Jean-Pierre Cassel (French pronunciation:[ʒɑ̃pjɛʁkasɛl]; bornJean-Pierre Crochon; 27 October 1932 – 19 April 2007) was a French actor and dancer. A popular star ofFrench cinema, he was initially known for his comedy film appearances, though he also proved a gifted dramatic actor, and accrued over 200 film and television credits in a career spanning over 50 years.^[1]

Jean-Pierre Cassel
Jean-Pierre Cassel at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival.
Born	Jean-Pierre Crochon (1932-10-27)27 October 1932 Paris, France
Died	19 April 2007(2007-04-19) (aged 74) Paris, France
Nationality	French
Occupations	Actor Dancer
Spouses	Sabine Litique ​ ​ (m. 1966;div. 1980)​ Anne Célérier ​ (m. 1981)​
Children	4, includingVincent,Mathias andCécile
Parents	Georges Crochon (father) Louise-Marguerite Fabrègue (mother)

He worked with many notable directors, includingLuis Buñuel,Abel Gance,Jean Renoir,Claude Chabrol,Sidney Lumet,Joseph Losey,Chantal Akerman andRobert Altman. He was nominated for aCésar Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance inLa Cérémonie (1995).

Cassel was also the father of actorVincent Cassel, actress/singerCécile Cassel, and rapperMathias Cassel.

Cassel was born Jean-Pierre Crochon in the13th arrondissement of Paris, the son of Louise-Marguerite (née Fabrègue), anopera singer, and Georges Crochon, a doctor.^[2] Cassel was discovered byGene Kelly as hetap danced on stage, and later cast in the 1957 filmThe Happy Road.

Cassel gained prominence in the late 1950s as a hero in comedies byPhilippe de Broca such asMale Companion and through his role as 'Jean François Jardie' in the famous French resistance pieceL' Armée des ombres.

During the 1960s and 1970s, he worked withClaude Chabrol (The Breach),Luis Buñuel (asStéphane Audran's husband inThe Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie 1972),Ken Annakin (as the Frenchman inThose Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines 1965),Gérard Brach (asClaude Jade's lover inThe Boat on the Grass),Richard Lester (asLouis XIII of France inThe Three Musketeers 1973 and its sequelThe Four Musketeers 1974),Sidney Lumet (as Pierre inMurder on the Orient Express) andJoseph Losey (withIsabelle Huppert inThe Trout). He also made an appearance inOh! What a Lovely War as a French military officer singing 'Belgium put the Kibosh on the Kaiser'. In later years, he appeared inRobert Altman'sPrêt-à-Porter (1994) and also asDr. Paul Gachet forVincent & Theo (1990).

In 2006, at the age of 74, he returned to the stage for a retrospective ofSerge Gainsbourg,Jean-Pierre Cassel chante et danse Gainsbourg Suite. This homage to an old friend (he knew Gainsbourg in the 1950s) featured various songs of the French composer among which three unpublished songs named "Top à Cassel" – "Cliquediclac", "Ouh ! Là là là là", and "Viva la pizza" – all of which were intended for a television show aired in 1964.

In 2007, Cassel appeared in dual roles (as Père Lucien and the Lourdes souvenir vendor) inJulian Schnabel's filmThe Diving Bell and the Butterfly.

During his career, Cassel starred in more than 110 films, fiftystage plays, and many musical theatre performances and television shows.^[3]

Cassel was the father ofVincent Cassel, Mathias Cassel (also known asRockin' Squat, leader of the French rap crewAssassin), andCécile Cassel. He was "very close" to his children and his daughter-in-law,Monica Bellucci.^[3]

On 19 April 2007, Cassel died of cancer aged 74.^[4][5]

• Jean-Pierre Cassel atIMDb
• Jean-Pierre Cassel at theTCM Movie Database 
• Le coin du cinéphage