Yves Montand: biography, personal life, creativity

In the Italian village of Monsummano, near Tuscany, October 13, 1921 Ivo was born - a future outstanding actor. His mother and father lived in Marseilles. This is the most southern part of France.

Yves Montand

At the age of 17 he began to work at the "warm-up" of the hall in the music hall under a pseudonym. The real name is Iva Montana - Livi.

His father was an active communist. In 1921 he was forced to flee from the Italian fascist regime with his wife Giuseppina. In addition to Ivo Livi, they also had a son, Giuliano, born in 1917. And the daughter of Lydia in 1915.

Difficult childhood

French citizenship was granted to French citizens only in 1929. They lived modestly, like many Jewish families of that time. There was not enough money, so in a short time the older children stopped attending school and started looking for work. Parents were very much hoping that it was Ivo, unlike his sister and brother, who could finish school and get a decent higher education. But his head was constantly occupied with learning far from study, and Ivo did not like it at school at all. He always ran away from classes, but rarely played with peers, and much more often disappeared at performances of artists on open scenes, and if lucky - in the music hall. He was attracted to art, although he himself did not realize it at once.

Father Ivo went bankrupt in 1932, and the only source of income was the salary of his daughter Lydia. She did not study, but worked as a hairdresser. Giuliano soon found himself a waiter's job. Later Giuliano changed his name to Julien.

Working career

When Ivo turned 11 years old, he was hired at the plant. I had to leave the school. At the age of 14, he began to help his sister, who by that time had already become quite a famous hairdresser. Ivo even received a certificate of a qualified hairdresser.

The favorite of the young man was Aster Fred - an actor and a famous tinkerer. However, he himself was still shy and spoke only in small Marseilles halls. On the big stage he managed to perform for the first time on June 21, 1939 - in "Alcazar". There, and sounded his first song Dans les plaines du Far West.

After the outbreak of World War II, Ivo was involved in construction work in Provence. He was not taken to the front by age, so he had to work in the rear, as well as many of his peers.

Lovelace

Since the spring of 1941, he continued his career. Berlengo, the famous director of that time, the very one who once hired him for the first time, sponsored his trip around the country. At the same time, Ivo began taking lessons from professional dancers.

Subsequently, his impresario changed, but the hero of our article has already become famous. He continued to perform concerts, taking advantage of increasing popularity among women. The number of his love victories was steadily growing, and the young artist did not even hide his pleasure in this matter.

At the end of 1941, Ivo was identified for public works, but he did everything he could to evade them, even colliding with the police about it. As a result, the young man got to Paris, where he began performing on the ABC stage. This was another step towards success and glory. Then there were performances in "Foli-Belleville", in the legendary "Moulin Rouge" and "Bobino".

Meeting with Edith Piaf

In "Moulin Rouge" he was lucky to perform in one concert with a star like Edith Piaf. Between them a romance broke out. Ivo learned a lot from the famous singer, daily rehearsing with her.

She literally put him to his feet, turning into a stage character, who eventually made him famous throughout the world. Edith introduced him to art and literature, filling the gaps in knowledge. After the next performances in the cabaret, Yves Montand and Edith Piaf left for a trip to Europe.

The first successes of Ivo

Montana began to learn on the streets, his popularity grew steadily, he acted like a real star, touring in such theaters as the Paris "Etoile", and then Les grands boulevards and Battling Joe. Grandiose luck, again success and glory - it's Yves Montand. The biography of this famous actor sparkled with bright ups.

After five years, Edith Piaf unexpectedly dropped Montana without much explanation.

Then followed a series of difficult debuts in theaters and cinema, in ABC and in the cabaret of the "Club of Five", but in 1947 Ivo again returned to "Etoile", where he spoke for a month and a half. There he met Bob Kastel, the pianist, who was known by that time, who became his business partner for life.

Sample in the cinema

Having met in 1948 with the poet Jacques Prever, Montand included the song "Les feuilles mortes" on his poems in his repertoire. They met in Saint-Paul-de-Vence in Provence, to which Ivo owes his friend Bob. The song was written for the premiere of "The Door of Night", where Ivo played. The film did not bring the expected success, but the song became popular.

Simona Signoret and Yves Montand

Biography Ivo continued his meeting in 1949 with Simone Signori. They were married in 1951.

She was previously married to Mark Allegre, director, she was born to him by Catherine - a lovely daughter. The couple lived at Willow in Paris, on the Dauphin Square. Yves Montand, whose personal life was turbulent, literally wore his wife in his arms.

In May 1950, the singer signed the document "The Stockholm Appeal" - an appeal of the USSR against the use of nuclear weapons. Continuing the communist family tradition, Ivo and Simon became party members.

A year later, Montan first soloed in the theater "Etoile". His twenty-two songs and two poems brought him tremendous success, and from this moment began his real career as an artist of the stage.

But Ivo dreamed of a role in the cinema. He was soon invited to appear in the film "Fee for Fear", which was awarded the Grand Prix of the festival in Cannes. He recommended himself as the dramatic talent of Yves Montand. Films with his participation enjoyed constant success with the audience.

Again he began to sing in 1953 in the same theater "Etoile". Montan was seriously preparing, and the first evening he opened the poem by Jacques, which had not been published before. The concert ended with the song "À Paris", written by his friend Francis.

A series of concert evenings was planned for three weeks, and lasted six months! They sold more than 200 thousand tickets. The concert itself was recorded on disk. It was his triumph. At the peak of popularity rose a new star - Yves Montand, whose biography amazes with its grandiosity.

Together with his wife Simon, he bought a house in Otoilles-Antueille, that in Normandy, where his friends subsequently came regularly - Luis Bunuel - the famous director, Serge Reggiani, Pierre Brasserre - actor, Jorge Sempru - popular writer, many others.

Another success of the star couple was participation in the "Salem witch" - a play by Miller. Unexpectedly for all the production did not go off stage until the Christmas holidays of 1955.

Trip to the Soviet Union

Montan planned to come to the USSR with a tour, but the events of October 24, 1956 in Budapest nearly thwarted all his plans. The French world of art and the intelligentsia were overwhelmed by the crisis of consciousness in connection with these events, but Montan was not yet ready to act contrary to the political mood of his family. Therefore, he did not touch the decadent mood of the public, and he nevertheless went to the Soviet Union. Despite critical French criticism, in the USSR Montana was waiting for a very warm welcome, and even a meeting with Khrushchev. During the conversation, he received an answer to his question about the invasion of the Soviet tanks in Budapest, although the friendly conversation imperceptibly turned into a conflict. But Ivo went calm, having the opportunity to speak quietly on this ticklish topic.

After another tour of Eastern Europe, which began in Poland, Montan achieved extraordinary success, gained great fame. In France, he tried to be aloof from political intrigue, while remaining neutral. This was Yves Montand, whose biography interests his fans.

An incredible success in his career was a joint shoot with Marcello Mastroianni and Pierre Brasser in the film Jules Dassin's "Law", which premiered in June 1958. The film did not become successful, so the artist's dream of a good role in the cinema remained relevant.

In the winter of 1958, Yves Montand again appeared in Etoile, whose songs again had a grandiose success.

Debut in America

He was often invited to concerts in New York, and in 1959 he performed in America. Surprisingly, the success was much greater than in Paris. Therefore, his triumph was renewed with renewed vigor, his critics praised him, his fame grew.

The performances allowed Ivo and Simone to meet with Miller and his wife Marilyn Monroe. After New York, Montan performed in San Francisco and Hollywood, and after the New Year holidays in France, he went to Japan, where he spoke in Osaka and Tokyo.

Meeting with Merlin Monroe

In 1960, the artist reached his coveted goal - filming a movie. He was offered to star in the movie "The Millionaire" with Marilyn Monroe. Between them were established such a trusting and intimate relationship that Simon began to be jealous of her husband to Marilyn. However, after the shooting was over, the pair returned to France, everything remained the same between them.

The next Ivo trip to the US took place in October 1961. Now he is a star of the show, performed on Broadway for almost two months. After that, there was again a trip to Japan and England, where everyone already knew who Yves Montand was, the songs of which sounded literally from everywhere.

By this time, Montan became almost the most famous actor of the music hall. And in 1962 he again appeared in "Etoile" with a new program.

However, despite his great fame and reputation, he was still raving about the movie. Two years later, he starred in the "Killers' Section" of the famous director Le Havre. And from now on Ivo has already put the movie in the first place in his life.

Yves Montand: movies

Famous films with his participation:

• 1966 - "The war is over" Renee.
• 1967 - "Does Paris burn?" Clement.
• 1968 - "The Zet" of Le Havre.

One of the best films in which the actor was shot is "Recognition" (directed by Costa Havre). The premiere took place in 1970. The public immediately recognized his talent as a movie actor, and besides, and a personal contribution to the work.

The next ten years, Montand alternately played in comedies, and in serious films. Widespread fame received the 1971 film "The Mansomania". Director Zherrar Uri invited Ivo to work on the same floor with such a famous artist as Louis de Funes. Soon Montana called Claude Saute in the film "Caesar and Rosalie".

Change of political views

Being already highly respected among the singers, Montan was perceived by others not as an ordinary actor, but as a real fighter, although he tried to stay away from the events of May 1968. He continued to perform in the "Olympia" in Paris, where his concerts rattled over one and a half meiad. At the same time, he finally broke up with the Communist Party, which was the reason for the growing tension in his family. Soon Father Ivo died, and Montan himself kept moving away from the political views that had once been the meaning of his life.

In 1974, he gave a concert in honor of the victims of the dictatorial regime in Chile.

At the end of the 20th century various social movements related to the protection of human rights gained momentum around the world, and Ivo did not stand aside. He signed in 1981 under resolutions of the Polish Solidarity, a trade union organization, and two years later Yves Montand, whose wife supported him in all ways, with many other famous artists, exposed the National Front, the extreme right-wing French party organization. To his successes in the art world, the singer added now the political sphere. He became a prominent figure in world politics.

Return to the scene

In late 1981, singer Yves Montand returned to the stage of "Olympia". The success was grandiose. The audience so furiously demanded the continuation of his performances, that the concerts of the artist were resumed and continued until the autumn of 1982.

On the poems of Charles Baudelaire, the hero of this article composed his famous song Les Bijoux, which became a worldwide hit: from New York to Rio de Janeiro, the singer's performance of this song was accompanied by a standing ovation. Yves was definitely pleased with himself and with his success.

At the age of sixty-four years, his wife Simone died, and Montan began again to meet with his longtime assistant, Amiel Karol. She worked with him since 1982, when he hired her on his tour. Then he was in the movie "Manon of Streams", which was directed by Claude Berry. As Yves Montand himself admitted, the children were always his dream, but somehow it did not develop. And in 1988 Karol gave birth to his son Valentine.

Sunset life of a famous artist

Later, Montan and his family lived in Otoe. He had thoughts of continuing to work on stage at the Parisian Bercy Palace, but in 1991 the great artist died of a myocardial infarction. He was buried next to his wife Simone at the Paris cemetery of Pere Lachaise.