Jean-Pierre Marielle
Jean-Pierre Marielle (12 April 1932 – 24 April 2019) was a French actor. He appeared in more than a hundred films in which he played very diverse roles, from a banal citizen (Les Galettes de Pont-Aven), to a World War II hero (Les Milles), to a compromised spy (La Valise), to a has-been actor (Les Grands Ducs), to his portrayal of Jacques Saunière in The Da Vinci Code. He was well known for his distinctive cavernous voice, which is often imitated by French humorists who considered him to be archetypical of the French gentleman.
Jean-Pierre Marielle

Thesupermat · CC BY-SA 3.0
- Name
- Jean-Pierre Marielle
- Born
- 12 April 1932
- Birthplace
- Paris, France
- Died
- 24 April 2019
- Place of death
- Saint-Cloud, France
- Occupation
- Actor
- Full name
- Jean-Pierre André Marielle.
- Nationality
- France.
- Education
- Conservatoire national supérieur d'art dramatique.
- Honours
- Officer of the Legion of Honour, Prize for the best actor of the Union of criticism, Molière Award for Best Actor, Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres, Officer of the National Order of Merit and Honorary Lumière Award.
- Languages
- French.
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Jean-Pierre Marielle (12 April 1932 – 24 April 2019) was a French actor. He appeared in more than a hundred films in which he played very diverse roles, from a banal citizen (Les Galettes de Pont-Aven), to a World War II hero (Les Milles), to a compromised spy (La Valise), to a has-been actor (Les Grands Ducs), to his portrayal of Jacques Saunière in The Da Vinci Code. He was well known for his distinctive cavernous voice, which is often imitated by French humorists who considered him to be archetypical of the French gentleman.
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wikidata · Q739521 · wikipedia · Jean-Pierre Marielle
In this article
Biography
Biography
Jean-Pierre Marielle studied at Conservatoire national supérieur d'art dramatique. The recorded working language is French. Distinctions recorded are Officer of the Legion of Honour, Prize for the best actor of the Union of criticism, Molière Award for Best Actor and Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres.
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Jean-Pierre Marielle • Born — 12 April 1932 • Birthplace — Paris, France • Died — 24 April 2019 • Place of death — Saint-Cloud, France • Occupation — Actor • Years Active — 1957–2016
Early life
Early life
Marielle was born in 1932 in Paris to an industrialist father and a dressmaker mother. His first acting experiences dated back to his high school years during which he staged some of Chekhov’s plays with his comrades. He initially wanted to study literature but one of his teachers encouraged him to become an actor instead, so that he joined the Conservatoire National where he became close friends with Jean-Paul Belmondo and Jean Rochefort and from where he left with the comedy second prize in 1954.
Career
Career
• Illustration — Marielle in 1953 Marielle's early career consisted of stage roles with the Grenier-Hussenot company, notably in Harold Pinter’s plays, and some small appearances on the large screen by the late 1950s, with his particular voice giving him the abilities to play older characters. However, disappointed by his first movie roles, he turned to cabaret for a certain time. He obtained a little more consistent roles in the 1960s in movies such as Faites sauter la banque! (1963), starring alongside Louis de Funès, Weekend at Dunkirk (1964) and in particular Un monsieur de compagnie (1965), where French director Philippe de Broca gave him the opportunity to express all of his talent. But his popularity really exploded during the 1970s as he appeared in a lot of comedies. In La Valise (1974) he played an Israeli spy having to hide in a trunk in order to be extracted from a country in the Middle East. Les Galettes de Pont-Aven (1975), Que la fête commence (1974) and Coup de Torchon (1981) confirmed him as a great actor. One of his darker performances is his interpretation of a disillusioned and suicidal cop in Les mois d'avril sont meurtriers (1987). The other major role of his career was Monsieur de Sainte-Colombe in Tous les matins du monde (1991). In parallel he made a brilliant stage career and received the highest French award for a theater actor, the Molière, in 1994. He played Jacques Sauniere in The Da Vinci Code (2006). He was awarded the Légion d’Honneur in 1992.
Personal life
Personal life
• Illustration — Marielle in 2006 Marielle was married to French actress Agathe Natanson from 4 October 2003 until his death and had a son from a previous union. He was a great fan of jazz music and New York City. Marielle died on 24 April 2019, at the age of 87.
Nominations
Nominations
• 2004 – César Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for the film La Petite Lili. • 1993 – César Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for the film Max et Jérémie. • 1992 – César Award for Best Actor for the film Tous les matins du monde. • 1989 – César Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for the film Quelques jours avec moi. • 1982 – César Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for the film Coup de Torchon. • 1976 – César Award for Best Actor for the film Les Galettes de Pont-Aven.
Filmography
Filmography
• Year — Title — Role — Director — Notes • 1957 — Le grand bluff — Philippe Norbert — Patrice Dally • Fernand clochard — Pierre Chevalier • Anyone Can Kill Me — Jérôme — Henri Decoin • Charming Boys — The Deauville's receptionist — Henri Decoin (2) • 1958 — La fille de la pluie — Xavier de la Mauge — Jean Prat — TV movie • 1960 — Les trois soeurs — Toujenbach — Jean Prat (2) — TV movie • La papesse — René Lucot — TV movie • La brune que voilà — Cauteret — Robert Lamoureux • Le mouton — The chief of the police headquarters — Pierre Chevalier • Pierrot la tendresse — Emile — François Villiers • Les joueurs — Outiechitelny — Marcel Bluwal — TV movie • 1961 — La caméra explore le temps — Philip IV of France — Stellio Lorenzi — TV series (1 Episode: "Les Templiers") • 1962 — Climats — Philippe Marcenat — Stellio Lorenzi (2) • Il est minuit docteur Schweitzer — Doctor Albert Schweitzer — Gilbert Pineau — TV movie • La caméra explore le temps — Louis XIII — Guy Lessertisseur — TV series (1 Episode: "La conjuration de Cinq-Mars") • La nuit des rois — Malvolio — Claude Barma — TV movie • 1963 — L'inspecteur Leclerc enquête — Michel Duquesnoy — Maurice Cazeneuve — TV series (1 Episode: "Le passé d'une femme") • Sweet and Sour — Monsieur Rakanowsky — Jacques Baratier • Peau de banane — Paul Reynaldo — Marcel Ophüls • 1964 — Faites sauter la banque! — André Durand-Mareuil — Jean Girault • Dernière enquête de Wens — Jo Adams — Ivan Govar • Relax Darling — David Kouglov — Jean Boyer • Échappement libre — Van Houde — Jean Becker • Les cabinets particuliers — Jacquart — Alain Boudet — TV movie • Male Companion — Balthazar — Philippe de Broca • Weekend at Dunkirk — Pierson — Henri Verneuil • 1965 — La bonne occase — Landrut — Michel Drach • Cent briques et des tuiles — Justin — Pierre Grimblat • 1966 — Monnaie de singe — Raymond Vernet — Yves Robert • Roger la Honte — Lucien de Noirville — Riccardo Freda • Tendre Voyou — Bob — Jean Becker (2) • 1967 — All Mad About Him — Reverend Father Fouquet — Norbert Carbonnaux • 1968 — L'homme à la Buick — The Marquis — Gilles Grangier • 1969 — The Devil by the Tail — Jean-Jacques Leroy-Martin — Philippe de Broca (2) • Quarante-huit heures d'amour — Mazoillac — Jacques Laurent • Les Femmes — The editor — Jean Aurel • 1970 — La perfection des jeunes filles — Narrator — Ulysse Laugier — Short • Les caprices de Marie — Léopold Panneton — Philippe de Broca (3) • Le pistonné — Le lieutenant Casanova — Claude Berri • 1971 — L'amour c'est gai, l'amour c'est triste — Maxime — Jean-Daniel Pollet • The Married Couple of the Year Two — Narrator — Jean-Paul Rappeneau — Voice, Uncredited • On est toujours trop bon avec les femmes — Mac Cormack — Michel Boisrond • Without Apparent Motive — Perry Rupert-Foote — Philippe Labro • Four Flies on Grey Velvet — Gianni Arrosio — Dario Argento • 1972 — Sex-shop — Lucien — Claude Berri (2) • ' — The Ogre — Michel Boisrond (2) • P'pa je serai serrurier — Ulysse Laugier (2) — Short, Voice • 1973 — L'affaire Crazy Capo — Commissioner Martin — Patrick Jamain • La Valise — Major Bloch — Georges Lautner • Charlie et ses deux nénettes — Tony — Joël Séria • 1974 — Comment réussir quand on est con et pleurnichard — Gérard Malempin — Michel Audiard • Un linceul n'a pas de poches — Doctor Carlille — Jean-Pierre Mocky • Dis-moi que tu m'aimes — Richard Le Royer — Michel Boisrond (3) • 1975 — The Common Man — Léo Tartaffione — Yves Boisset • Let Joy Reign Supreme — The marquis de Pontcallec — Bertrand Tavernier • La traque — Albert Danville — Serge Leroy • Les Galettes de Pont-Aven — Henri Serin — Joël Séria (2) — Nominated - César Award for Best Actor • 1976 — Calmos — Paul Dufour — Bertrand Blier • On aura tout vu — Morlock — Georges Lautner (2) • Cours après moi que je t'attrape — Paul — Robert Pouret • Sturmtruppen — Salvatore Samperi — Salvatore Samperi • 1977 — The More It Goes, the Less It Goes — Inspector Pignon — Michel Vianey • Comme la lune — Pouplard — Joël Séria (3) • The Accuser — Roustev — Jean-Louis Bertuccelli • Un moment d'égarement (1977 film) — Pierre — Claude Berri (3) • 1979 — Cause toujours... tu m'intéresses! — François Perrin — Édouard Molinaro • 1980 — L'entourloupe — Castelard — Gérard Pirès • Voulez-vous un bébé Nobel? — Victor Delacroix — Robert Pouret (2) • 1981 — Asphalte — Albert Pourrat — Denis Amar • Pétrole! Pétrole! — Jean-Marie Tardel — Christian Gion • Coup de Torchon — Georges Le Peron — Bertrand Tavernier (2) — Nominated - César Award for Best Supporting Actor • 1982 — Emmenez-moi au théâtre: L'étrangleur s'excite — Gene Cornflakes — Alexandre Tarta — TV movie • L'indiscrétion — Daniel — Pierre Lary • Jamais avant le mariage — Patrick Le Kermadec — Daniel Ceccaldi • 1983 — Signes extérieurs de richesse — Jérôme Bouvier — Jacques Monnet • 1984 —...e la vita continua — Arnoldo Betocchi — Dino Risi — TV movie • Les capricieux — Simon — Michel Deville — TV movie • Partenaires — Gabriel Gallien — Claude d'Anna • 1985 — L'amour en douce — Antoine Garnier — Édouard Molinaro (2) • Hold-Up — Simon Labrosse — Alexandre Arcady • 1986 — Tenue de soirée — The Rich and Depressed Man — Bertrand Blier (2) • 1987 — Les mois d'avril sont meurtriers — Fred — Laurent Heynemann — Mystfest - Best Actor • Les idiots — Kubac — Jean-Daniel Verhaeghe — TV movie • Les 2 crocodiles — René Boutancard — Joël Séria (4) • 1988 — Un château au soleil — Artus de Montdeny — Robert Mazoyer — TV Mini-Series • A Few Days with Me — Monsieur Fonfrin — Claude Sautet — Nominated - César Award for Best Supporting Actor • 1989 — Bouvard et Pecuchet — François Bouvard — Jean-Daniel Verhaeghe (2) — TV movie • 1990 — Six crimes sans assassins — Commissioner Bastien Darnancourt — Bernard Stora — TV movie • Clérambard — The Count Hector de Clérambard — Marcel Bluwal (2) — TV movie • Uranus — Archambaud — Claude Berri (4) • 1991 — Tous les Matins du Monde — Monsieur de Sainte-Colombe — Alain Corneau — Nominated - César Award for Best Actor • 1992 — La controverse de Valladolid — Bartolomé de las Casas — Jean-Daniel Verhaeghe (3) — TV movie 7 d'Or - Best Actor • Max & Jeremie — Almeida — Claire Devers — Nominated - César Award for Best Supporting Actor • 1993 — 1, 2, 3, Sun — The lonely man — Bertrand Blier (3) • 1994 — Le parfum d'Yvonne — Dr. Rene Meinthe — Patrice Leconte • Le Sourire — Pierre-François Le Clainche — Claude Miller • 1995 — Les Milles — Commander Perrochon — Sébastien Grall — Golden Goblet Award for Best Actor • 1996 — Les Grands Ducs — Georges Cox — Patrice Leconte (2) • L'élève — Armand — Olivier Schatzky • 1999 — One 4 All — Commissioner Bayard — Claude Lelouch • 2000 — Les Acteurs — Himself — Bertrand Blier (4) • 2001 — Madame De... — The general — Jean-Daniel Verhaeghe (4) — TV movie • 2003 — Le nouveau testament — Jean Marcelin — Yves Di Tullio Bernard Murat — TV movie • Little Lili — Simon Marceaux — Claude Miller (2) — Nominated - César Award for Best Supporting Actor • 2004 — Tomorrow We Move — Popernick — Chantal Akerman • Pride — James's voice — John Downer — TV movie • Atomik Circus - Le retour de James Bataille — Bosco — Didier & Thierry Poiraud • 2005 — Galilée ou L'amour de Dieu — Pope Barberini — Jean-Daniel Verhaeghe (5) — TV movie • Grey Souls — Pierre-Ange Destinat — Yves Angelo • 2006 — The Da Vinci Code — Jacques Saunière — Ron Howard • Le Grand Meaulnes — M. de Galais — Jean-Daniel Verhaeghe (6) • 2007 — Let's Dance — Salomon Bellinsky — Noémie Lvovsky — Nominated - César Award for Best Actor Nominated - Globes de Cristal Award for Best Actor • Ce que mes yeux ont vu — Jean Dussart — Laurent de Bartillat • 2008 — Livrez-nous Grynszpan — Narrator — Joël Calmettes — TV movie • Elles et Moi — Emile de Montellier — Bernard Stora (2) — TV Mini-Series (1 Episode) • 2009 — Micmacs — Placard — Jean-Pierre Jeunet • Darwin (r)évolution — Charles Darwin — Philippe Tourancheau — TV movie • 2010 — Pièce montée — Victor — Denys Granier-Deferre • The Skin of Sorrow — Oswald — Alain Berliner — TV movie • Santa's Apprentice — Luc Vinciguerra — Voice • Le mystère — Octave — Jean-Teddy Filippe • 2011 — Bouquet final — Jean-Pierre — Josée Dayan — TV movie • Chez Maupassant — Sosthène — Gérard Jourd'hui — TV series (1 Episode: "Mon oncle Sosthène") • 2012 — Nos retrouvailles — The psychoanalyst — Josée Dayan (2) — TV movie • Rondo — Abraham — Olivier van Malderghem • Les seigneurs — Titouan Leguennec — Olivier Dahan • Max — Nick — Stéphanie Murat • La fleur de l'âge — Hubert Dassonville — Nick Quinn • 2013 — Indiscrétions — Bernard Lefort — Josée Dayan (3) — TV movie • 2014 — The Missionaries — Himself — Tonie Marshall • Des roses en hiver — Jean — Lorenzo Gabriele — TV movie • Do Not Disturb — Michel's father — Patrice Leconte • 2016 — Phantom Boy — L'homme au visage cassé — Jean-Loup Felicioli and Alain Gagnol — Voice • 2016 — Capitaine Marleau — Frantz Meyer — Josée Dayan (4) — TV series (1 Episode)
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 2 entries
1932
Jean-Pierre Marielle born at 13th arrondissement of Paris.
2019
Jean-Pierre Marielle died at Saint-Cloud.
Places
Named by the record
Places
Only places the record itself states, plotted where the house gazetteer settles their coordinates. Nothing is inferred from a name or a nationality.
13th arrondissement of Paris.
Birth place
Saint-Cloud.
Death place
Recognition and collections
Where the work is held
Recognition and collections
Jean-Pierre Marielle received Officer of the Legion of Honour, Prize for the best actor of the Union of criticism, Molière Award for Best Actor, Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres, Officer of the National Order of Merit and Honorary Lumière Award.
Documents and archives
Primary material
Documents and archives
reference work
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q739521: Jean-Pierre Marielle
Reputable secondary · Wikidata
- “Jean-Pierre Marielle”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
scholarly publication
- Chantons sous les larmes. Lettres à Jean-Pierre Marielle par Agathe Natanson (review), The French Review, 2024
Scholarly · Crossref registry · 2024
Awards
• 1995: Golden Goblet Award for Best Actor (2nd Shanghai International Film Festival) for the film Les Milles. • 1992: 7 d'Or Award for Best Actor for the TV film La controverse de valladolid. • 1987: Mystfest Award for Best Actor for the film Les mois d'avril sont meurtriers. • 2008: Honorary Lumière Awards (13th Lumière Awards)
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
scholarly publication
Chantons sous les larmes. Lettres à Jean-Pierre Marielle par Agathe Natanson (review), The French Review, 2024Crossref registry
Institutional witnessreference work
Secondary witnessreference work
Secondary witness
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 15 August 2026.
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