Roger Planchon

• Birth Name — Roger Émile Planchon • Born — 12 September 1931 • Birthplace — Saint-Chamond, Loire • Died — 12 May 2009 • Place of death — Paris • Resting Place — Père Lachaise Cemetery • Occupation — Playwright, director, actor • Years Active — 1949–2000s

Roger Planchon spent his childhood in the Ardèche, notably in Dornas. He found its inspiration from his rural origins and this issue was a recurring theme in his writings. He started on stage in 1949 after winning an amateur theater. In 1952, he founded the Théâtre de la Comédie, located in the rue des Marronniers, in Lyon. He was the director of the Théâtre de la Cité of Villeurbanne since 1957 (which became the Théâtre National Populaire in 1972). Roger Planchon transposed many works by Brecht, Molière, Shakespeare, and many works of contemporary authors, including Arthur Adamov and Michel Vinaver, but also opened the Théâtre National Populaire to Patrice Chéreau, then Georges Lavaudant. As films, he directed George Dandin ou le Mari confondu by Molière, Louis, enfant roi, which was entered at Cannes, and another one by Lautrec.

• Illustration — Planchon's grave in Père Lachaise Cemetery. In 2002, Christian Schiaretti succeeded him as director of the TNP; he created his own company with which he continued to write and direct until his death. He died on 12 May 2009 after a heart attack, he is buried in the Père Lachaise Cemetery (22nd division).

• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1956 — A Man Escaped — Le garde cycliste • 1973 — George Who? — Victor Borie / Michel de Bourges, l'avocat • 1974 — The Others — Alexis Artaxerxès • 1978 — Roads to the South — L'avocat parisien • 1978 — Dossier 51 — Esculape 1 • 1978 — Molière — Colbert • 1979 — I as in Icarus — Le professeur David Naggara • 1982 — The Return of Martin Guerre — Jean de Coras • 1982 — Légitime violence — Philippe Miller • 1982 — The Big Brother — Inspecteur Valin • 1983 — Danton — Fouquier-Tinville • 1984 — A Strange Passion — L'évêque • 1984 — La 7ème cible — Le commissaire Paillard • 1988 — Dandin — Le tragédien • 1988 — Camille Claudel — Morhardt • 1989 — Radio Corbeau — Faber - le maire de Saint-Meyrand • 1990 — Jean Galmot, aventurier — Castellane • 1991 — L'année de l'éveil — Le Capitaine / The captain • 1993 — Louis, the Child King — Le vieux domestique • 1993 — Pétain — Narrator — Voice • 1998 — Lautrec — Le vieil acteur