Legendary French actor Alain Delon died on the night of Sunday, August 18, 2024, at the age of 88, at his residence in Douchy-Montcorbon, a town in the Loiret Department, in the Centre-Val de Loire Region, in central France. Victim, in 2019, of a stroke (Cerebrovascular accident), which had weakened him physically and caused him to age prematurely, he suffered from lymphatic blood cancer. Actor, producer and film director, also a singer, Alain Delon owes his fame not only to his talents as a film artist where he arrived in 1957 without initial training, but also to his physical beauty, his fine features and his blue eyes which seduced women, some of whom shared his life.
Known for his roles in iconic films such as “En plein soleil” and “Le silence d’un homme”, Alain Delon had kept a low profile in recent years due to health reasons. Throughout his career, his presence on the silver screen has left an indelible mark on French and international cinema. He is one of the actors who has recorded the highest number of admissions in France and many of the films in which he has played have become cinema classics.
Alain Delon’s residence in Douchy, France.
His career was marked by collaborations with some of the most influential directors in cinema, such as Jean-Pierre Melville in films such as “Le Cercle Rouge” and, Luchino Visconti in “Rocco and His Brothers” and “The Leopard” and René Clément in “Plein soleil”. “Le Samouraï”, a Franco-Italian film noir directed by Jean-Pierre Melville, released in 1967, earned him this nickname. His performance as a stoic and vulnerable idol defined his career and established him as an iconic figure in European cinema.
On the awards side, Alain Delon, recognized as a talented and attractive actor, from his first appearances on the big screen in 1957. But, it was only years later, in 1985 that he received the César for best actor, for his performance in “Notre Histoire”, by Bertrand Blier. He also received the Honorary Bear at the Berlin Film Festival in 1995. An important part of his career was his collaboration with another titan of French cinema, Jean-Paul Belmondo, with whom he worked on eight films, but with whom also the competition was great. His work with Patrice Leconte marked the beginning of his gradual withdrawal from cinema. He began producing films in 1968 (26 of them in 1990) with an energy and self-confidence that he retained throughout his life.
In the summer of 2023, his name made headlines again, when his three children filed a complaint against Hiromi Rollin, his ex-partner, accusing her of taking advantage of the actor’s weakness. This family conflict developed publicly, with cross accusations in the media and in court, against a backdrop of concerns about Delon’s health, who suffered a stroke in 2019.
In May 2019, Alain Delon, who acquired Swiss nationality in 1999, made an emotional return to the Cannes Film Festival, where he received an honorary Palme d’Or. Visibly moved, the actor said goodbye to the audience with tears in his eyes, calling this recognition “a posthumous tribute, but during his lifetime.” Throughout his career, he participated in 122 films, including 88 as an actor, 2 as a director and 32 as a producer. He will be buried, according to his wishes, on his property in Douchy-Montcorbon where he had a chapel built.
Roland KOULOUNGOU
