French actor Pierre Vernier died on October 9 at the age of 93. Friend and collaborator of Jean-Paul Belmondo, he was the hero of the series “Rocambole” and had played a superb Charles de Gaulle in “Adieu de Gaulle, adieu”.
Pierre Vernier died this Wednesday, October 9 in Vic-Fezensac, it was his relatives who announced it this Saturday, October 12 to Agence France-Presse. This French actor with natural distinction and particularly careful diction, was one of the great supporting roles in cinema, notably playing opposite Jean-Paul Belmondo, his friend from the Conservatory, on several occasions. He was 93 years old.
From a grand vintage from the Conservatoire
Part of the 1954 class of the Paris Conservatory, along with Jean-Paul Belmondo, Jean-Pierre Marielle, Bruno Cremer and Jean Rochefort, Pierre Vernier found his first role in Juliette ou la clef des songes by Marcel Carné. He continued in the 1950s by appearing furtively in Les Copains du Dimanche, Les Affreux and Rue des prairies by Denys de La Patellière, a melodrama set in 1942 with Jean Gabin.
BERTRAND RINDOFF PETROFF / BESTIMAGE On stage with Bébel in “Kean”
Pierre Vernier was more active in the 1960s, as evidenced by his secondary performances under the leadership of prestigious filmmakers. Thus, Claude Chabrol offered him, during this decade, three roles in the dramas Les Godelureaux, Ophélia and Landru. He also plays again for de La Patellière (The Eyes of Love, Caroline Chérie), but also for Henri Verneuil (Week-end in Zuydcoote) and Jean Becker (No caviar for aunt Olga).
Swiss roll
In the mid-1960s, Pierre Vernier tasted the joys of television and obtained the title role in the adventure series Rocambole, based on the serial novel of the same name by Ponson du Terrail. This ex-prisoner hero turned vigilante on the fringes of society allows him to reveal himself to a wider audience. The native of Saint-Jean-d’Angély also appears in the TV films Forbidden Sense, Orion the Killer, The Recruiting Officer and A Game of Hell.
ORTF
Not forgetting cinema, far from it, Pierre Vernier found, in the 1970s, several directors he knew well, such as Joseph Losey (Monsieur Klein), Henri Verneuil (I… comme Icare) and Georges Lautner (The Guignolo). Furthermore, he plays Master Pierre Grammont in the historical drama Stavisky by Alain Resnais and takes part in the mini-series Le Secret des Dieux, Michel Strogoff, Richelieu and Mazarin.
Face of Belmondo’s films
In the 1980s – 1990s, Pierre Vernier opposite his friend Jean-Paul Belmondo on numerous occasions (Le Professionnel, Le Marginal, Le Solitaire, etc.). Claude Lelouch also attributes three secondary characters to him in La Belle histoire (that of the headmaster), Itinerary of a spoiled child and Les Misérables (both carried by the tireless Bebel). Finally, on the television side, we can see him in Le Château des oliviers and Belle Epoque.
Gaumont
In “The Guignolo”
If, in the 2000s and 2020s, Pierre Vernier is less active given his age, we can see him in Sous le sable by François Ozon and L’Ivresse du politique by Chabrol, in which he plays President Martino, superior of ‘Isabelle Huppert. He also plays in the comedies La Confiance Reign by Etienne Chatiliez and Palais Royal! by Valérie Lemercier, who asks him again for 100% cashmere and Marie-Francine (her last performance).
De Gaulle
Note that in 2008, Pierre Vernier slipped into the skin of General de Gaulle in the TV film Adieu de Gaulle, adieu, showing once again to what extent he likes historical characters. An intense performance which earned him Best Male Performance at the Luchon Festival of Television Creations in 2009. He was also, in 2016, made an Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters and a Knight of the National Order of Merit.
