Serge Reggiani (bornSergio Reggiani; 2 May 1922 – 23 July 2004) was an Italian-French actor and singer. He was born inReggio Emilia, Italy, and moved to France with his parents at the age of eight.

Serge Reggiani
Background information
Birth name	Sergio Reggiani
Born	(1922-05-02)2 May 1922 Reggio Emilia, Italy
Died	23 July 2004(2004-07-23) (aged 82) Boulogne-Billancourt, France
Genres	Chanson française
Occupation(s)	Singer, actor, painter
Instrument	Vocals
Years active	1940–2004

After studying acting at the Conservatoire des arts cinématographiques, he was discovered byJean Cocteau and appeared in the wartime production ofLes Parents terribles. He then left Paris to join theFrench Resistance.

His first feature film wasLes portes de la nuit ("Gates of the Night"), released in 1946. He went on to perform in 80 films in total, includingCasque d'or,Les Misérables (1958),Tutti a casa,Le Doulos,Il Gattopardo,La terrazza,The Pianist (1998).

Reggiani also triumphed in the theatre in 1959 with his performance inJean-Paul Sartre's playLes Séquestrés d'Altona. In 1961, Reggiani co-starred withPaul Newman andSidney Poitier in the filmParis Blues, filmed on location in Paris.

In 1965, at the age of 43, he began a second career as a singer, with the help ofSimone Signoret and her husbandYves Montand, and later with the assistance of the French singerBarbara. Reggiani became one of the more acclaimed performers of Frenchchanson, and although he was in his 40s, his rugged image made him popular with both younger and older listeners. His best-known songs includeLes loups sont entrés dans Paris ("The Wolves Have Entered Paris") andSarah (La femme qui est dans mon lit) ("The Woman Who Is in My Bed"), the latter written byGeorges Moustaki. He regularly sang songs byBoris Vian (Le Déserteur,Arthur où t'as mis le corps,La Java des bombes atomiques). His young fans identified with his left-wing ideals and anti-militarism, most notably during thestudent revolts in France in 1968. With age, he became acclaimed as being one of the better interpreters of thechanson and for bringing the poems ofRimbaud,Apollinaire, andPrévert to new audiences.

From 1980, when his son died, Reggiani struggled with alcoholism and depression. In 1995, however, he made a comeback to singing, giving a few concerts despite his deteriorated health and personal distress, the last one being held as late as the spring of 2004.

In later life, he became a painter and gave a number of exhibitions of his works.

Serge Reggiani died in Paris of a heart attack at the age of 82. He is buried inMontparnasse Cemetery.

• Biography(in French)
• Serge Reggiani atIMDb
• Serge Reggiani atFind a Grave