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Michael Lonsdale

Michael Lonsdale

Acting

Born: May 24, 1931Paris, France

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.

Known For
Filmography
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

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
Les Filles au Moyen-Âge

Les Filles au Moyen-Âge

Daniel

2016
The First, the Last

The First, the Last

Jean-Berchmans

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

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

Professor 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

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

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

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

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

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

Moralès

1986
The Memory of the Eye E.J. Marey

The Memory of the Eye E.J. Marey

Narrator

1986
Emile Reynaud

Emile Reynaud

Narrator

1986
L'air d'aimer

L'air d'aimer

Raymond

1986
Billy Ze Kick

Billy Ze Kick

Commissaire Bellanger

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

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
La Rényon lontan

La Rényon lontan

Narrator (voice)

1983
The Boulugres

The Boulugres

Le roi (voice)

1983
Enigma

Enigma

Bodley

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

Roland

1981

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

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

Les Écrans déchirés

Michael

1976

La nuit du beau marin peut-être?

Boris

1976
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
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
The Old Maid

The Old Maid

Monod

1972
Spring

Spring

L'homme qui fuit

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
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
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

Zoo Story

Peter

1968
The Man in the Buick

The Man in the Buick

L'inspecteur Farjon de la P.J.

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

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