Serge Reggiani (2 May 1922 – 23 July 2004) was an Italian-born French singer and actor. He was born in Reggio Emilia, Italy and moved to France with his parents at the age of eight. For many years, he struggled with alcoholism, caused in part by the 1980 suicide of his son Stephan.After acting school (Conservatoire des arts cinématographiques) he was discovered by Jean Cocteau and appeared in a wartime production of Les Parents terribles ("The Terrible Parents"). During World War II, he left Paris to join the French resistance.His first feature film came in 1946 with his role in Les portes de la nuit ("Gates of the Night"). He later went on to perform in 80 films including Casque d'or, Les Misérables (1958),Tutti a casa, Le Doulos, Il Gattopardo, La terrazza, The Pianist (1998).In spite of never quite reaching the peak with his acting career, he did triumph in the theatre in 1959 with his performance in Jean-Paul Sartre’s play Les Séquestrés d'Altona. In the meantime, though, in 1965 he began a second career, that of a singer (at the age of 43), with the help of Simone Signoret and her husband Yves Montand and later with great assistance of the French diva Barbara. Reggiani became one of the most acclaimed performers of French "Chanson" ("song") and although he was in his 40s, his bad-boy rugged image made him popular with both young and older listeners.His best-known songs include Les loups sont entrés dans Paris ("The Wolves Have Entered Paris") and Sarah (La femme qui est dans mon lit) ("The Woman Who Is In My Bed"), the latter written by Georges Moustaki. However, one of his regular songwriters throughout his career was Boris Vian (Le Déserteur, Arthur où t'as mis le corps, La Java des bombes atomiques). His new young fans identified with his left-wing ideals and antimilitarism, most notably during the 1968 student revolts in France. With age he became more and more acclaimed as one of the best interpreters of the French chanson also bringing the poetry of Rimbaud, Apollinaire and Prévert closer to his audience. In 1995, he made a comeback to the singing stage, giving a few concerts despite his deteriorated health and personal distress, the last one being held as late as in the year of his death, in spring of 2004.In later life he became a painter and gave a number of exhibitions of his artwork.Serge Reggiani died in Paris of a heart attack at the age of 82, one day after the death of another well known French singer Sacha Distel. He is buried in Montparnasse Cemetery.
Stéphan Reggiani, Karine Reggiani, Simon Reggiani, Maria Reggiani, Celia Reggiani
Parents
Ferruccio Reggiani, Letizia Spagni
Music Groups
Les Enfoirés
Movies
Casque D'Or, Le Doulos, The Leopard, Army of Shadows, Gates of the Night, The Last Adventure, Vincent, François, Paul and the Others, Everybody Go Home, Paris Blues, Marie-Octobre, Secret People, La Ronde, Henri-Georges Clouzot's Inferno, Bad Blood, Les amants de Vérone, Warriors Five, There Were ...
Star Sign
Taurus
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Fact
1
In the late 1950's, formed the production company Garance Films with actors Betsy Blair and Roger Pigaut (who were a couple at the time).
2
Became a naturalized French citizen in 1948.
3
Buried in the Montparnasse Cemetery, Paris.
4
In 1985 the French government paid tribute to Reggiani's singing and acting careers with the prestigious Legion of Honor award.
5
All of Reggiani's children inherited their father's artistic talents and have worked in the field of entertainment. Son Simon is a well-known director/writer/actor; daughters Carine and Celia work in music (the former is a singer-turned songwriter, the latter a musician); daughter Maria is a film editor; and grandson Nicolas has followed in the family footsteps as well. Nicolas launched a career as a singer performing songs covered by his late father, Stephen, Serge's oldest son.
6
In 1992 Reggiani's record label released a set of 8 CDs, providing a complete retrospective of the singer's vast career.
7
Developed a close friendship with Simone Signoret after working with her in the popular Casque d'Or (1952) that lasted until her death in 1985.
8
He had five children: with actress Janine Darcey, Stephan Reggiani (born 1946) and Karine Reggiani (born 1951); with Annie Noël, 'Célia Reggiani'(born 1958), Simon Reggiani (born 1961) and Maria Reggiani (born 1963). Stephan, who was also a singer, committed suicide in July 1980 in the family house of Mougins.
9
In the late 1960s, when he was past 45, he started a new career as a singer. As an actor he knew how to "perform" a song, provoking sometimes laughter but mainly emotion. Some of his most famous songs were "Le petit garçon", "Il suffirait de presque rien", "L'enfant et l'avion", "La java des bombes atomiques" (from Boris Vian). In his last years he was also known for his paintings and put on exhibitions in French art galleries.
$1.4 Million
