Léon Zitrone facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Léon Zitrone
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Zitrone in 1986
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| Born | 25 November 1914 Petrograd, Russia
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| Died | 25 November 1995 (aged 81) Paris, France
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| Nationality | French |
| Education | École supérieure de journalisme de Paris |
| Occupation | Television journalist |
Léon Zitrone (born November 25, 1914 – died November 25, 1995) was a famous French journalist and television presenter. He was born in Russia but moved to France when he was young. Many people remember him for presenting big events on television, like royal weddings and the Olympic Games.
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Early Life and Career Beginnings
Léon Zitrone was born in Petrograd, Russia. When he was six years old, his family moved to France to escape communism. He studied at the ESJ Paris, a journalism school.
He first trained in science. However, he was very good at languages. He spoke Russian, French, English, and German fluently. This skill helped him join the foreign broadcasting services of Radiodiffusion-Télévision Française (RTF) in 1948. RTF was the main French public broadcasting company at the time.
Becoming a News Presenter
In 1959, Léon Zitrone started working in television for RTF. By 1961, he became a news presenter. He did this job for almost 20 years. He worked on the first French television channel, which is now called TF1. Later, he also presented news on Antenne 2, another public channel.
In 1979, he returned to present the weekend news. He was a familiar face on French television for many years.
A Star of French Television
Léon Zitrone became very famous for the many shows he presented. He was the host of Intervilles, a popular TV game show. This show was similar to the British show It's a Knockout. He hosted it with Guy Lux.
He also commented on the Tour de France bicycle race six times. People remembered him for his amazing memory for the names of all the riders. He presented the Olympics eight times. He also commented on the Eurovision Song Contest four times. And he presented 16 Bastille Day military parades.
Commenting on Big Events
Most importantly, Léon Zitrone was known as the main commentator for major world events. He covered about 30 such events during his career. These included important weddings, funerals, and the official ceremonies for world leaders. His calm and clear voice made these events special for viewers.
Eurovision Song Contest 1978
In 1978, the Eurovision Song Contest took place in Paris. This was because French singer Marie Myriam had won the year before. Léon Zitrone co-presented the show with Denise Fabre. He presented parts of the show in English. At 63 years old, he was the oldest host of the Eurovision Song Contest at that time.
Acting Roles
Besides his TV work, Léon Zitrone also acted in some movies. In 1984, he had a main role in the film American Dreamer. He often played himself or a journalist in his film roles.
Later Life and Death
Léon Zitrone passed away on his 81st birthday, November 25, 1995. He died from a cerebral hemorrhage at the Val-de-Grâce hospital in Paris.
See also
- List of Eurovision Song Contest presenters
- Le Gentleman d'Epsom (film, 1962)
Preceded by Angela Rippon |
Eurovision Song Contest presenter (with Denise Fabre) 1978 |
Succeeded by Daniel Pe'er and Yardena Arazi |
