker.

Honours

At the 2019 Cannes Film Festival, he received the Honorary Palme d'Or.
At the 45th Berlin International Film Festival, he won the Honorary Golden Bear.
Delon appears on the cover of the 1986 album The Queen Is Dead by The Smiths.
He was made Officier (Officer) of the Ordre national du Mérite in 1995.
He was made Chevalier (Knight) of the Légion d'honneur in 1991. He was promoted to Officier (Officer) in 2005.
The song "Beautiful Killer" on Madonna's album MDNA is a tribute to Delon.
An early EP by the music group White Town was called the "Alain Delon EP".
The song "A Look From The Screen" by Russian band Nautilus Pompilius is a tribute to Delon.

Filmography

Some of Delon's most famous films include Purple Noon (1960), Rocco and His Brothers (1960), L'Eclisse (1962), The Leopard (1963), Le Samouraï (1967), The Swimming Pool (1969), Le Cercle Rouge (1970), and Monsieur Klein (1976).