 |
Yves MontandFrench singer and actor
Date of Birth: 13.10.1921
Country:  France |
Content:
- Biography of Yves Montand (Ivo Livi)
- He died of a heart attack on November 9, 1991, in Senlis, France.
Biography of Yves Montand (Ivo Livi)
Yves Montand, whose real name was Ivo Livi, was a French chansonnier and actor. He was born on October 13, 1921, in the Tuscan village of Monsummano, Italy. His father, Giovanni Livi, a communist activist, fled from the fascist Italian regime in 1921 with his wife Giuseppina and settled in Marseille, in the south of France. They had two other children, Lidia and Giuliano, born in 1915 and 1917, respectively. In 1929, the Livi family obtained French citizenship. They lived modestly, and the two older children quickly dropped out of school to work. Ivo was the family's last hope for education, but he was not interested in school and had other thoughts on his mind. In 1932, Giovanni declared bankruptcy for his brush factory. Left without money, the Livi family relied on Lidia, who became a hairdresser. As for his brother Giuliano (who became Julien), he found work as a waiter.
At the age of eleven, Ivo left school and started working at a factory. At fourteen, he joined his sister's hair salon, where he successfully obtained a professional certification. Ivo loved cinema, especially Fred Astaire and his tap dance numbers, which fascinated him. He was a very shy young man. However, in 1938, he accepted an offer from a music-hall director who was looking for someone to "warm up the audience." After three weeks of intense rehearsals and changing his name to Yves Montand (as a child, he played on the street, and his mother would call him from the window: "Ivo! Monta!"), he performed on stage in front of an applauding audience. A legend was born.
Yves Montand continued to perform in small venues in Marseille. On June 21, 1939, he made his first appearance on a big stage in the same city at the "Alcazar," where he sang his first original song, "Dans les plaines du Far West." Unfortunately, the outbreak of World War II led Yves Montand to be drafted into the "Service du Travail Obligatoire" (Compulsory Work Service). In the spring of 1941, his career resumed and never stopped again. The director who hired him the first time, Berlingo, organized a tour around the region. At the same time, Montand began taking dance classes. After changing his manager, he performed more and more frequently in concerts and gained a reputation as a conqueror of women. In January 1944, Montand fled from the police, who were looking for him to conscript him into the STO. He then went to Paris and made his first steps on the Parisian stage at the "ABC" in February. It was another success. He then performed at "Bobino," "Folies-Belleville," and the famous "Moulin Rouge." There, he participated in the first part of Edith Piaf's concert. Initially, there was some skepticism about the appearance of this artist from Marseille, but then feelings quickly developed between them. Setting aside his pride, Yves Montand learned a lot from Piaf, rehearsing with her every day. She helped him establish his stage persona, which brought Montand fame worldwide. She also encouraged him to read novels and poetry to elevate his personal culture. After the "Moulin Rouge," they embarked on a joint tour.
Montand's fame and success in music halls continued to grow. In the fall of 1945, he performed as a true star at the "Etoile" theater in Paris. He sang songs such as "Battling Joe" and "Les grands boulevards." It was a tremendous success. In early 1946, Edith Piaf abruptly ended their collaboration without explanation. Her close associates say she was impulsive...
After difficult debuts in film and evenings at the "ABC" and the cabaret "Club des Cinq," Yves Montand resumed performances at the "Etoile" theater for six weeks in 1947. A defining moment came when he met a pianist named Bob Castella, who would remain his trusted musician for the rest of his life.
In 1948, a friend took him to St-Paul-de-Vence in Provence and introduced him to Jacques Prévert. The singer was fascinated by the poet and included Prévert's "Les feuilles mortes" in his repertoire. This song was written for the release of the film "Les Portes de la Nuit" (1945), in which Montand played but, unfortunately, it was not successful. The music by Joseph Kosma and the lyrics by Jacques Prévert were much more successful than the film itself.
In August 1949, Yves Montand met actress Simone Signoret in St-Paul-de-Vence. She had divorced director Marc Allégret in 1950, with whom she had a daughter, Catherine. She moved in with Yves Montand on Place Dauphine in Paris, and in 1951, they got married, becoming a legendary couple in the French art world.
In May 1950, Montand signed the "Stockholm Appeal" against the use of nuclear weapons. This public opinion campaign was led by the Soviet Union. From that moment on, Montand, a communist by family tradition, appeared on the lists of petitions from the French Communist Party (FCP). Together with Simone Signoret, they joined the party.
In March 1951, Montand returned to the "Etoile" theater for his first solo show. With the help of a director, he performed 22 songs and recited two poems, receiving enormous success. He finally found his true career on stage.
In reality, he dreamed of breaking into the film industry. Henri-Georges Clouzot gave him a real opportunity with the film "Wages of Fear" in 1952. Montand's dramatic talent was affirmed, and the film won the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival the following year.
Yves Montand returned to singing in October 1953 on the stage of the "Etoile" theater. As usual, his physical preparation was rigorous. The program of the evening opened with an unpublished poem by Jacques Prévert. The final song, "À Paris," was written by his friend Francis Lemarque. Lastly, "Les feuilles mortes" served as a reminder. Initially planned for three weeks, the series of concerts exceeded 200 performances - six months! A total of 200,000 tickets were sold. It was a triumphant success, confirmed by the release of a recorded concert on vinyl. Yves Montand was at the peak of his popularity.
In 1954, he and Simone Signoret bought property in Normandy, in Ottey-Antoi. This house gradually became the meeting place for all their friends, including Serge Reggiani, actor Pierre Brasseur, director Luis Buñuel, writer Jorge Semprún, and many others.
In the same year, the couple performed in Arthur Miller's play "The Crucible." The success was such that the performances lasted until Christmas 1955.
In late 1956, Montand planned to go on a singing tour in the Soviet Union. However, on October 24, Soviet tanks occupied Budapest. A crisis of conscience swept over intellectuals and French artists who leaned towards communism, but it did not affect Yves Montand. He was not mature enough for political conflicts with his family and decided to perform for the Russians anyway. While critical articles in Paris were harsh and the atmosphere was tense, he was warmly welcomed in Moscow. He even met with Nikita Khrushchev and asked for clarification about the invasion of Budapest. Their discussion lasted four hours and turned into a conflict. However, Montand, relieved to have the opportunity to express himself on this subject, left feeling reassured.
In early 1957, he traveled to Poland and then toured Eastern Europe. The success was extraordinary, and his fame was immense. He witnessed numerous expressions of friendship. Upon returning to France, however, he kept his distance from his political commitments.
In June 1958, he starred in the film "Le Salaire de la peur" by Henri-Georges Clouzot, which was released in January 1959. Montand appeared alongside Marcello Mastroianni and Pierre Brasseur. Unfortunately, the film was not successful, and Montand continued to be obsessed with his film career.
Between October 1958 and March 1959, he returned to the stage of the "Etoile" theater, performing for six weeks with 16 new songs (such as "Le chat de la voisine" or "Sir Godfrey"), which exuded tenderness, romance, and celebration. The atmosphere was slightly different from his previous concerts, with a slightly ambiguous image and wavering confidence.
Declared "persona non grata" in the United States due to his political opinions, he was persistently invited by an American agent to perform a series of concerts in New York. The premiere took place on September 21, 1959. The show was the same as in Paris. It was a real success, allowing the show to continue. Critical articles sang his praises.
On this occasion, the singer and Simone Signoret met with Arthur Miller and his wife Marilyn Monroe. Yves Montand then went to Hollywood and San Francisco, returning to France for the Christmas holidays, and once again traveling to Japan for concerts in Tokyo and Osaka.
Having reached the status of an international star, Yves Montand was now confident that he had achieved his goal in the film industry. He was offered a role in a Hollywood film with Marilyn Monroe. The shooting of "Let's Make Love" took place in February 1960. There was a great connection between them, temporarily straining the trust between Montand and Simone Signoret. Newspapers around the world were captivated by this "affair." After the end of filming, Yves Montand returned to France with his wife. It was all just a part of the movies...
Yves Montand returned to the United States in October 1961. He became the star of a show for eight weeks at the "Golden Theater" on Broadway in New York. In his subsequent trip, he went to Japan and then to England. He became one of the most famous music hall artists in the world. In 1962, he performed concerts in Paris, once again at the "Etoile" theater. The shows continued until 1963.
But his desire for the cinema was stronger than anything else. Since then, he rarely appeared on stage. "The Confession" was released in 1964. Montand's first collaboration with filmmaker Costa-Gavras marked a turning point in his career. He now prioritized the Seventh Art.
He then appeared in "The War Is Over" by Alain Resnais (1966), "Is Paris Burning?" by René Clément (1967), and "Z" by Costa-Gavras (1968).
However, he returned to the stage in September 1968, for a six-week run at the "Olympia" in Paris. He was not just a respected singer; he was perceived by others as a fighter. This man was not indifferent to the events of May 1968. However, he maintained some distance from them. It was at this moment that his relationship with the Communist Party reached a definitive break, which overlapped with family problems. His father died in October 1968. Yves Montand became increasingly free from his early political commitments.
His friend Costa-Gavras gave him the role of Arthur London in "The Confession." The film was released in April 1970. Everyone recognized Montand's immense talent and his personal contribution to the work. Throughout the following decade, he alternated between serious films and comedies, such as "The Mad Adventures of Rabbi Jacob" by Gérard Oury, starring alongside Louis de Funès in 1971. He worked with great French directors, such as Claude Sautet in "César et Rosalie" in 1972.
A benefit concert for the victims of the dictatorship in Chile, held in 1974, was the only musical deviation Yves Montand made during the 1970s. His grand return to the stage took place from October 7, 1981, to January 3, 1982. The "Olympia" was packed. Under the pressure of the public, the concerts resumed from July 20 to August 14, 1982. On this occasion, he composed "Les Bijoux" with poems by Charles Baudelaire. Standing ovations in all the world capitals, from Rio de Janeiro to New York. Yves Montand delighted in his success.
In the 1980s, human rights movements gained momentum, and he signed a petition in December 1981 in support of the Polish union "Solidarity." In 1983, he denounced, along with Simone Signoret and other artists, the rise of the far-right French party, the National Front. Year after year, he became a political figure.
In September 1985, Simone Signoret, his lifelong companion, passed away at the age of 64.
Yves Montand became closer to his assistant, Carole Amiel, whom he hired during his 1982 tour. During the filming of "Manon des Sources" (directed by Claude Berri, based on the novel by Marcel Pagnol), he became a father for the first time. Valentin Montand was born on December 31, 1988.
Later on, Yves Montand lived quietly with his family in Ottey. He even planned to perform on the biggest stage in Paris, the Palais des Sports. Unfortunately, he passed away before he could showcase his talent as a music hall artist to his son.
