Hamidou Benmessaoud (Arabic: حميدو بنمسعود; 2 August 1935 – 19 September 2013), best known as Amidou, was a Moroccan-French film, television, and stage actor.[citation needed]
Amidou | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Hamidou Benmessaoud 2 August 1935 |
| Died | 19 September 2013 (aged 78) |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1935–2013 |
| Awards | Rio de Janeiro International Film Festival, Cairo Film Festival |
Born in Rabat, at 17 Amidou moved to Paris to attend the CNSAD. In 1968 he made his debut on stage, in Jean Genet's Les paravents.[1]
Amidou was best known for his association with director Claude Lelouch, with whom he shot eleven films, including Lelouch's film debut Le propre de l'homme (1960).[2] He made his debut in a Moroccan film in 1969, starring in Soleil de printemps directed by Latif Lahlou.[1] His career included roles in Spaghetti Westerns like Buddy Goes West and several American productions, including William Friedkin's Sorcerer, John Frankenheimer's Ronin and John Huston's Escape to Victory.[2]
In 1969, Amidou was awarded best actor at the Rio de Janeiro International Film Festival for his role in Life Love Death by Claude Lelouch,[3] and later won best actor awards at the Cairo Film Festival (for Pursuit by Leila Triquie) and at the Tangier Film Festival (for Rachid Boutounes's Here and There).[2] In 2005 he received, from the hands of Martin Scorsese, a Lifetime Career Award at the International Film Festival of Marrakech.[3] He was also the first Moroccan actor to have won an acting award at the National Conservatory of Dramatic Art.[2]
Amidou died on 19 September 2013 in Paris, France, from an undisclosed illness.[2]
Filmography
edit- Le propre de l'homme (1961)
- Une fille et des fusils (1965) – Amidou
- The Grand Moments (1966) – Roger Amy
- Brigade antigangs (1966) – Broken Nose
- Live for Life (1967) – Photographer
- Fleur d'oseille (1967) – Francis
- La Fille d'en face (1968) – The seducer
- La Chamade (1968) – Etienne
- Life Love Death (1969) – François Toledo
- Soleil de printemps (1969)
- Le Voyou (1970) – Bill
- Comptes à rebours (1971) – Macyas
- Smic Smac Smoc (1971) – Smoc
- La Poudre d'escampette (1971) – Ali
- Trois milliards sans ascenseur (1972) – José
- What a Flash! (1972)
- La Punition (1973) – Raymond
- La Valise (1973) – Lieutenant Abdul Fouad
- Rosebud (1975) – Kirkbane
- Sorcerer (1977) – Kassem / Martinez
- Buddy Goes West (1981) – Girolamo / Eagle Eye
- Escape to Victory (1981) – André
- Les P'tites Têtes (1982) – Prince Douzami
- Afghanistan pourquoi ? (1983)
- La Nuit porte-jarretelles (1985)
- Adieu Blaireau (1985) – Poupée
- Catherine (1986) – Abou-al-Khayr (TV Series)
- Champagne amer (1989) – Slim
- L'union sacrée (1989) – Le Kabyle
- There Were Days... and Moons (1990) – The incredulous policeman
- La Belle Histoire (1992) – The shepherd
- Day of Atonement (1992) – Si Ali
- Unveiled (1994) – Det. Brahms
- Lalla Hobby (1996) – Haj Moussa
- Soleil (1997) – Mokzar
- Ronin (1998) – Man at Exchange
- Hideous Kinky (1998) – Sufi Sheikh
- Rules of Engagement (2000) – Dr. Ahmar
- Spy Game (2001) – Dr. Ahmed
- And Now... Ladies and Gentlemen... (2002) – Police Inspector
- Heaven's Doors (2006) – Mansour
- Moussem lamchaoucha (2009) – Haj Lamfadel
- Comme les cinq doigts de la main (2010) – Lakdar
Theater
edit| Year | Title | Author | Director |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | Ross | Terence Rattigan | Michel Vitold |
| 1965 | The Siege of Numantia | Miguel de Cervantes | Jean-Louis Barrault |
| 1966 | Henry VI | William Shakespeare | Jean-Louis Barrault |
| The Screens | Jean Genet | Roger Blin |
References
edit- ^ a b "Décès de Hamidou Benmassoud :Amidou, premier acteur marocain à s'être fait un nom à l'international". Aufait Moroc (in French). 20 September 2013. Archived from the original on 27 September 2013. Retrieved 22 September 2013.
- ^ a b c d e "Amidou, comédien fétiche de Lelouch, est décédé". Le Figaro (in French). 20 September 2013. Retrieved 22 September 2013.
- ^ a b Rebecca Chaouch (21 September 2013). "Décès de l'acteur marocain Hamidou Benmessaoud". Huffington Post (in French). Archived from the original on September 22, 2013. Retrieved 22 September 2013.
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