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Michael Lonsdale

Acting 89 (deceased) years old Paris, France ★ 1.0
Born: May 24, 1931
Died: September 21, 2020

Biography

Michael Edward Lonsdale Crouch (24 May 1931 – 21 September 2020), commonly known as Michael Lonsdale and sometimes as Michel Lonsdale, was a French-British actor and author who appeared in over 180 films and television shows. He is often known in the English-speaking world for his roles as the villain Hugo Drax in the 1979 James Bond film Moonraker, deputy police commissioner Claude Lebel in The Day of the Jackal (1973), The Abbot in The Name of the Rose (1986) and Dupont d'Ivry in The Remains of the Day (1993).

Lonsdale was born in Paris, the natural son of British Army officer Edward Lonsdale Crouch and Simone Calderon (née Béraud). He was brought up initially on the island of Jersey, then in London from 1935, and later, during the Second World War, in Casablanca, Morocco.

He returned to Paris to study painting in 1947, but was drawn into the world of acting instead, first appearing on stage at the age of 24. Lonsdale was bilingual, and appeared in both English-language and French-language productions. He appeared in a starring role with Roger Moore in the 1979 James Bond film Moonraker. and with Sean Connery, in the 1986 film The Name of the Rose. He would later appear in Munich (2005), a film that also starred another Bond, Daniel Craig.

In February 2011, he won a César Award for Best Supporting Actor for his work in Of Gods and Men.

Lonsdale was also the author of ten books.

A practising Roman Catholic, he was close to the Emmanuel Community.

In his 2016 memoir Le Dictionnaire de Ma Vie, Lonsdale revealed he had fallen for Delphine Seyrig, having met her as a student in Tania Balachova's acting classes at the Théâtre du Vieux-Colombier in 1947. He wrote that "it was her or nothing", which was why he never married.

Lonsdale died in Paris on 21 September 2020, aged 89.

Description above from the Wikipedia article Michael Lonsdale, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

External Links

🌐 Official Website 🎬 IMDb

Known For

Crime Does Not Pay
Crime Does Not Pay Acteur 1962
Murmur of the Heart
Murmur of the Heart Father Henri 1971
S
Seul face au crime Procuratore 1991
There Once Was a Cop
There Once Was a Cop Commissioner Lucas 1972
Munich
Munich Papa 2005

Filmography

Acting Credits (208)

The Life of Mirrors
The Life of Mirrors 2025
African Glory
African Glory Christopher Columbus 2024
The Outsider
The Outsider Narrator (Voice) 2023
An Oral History of: The Name of the Rose
An Oral History of: The Name of the Rose Self (archive footage) 2022
Le Fantôme de Laurent Terzieff
Le Fantôme de Laurent Terzieff Self 2020
Degas and I
Degas and I Edgar Degas 2019
Salvador Dalí: Génie tragi-comique
Salvador Dalí: Génie tragi-comique Narrator 2019
Bazin's Film
Bazin's Film Narrator 2017
Sculpt
Sculpt 2016
The Mysteries of Paris: Jacques Rivette's Out 1 Revisited
The Mysteries of Paris: Jacques Rivette's Out 1 Revisited Self 2016
Jean-Marie Serreau, découvreur de théâtres
Jean-Marie Serreau, découvreur de théâtres Self 2016
The First, the Last
The First, the Last Jean-Berchmans 2016
Les Filles au Moyen-Âge
Les Filles au Moyen-Âge Daniel 2016
The Visit
The Visit Self 2015
J.R.R. Tolkien: Designer of Worlds
J.R.R. Tolkien: Designer of Worlds (voice) 2014
N: The Madness Of Reason
N: The Madness Of Reason Narrator 2014
Maestro
Maestro Cedric Rovère 2014
Rosenn
Rosenn (voice) 2014
Le Renard jaune
Le Renard jaune Jean Virno 2013
Gebo and the Shadow
Gebo and the Shadow Gebo 2012
Veilleurs dans la nuit - Une journée monastique à l'Abbaye Sainte-Madeleine du Barroux
Veilleurs dans la nuit - Une journée monastique à l'Abbaye Sainte-Madeleine du Barroux Narrateur 2011
The Cardboard Village
The Cardboard Village Old Priest 2011
Free Men
Free Men Si Kaddour Ben Ghabrit 2011
Hitler in Hollywood
Hitler in Hollywood Michael Lonsdale 2011
Titeuf
Titeuf Le psy (voice) 2011
Of Gods and Men
Of Gods and Men Luc 2010
You'll Miss Me
You'll Miss Me Max 2009
Agora
Agora Theon 2009
Au siècle de Maupassant, contes et nouvelles du XIXe
Au siècle de Maupassant, contes et nouvelles du XIXe Le Grand Loustalot 2009
Le Silence de l'épervier
Le Silence de l'épervier Antoine Carsac 2008
Les amants cinéma
Les amants cinéma Self 2008
To Each His Own Cinema
To Each His Own Cinema The old blind man (segment "Le Don") 2007
Heartbeat Detector
Heartbeat Detector Mathias Jüst 2007
Go West: A Lucky Luke Adventure
Go West: A Lucky Luke Adventure Bartleby (voice) 2007
The Last Mistress
The Last Mistress le vicomte Prony 2007
Les Mains d'Andréa
Les Mains d'Andréa 2006
Goya's Ghosts
Goya's Ghosts Inquisitor General 2006
Jeanne, à petits pas
Jeanne, à petits pas Louis 2006
Munich
Munich Papa 2005
Gentille
Gentille Jean 2005
The Separation
The Separation Paul Doumer 2005
Bye Bye Blackbird
Bye Bye Blackbird Robert 2005
The Perfume of the Lady in Black
The Perfume of the Lady in Black Le professeur Stangerson 2005
Invisible
Invisible Le gardien 2005
Under a False Name
Under a False Name David 2004
Adieu
Adieu Serge 2004
Five Times Two
Five Times Two Bernard 2004
Le Furet
Le Furet Don Salvadore 2003
The Mystery of the Yellow Room
The Mystery of the Yellow Room Stangerson 2003
Kaena: The Prophecy
Kaena: The Prophecy Opaz (voice) 2003
Le Mythe Cathare
Le Mythe Cathare Narrator 2002
Those Facing Us
Those Facing Us Mikaël 2001
Delphine Seyrig, portrait d'une comète
Delphine Seyrig, portrait d'une comète Self 2000
Speaking of Buñuel
Speaking of Buñuel Self 2000
Inside 'Moonraker'
Inside 'Moonraker' Self 2000
Actors
Actors Man walking down the street 2000
Is Dead - Portrait incomplet de Gertrude Stein
Is Dead - Portrait incomplet de Gertrude Stein Narrator (voice) 2000
A Monkey's Tale
A Monkey's Tale Maître Flavius (Voice) 1999
Ronin
Ronin Jean-Pierre 1998
Let There Be Light!
Let There Be Light! Monseigneur Loublié 1998
Don Juan
Don Juan Don Luis 1998
Mauvais Genre
Mauvais Genre Honoré de Balzac 1997
Jean Eustache's Wasted Breath
Jean Eustache's Wasted Breath (voice) 1997
Noise of Love and War
Noise of Love and War The director 1997
La Plante Humaine
La Plante Humaine Michel 1996
Nelly and Monsieur Arnaud
Nelly and Monsieur Arnaud Dollabella 1995
Jefferson in Paris
Jefferson in Paris Louis XVI 1995
Vroum-vroum
Vroum-vroum 1995
Dieu sait quoi
Dieu sait quoi Narrator 1994
The Remains of the Day
The Remains of the Day Dupont D'Ivry 1993
Woyzeck
Woyzeck Le capitaine 1993
L'ordre du jour
L'ordre du jour Stark 1993
My Life Is Hell
My Life Is Hell Gabriel 1991
Maigret
Maigret Guillaume Serre 1991
Maigret
Maigret Sir Lampson 1991
Seul face au crime
Seul face au crime Procuratore 1991
Out 1
Out 1 Thomas 1990
Film sur Georges Perec
Film sur Georges Perec Self 1990
Cela s'appelle l'amour
Cela s'appelle l'amour Self 1989
Souvenir
Souvenir Xavier Lorion 1989
Earthen Man
Earthen Man (voice) 1989
The Tribulations of Balthazar Kober
The Tribulations of Balthazar Kober Cammerschulze 1988
Der Madonna-Mann
Der Madonna-Mann Tanzmann 1987
Le Tiroir secret
Le Tiroir secret Philippe Jolivet 1986
The Abbey of Crime: Umberto Eco's 'The Name of the Rose'
The Abbey of Crime: Umberto Eco's 'The Name of the Rose' Self 1986
The Name of the Rose
The Name of the Rose The Abbot 1986
Rendez-vous manqués
Rendez-vous manqués Moralès 1986
L'air d'aimer
L'air d'aimer Raymond 1986
Emile Reynaud
Emile Reynaud Narrator 1986
The Memory of the Eye E.J. Marey
The Memory of the Eye E.J. Marey Narrator 1986
Billy Ze Kick
Billy Ze Kick Commissaire Bellanger 1985
Le Génie du faux
Le Génie du faux Constantin Escher 1985
The Insomniac on the Bridge
The Insomniac on the Bridge Antonie 1985
The Holcroft Covenant
The Holcroft Covenant Ernst Manfredi 1985
Good King Dagobert
Good King Dagobert Saint Eloi 1984
The Colour of Words
The Colour of Words Self 1984
The Judge
The Judge Le docteur 1984
Chronopolis
Chronopolis Narrator (voice) 1983
Une jeunesse
Une jeunesse Béjardy 1983
Erendira
Erendira Senator Onésimo Sanchez 1983
The Boulugres
The Boulugres Le roi (voice) 1983
La Rényon lontan
La Rényon lontan Narrator (voice) 1983
Enigma
Enigma Bodley 1982
Smiley's People
Smiley's People Anton Grigoriev 1982
Mersonne ne m'aime
Mersonne ne m'aime Commissioner Bancau 1982
Sweet Inquest on Violence
Sweet Inquest on Violence Ash, the financier 1982
Le rose et le blanc
Le rose et le blanc Léon 1982
Trompe-l'oeil
Trompe-l'oeil Self (voice) 1982
Alone
Alone Ludovic 1981
The Games of Countess Dolingen
The Games of Countess Dolingen Bertrand Haines-Pearson 1981
The Bunker
The Bunker Martin Bormann 1981
Un paquebot dans la tête
Un paquebot dans la tête Roland 1981
Jean-Sans-Terre
Jean-Sans-Terre Jean Papeuil 1980
Moonraker
Moonraker Hugo Drax 1979
The Passage
The Passage Renoudot 1979
Ève avait l'éclat métallique de l'été
Ève avait l'éclat métallique de l'été 1979
The Left-Handed Woman
The Left-Handed Woman The Waiter 1978
The Risk of Living
The Risk of Living narrator 1978
Aurais dû faire gaffe... le choc est terrible
Aurais dû faire gaffe... le choc est terrible 1977
A Dirty Story
A Dirty Story The voyeur 1977
The Accuser
The Accuser Abéraud 1977
The Devil in the Box
The Devil in the Box Georges Aubert 1977
Bartleby
Bartleby L'Huissier 1976
Mr. Klein
Mr. Klein Pierre 1976
Cygne II
Cygne II Narrator (voice) 1976
Son nom de Venise dans Calcutta désert
Son nom de Venise dans Calcutta désert The Vice Consul of Lahore 1976
Scrambled Eggs
Scrambled Eggs The President of the Republic 1976
La nuit du beau marin peut-être?
La nuit du beau marin peut-être? Boris 1976
Les Écrans déchirés
Les Écrans déchirés Michael 1976
Né
Né Self 1975
The Pink Telephone
The Pink Telephone M. Morrison, président de la Fielding 1975
Mad Enough to Kill
Mad Enough to Kill Stephane Mostri 1975
The Romantic Englishwoman
The Romantic Englishwoman Swan 1975
India Song
India Song Le Vice-Consul de Lahore 1975
The Track
The Track David Sutter 1975
Special Section
Special Section Pierre Pucheu - le ministre de l'intérieur 1975
A Whale That Had a Toothache
A Whale That Had a Toothache Le peintre 1975
Aloïse
Aloïse le médecin 1975
Galileo
Galileo Cardinal Barberini (later Pope Urban VIII) 1975
Serious as Pleasure
Serious as Pleasure Inspecteur Fournier 1975
Les Rendez-vous du dimanche
Les Rendez-vous du dimanche Self 1975
La Confession d'un enfant du siècle
La Confession d'un enfant du siècle Smith 1974
The Suspects
The Suspects Judge Souftries 1974
No Pockets in a Shroud
No Pockets in a Shroud Raymond 1974
The Phantom of Liberty
The Phantom of Liberty The Hatter 1974
Caravan to Vaccarès
Caravan to Vaccarès Duc de Croyter 1974
The Truth About the Imaginary Passion of an Unknown
The Truth About the Imaginary Passion of an Unknown Le reporter TV / Ponce Pilate 1974
Stavisky...
Stavisky... Docteur Mézy 1974
La grande Paulette
La grande Paulette Paul 1974
Successive Slidings of Pleasure
Successive Slidings of Pleasure The Judge 1974
Right to the city
Right to the city Narrator 1974
Film sur Hans Bellmer
Film sur Hans Bellmer Narrator 1974
Les grands sentiments font les bons gueuletons
Les grands sentiments font les bons gueuletons Stéphane 1973
The Girl with the Cello
The Girl with the Cello Philippe Lariel 1973
Out 1: Spectre
Out 1: Spectre Thomas 1973
The Day of the Jackal
The Day of the Jackal Deputy Commissioner Claude Lebel 1973
Autumn
Autumn Julien, le réalisateur 1972
Chut !
Chut ! Sergel 1972
Les années Lumière
Les années Lumière Narrator (voice) 1972
There Once Was a Cop
There Once Was a Cop Commissioner Lucas 1972
Le Grand Échiquier
Le Grand Échiquier Self 1972
The Old Maid
The Old Maid Monod 1972
Spring
Spring L'homme qui fuit 1971
Out 1
Out 1 Thomas 1971
Law Breakers
Law Breakers Inspector Bertrand 1971
Murmur of the Heart
Murmur of the Heart Father Henri 1971
Papa, the Lil' Boats
Papa, the Lil' Boats Hippolyte the brother of Marylène 1971
Jaune, Le Soleil
Jaune, Le Soleil Un juif 1971
Samedi soir
Samedi soir Self 1971
Le revolver et la rose
Le revolver et la rose Philippe de la Tour / Dimitri Korkesky 1970
Un troisième
Un troisième Le réalisateur 1970
La Fenêtre
La Fenêtre Bracquemont 1970
Les Cent Livres des Hommes
Les Cent Livres des Hommes Socrates 1970
The Stud
The Stud Commissioner Donald Both 1970
Winter
Winter Julien & Marc 1969
Destroy, She Said
Destroy, She Said Stein 1969
Hibernatus
Hibernatus Edouard Loriebat 1969
The Nail Clippers
The Nail Clippers Le mari 1969
The Big Wash
The Big Wash Delaroche 1968
Stolen Kisses
Stolen Kisses Georges Tabard 1968
The Bride Wore Black
The Bride Wore Black Morane 1968
The Man in the Buick
The Man in the Buick L'inspecteur Farjon de la P.J. 1968
Zoo Story
Zoo Story Peter 1968
Concerto for an Exile
Concerto for an Exile Un acteur au théâtre 1968
The Authentic Trial of Carl Emmanuel Jung
The Authentic Trial of Carl Emmanuel Jung L'Avocat de la Défense 1967
Judoka-Secret Agent
Judoka-Secret Agent Thomas Perkins 1967
Order of the Daisy
Order of the Daisy Lastac / Lataque, expert en écritures / Le juge (voice) 1967
Is Paris Burning?
Is Paris Burning? Debu-Bridel (uncredited) 1966
Your Money or Your Life
Your Money or Your Life Speaker at the shy people's club 1966
Comédie
Comédie L'homme (M) 1966
Hail! Mafia
Hail! Mafia Hyman 1965
The Ghostly Rental
The Ghostly Rental Kernan 1965
The Buddies
The Buddies Lamendin 1965
Behold a Pale Horse
Behold a Pale Horse Reporter 1964
The Little Misses
The Little Misses L'elève 1964
Jaloux comme un tigre
Jaloux comme un tigre The grimacing motorist 1964
Le petit Nicolas
Le petit Nicolas The father 1964
Snobs!
Snobs! Charles Dufaut 1962
The Trial
The Trial Priest 1962
The Immoral Moment
The Immoral Moment Mercier 1962
Crime Does Not Pay
Crime Does Not Pay Acteur 1962
Le bureau des mariages
Le bureau des mariages 1962
Adorable Liar
Adorable Liar Albert 1962
The Door Slams
The Door Slams Georges 1960
The Itchy Palm
The Itchy Palm Nobert 1960
Les Trois Sœurs
Les Trois Sœurs Andreï Prodarov 1960
A Bullet in the Gun Barrel
A Bullet in the Gun Barrel 1958
It Happened in Aden
It Happened in Aden Sinclair 1956

Writing Credits (1)

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