Funeral of Michel Blanc: a thousand people and personalities pay him a final tribute this Thursday

A thousand people gathered in front of the church, personalities like Brigitte Macron, Rachida Dati and her relatives from the “Splendid” troupe: all made a dernier homage to the actor Michel Blanc, died suddenly at the age of 72 on the night of Thursday to Fridaythis Thursday in Paris. The ceremony, led by parish priest Yves Trocheris, began around 4 p.m. in the Saint-Eustache church, located in the heart of the capital, where the actor lived.

Personalities and admirers at the meeting

Many personalities took part: his friends from Splendid including Gérard Jugnot and Josiane Balasko, Brigitte Macron, the actors and directors Jean-Paul Rouve and Isabelle Mergault, who directed her first film, “Je vous très beau” in 2005, with Michel Blanc in the title role, or the Minister of Culture Rachida Dati.

Outside, hundreds of anonymous people and admirers have gathered in front of the gates which demarcate a security perimeter. Many of them managed to make their way to the crowded pews of the church, says AFP. Those who were unable to enter were able to follow the ceremony thanks to a sound broadcast on the square.

Unforgettable Jean-Claude Dusse, before more dramatic roles

Becoming famous with his role as Jean-Claude Dusse in humorous films such as the Bronzés saga in the 1980s, Michel Blanc then oriented towards dramatic roles and a career as a director. He suffered a heart attack during the night from Thursday to Friday after a routine examination, and was transported to a Parisian hospital where he died.

According to members of his entourage, the actor suffered from anaphylactic shock, a rare but violent allergic reaction to food, medicine or venom, which can lead to death within minutes. In the case of Michel Blanc, it was a medication which apparently caused the brutal allergic reaction, according to those close to him. The Paris prosecutor’s office told AFP that it was not aware of his death.

The “immense pain” of the members of Splendid

The first of the Splendid troupe to leave, his former comrades Christian Clavier, Gérard Jugnot, Josiane Balasko, Thierry Lhermitte, Marie-Anne Chazel and Bruno Moynot expressed “with one voice” their “immense pain”. All seven of them posed again in April for the weekly Paris Match, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the troupe which was formed at the high school.

The death of Michel Blanc sparked a shower of tributes. Head of State Emmanuel Macron spoke of the loss of a “monument of French cinema”, while Prime Minister Michel Barnier estimated that “we all (had) a little bit of Michel Blanc in us”.