Pierre Tornade

Pierre Tornade
Born
Pierre Tournadre

(1930-01-21)21 January 1930
Died7 March 2012(2012-03-07) (aged 82)
OccupationActor
Years active1956–2005

Pierre Tornade (21 January 1930 – 7 March 2012)[1] was a French actor. He appeared in more than 120 films and television shows between 1956 and 1998.

Biography

He was born Pierre Tournadre on 21 January 1930 in Bort-les-Orgues in the department of Corrèze. He began his theatrical career at 25 in Elle est folle, Carole at the théâtre du Palais-Royal. In 1956, he played in the musical comedy Irma la douce by Alexandre Breffort and Marguerite Monnot and then made his film debut in Les Truands, where he adopted his stage name, Tornade. The next year, he played a theater role in Pericles, Prince of Tyre before joining the Branquignols troupe of Robert Dhéry, which also included Jean Lefebvre, Michel Serrault and Micheline Dax.[2]

He then became in demand on television and appeared in several sitcoms such as Thierry la Fronde (1963), Le Chevalier d'Harmental (1966), Les Sept de l'escalier quinze B (1967) and Les Dossiers de l'agence O (1968). Because of his tall and imposing stature, he often appeared as a policeman or a soldier. His most famous roles were as the victim's father The Common Man (1975), Captain Dumont in Now Where Did the 7th Company Get to? (1973) and its sequels, and commissioner Florimond Faroux on the series Nestor Burma.

A famous voice actor, he was heard as village chief Vitalstatistix in animated films Asterix le Gaul (1967), Asterix and Cleopatra (1968) and The Twelve Tasks of Asterix (1976). He later voiced Averell Dalton in Lucky Luke animated films Daisy Town (1971) and La Ballade des Dalton (1978) and Lucky Luke the Lucky Cowboy (1983). He also voiced Obelix in four other Asterix animated films, including Asterix Versus Caesar (1985), Asterix in Britain (1986), Asterix and the Big Fight (1989) and Asterix Conquers America (1994).

He was named Chevalier (Knight) of the National Order of Merit in 1996. Tornade died on 7 March 2012 in Rambouillet hospital after several days in a coma. He had fallen accidentally in the stairway of his Yvelines residence the previous week and had been comatose since then.[2]

Filmography

Year Title Role Director Notes
1956 Les Truands Minister Carlo Rim
1957 Comme un cheveu sur la soupe Butler Maurice Régamey
1959 Nina Inspector Jean Boyer
1963 Bébert et l'Omnibus Policeman Yves Robert
1963 L'honorable Stanislas, agent secret Inspector Jean-Charles Dudrumet
1964 The Counterfeit Constable Supporter in the bus Robert Dhéry
1964 The Gorillas Policeman Jean Girault
1965 Gendarme in New York Doctor Jean Girault
1965 Les Baratineurs Thès Francis Rigaud
1966 Monnaie de singe Prison guard Yves Robert
1966 The Big Restaurant Butler Jacques Besnard
1966 Monsieur le président-directeur général Adjudant Jean Girault
1966 The Oldest Profession Removal man Claude Autant-Lara
1966 Tender Scoundrel Garage customer Jean Becker
1966 Trois enfants dans le désordre Faction agent Léo Joannon
1967 The Night of the Generals Orderly Anatole Litvak
1967 The Little Bather Jean-Baptiste Castagnier Robert Dhéry
1968 The Little Bather Le gardien de phare Robert Dhéry
1968 Un drôle de colonel Un inspecteur Jean Girault
1968 Salut Berthe ! Père Fauvel Guy Lefranc
1968 Le tatoué Police chief Denys de La Patellière
1968 Béru et ces dames Un agent de police Guy Lefranc
1969 Faites donc plaisir aux amis Léon - le mari trompé
1969 The Devil by the Tail Schwartz, un gangster Philippe de Broca
1969 The Brain Belgian soldier Gérard Oury Uncredited
1969 L'Auvergnat et l'Autobus Grosswiller, a businessman Guy Lefranc
1969 Trois hommes sur un cheval Jo Gabardine Marcel Moussy
1971 L'Explosion Léopold Marc Simenon
1972 Un cave Farmer Gilles Grangier
1973 La Raison du plus fou First biker François Reichenbach
1973 I Don't Know Much, But I'll Say Everything Police officer Pierre Richard
1973 Now Where Did the 7th Company Get to? Captain Dumont Robert Lamoureux
1974 Antoine and Sebastian Max Étienne Périer
1974 Le permis de conduire Le directeur de l'agence bancaire Jean Girault
1974 Le Permis de conduire Bank director Jean Girault
1974 Vos gueules, les mouettes ! Captain Robert Dhéry
1974 Impossible Is Not French Albert Lombard Robert Lamoureux
1975 Raging Fists Jo, the bar owner Éric Le Hung
1975 The Common Man Colin Yves Boisset
1975 Soldat Duroc, ça va être ta fête Sergeant Lapointe Michel Gérard
1975 Opération Lady Marlène Commander Mouinot Robert Lamoureux
1975 On a retrouvé la septième compagnie Captain Dumont Robert Lamoureux
1975 Adieu poulet Commissaire Pignol Pierre Granier-Deferre
1976 Oublie-moi, Mandoline Jean-Paul Tardu Michel Wyn
1976 Le Jour de gloire Mayor Jacques Besnard
1977 Dis bonjour à la dame Robert Ferry Michel Gérard
1977 Arrête ton char... bidasse! Captain Marcus Michel Gérard
1978 Général... nous voilà ! Julien Berger Jacques Besnard
1979 C'est dingue... mais on y va Arthur Beyssac Michel Gérard
1981 L'oeil du maître Le parachutiste Stéphane Kurc
1981 Le Chêne d'Allouville / Ils sont fous ces Normands Mayor Henri Brainville Serge Pénard
1981 Signé Furax Obélisque agent Marc Simenon
1982 Toutes griffes dehors Barbazan Michel Boisrond
1983 Salut la puce Alfred Richard Balducci
1984 Fort Saganne Charles's father Alain Corneau
1986 Didi Drives Me Crazy [de] Commissaire Bontemps Wigbert Wicker
1986 À notre regrettable époux Radetsky Serge Korber
1988 Les Gauloises blondes Le chef Biturix Jean Jabely

Voice actor

Film dubbing

Year Title Role Director
1972 The Godfather Luca Brasi Francis Ford Coppola
1973 High Plains Drifter Sheriff Dan Shaw Clint Eastwood

Animated films

Year English title Original title Role Notes
1967 Asterix the Gaul Astérix le Gaulois Vitalstatistix / Merchant Voice
1968 Asterix and Cleopatra Astérix et Cléopâtre Edifis / Vitalstatistix / Mercenary Voice
1971 Daisy Town Lucky Luke Averell Dalton Voice
1976 The Twelve Tasks of Asterix Les douze travaux d'Astérix Vitalstatistix / Cacofonix Voice
1978 La Ballade des Dalton La Ballade des Dalton Averell Dalton Voice
1983 Lucky Luke the Lucky Cowboy Les Dalton en Cavale Averell Dalton / Baker / Butcher Voice
1985 Asterix Versus Caesar Astérix et la surprise de César Obelix Voice
1986 Asterix in Britain Astérix chez les Bretons Voice
1989 Asterix and the Big Fight Astérix et le coup du menhir Voice
1994 Asterix Conquers America Astérix et les Indiens Voice

Television series

Year Title Role
1963–1966 Thierry la Fronde Taillevent (episodes 32–48) / Arnaut (episode 20)
1976–1981 The Muppet Show Link Hogthrob / Statler

Animated series

Year Title Role Note
1983–1984 Lucky Luke Averell Dalton
1989 Wowser Wowser
1989 Jungle Book Shōnen Mowgli Baloo French voice
1991–1992 Lucky Luke Averell Dalton

Video games

Year Title Voice
2004 Asterix & Obelix XXL Obelix
2005 Asterix & Obelix XXL 2: Mission: Las Vegum Obelix

References

  1. ^ "Décès du comédien Pierre Tornade". Le Point (in French). 7 March 2012. Retrieved 7 March 2012.
  2. ^ a b Minovitz, Ethan (8 March 2012). "Pierre Tornade, the voice of "Obelix," dead at 82". Big Cartoon News. Archived from the original on 3 December 2012. Retrieved 8 March 2012.