Pierre Tornade Explained

Pierre Tornade
Birth Name:Pierre Tournadre
Birth Date:21 January 1930
Birth Place:Bort-les-Orgues, Corrèze, France
Death Place:Rambouillet, Yvelines, France
Occupation:Actor
Yearsactive:1956–2005

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.

Filmography

YearTitleRoleDirectorNotes
1956Les TruandsMinisterCarlo Rim
1957Comme un cheveu sur la soupeButlerMaurice Régamey
1959NinaInspectorJean Boyer
1963Bébert et l'OmnibusPolicemanYves Robert
1963L'honorable Stanislas, agent secretInspectorJean-Charles Dudrumet
1964The Counterfeit ConstableSupporter in the busRobert Dhéry
1964The Gorillas PolicemanJean Girault
1965Gendarme in New YorkDoctorJean Girault
1965Les BaratineursThèsFrancis Rigaud
1966Monnaie de singePrison guardYves Robert
1966The Big RestaurantButlerJacques Besnard
1966Monsieur le président-directeur généralAdjudantJean Girault
1966The Oldest ProfessionRemoval manClaude Autant-Lara
1966Tender ScoundrelGarage customerJean Becker
1966Trois enfants dans le désordreFaction agentLéo Joannon
1967The Night of the GeneralsOrderlyAnatole Litvak
1967The Little BatherJean-Baptiste CastagnierRobert Dhéry
1968The Little BatherLe gardien de phareRobert Dhéry
1968Un drôle de colonelUn inspecteurJean Girault
1968Salut Berthe !Père FauvelGuy Lefranc
1968Le tatouéPolice chiefDenys de La Patellière
1968Béru et ces damesUn agent de policeGuy Lefranc
1969Faites donc plaisir aux amisLéon - le mari trompé
1969The Devil by the TailSchwartz, un gangsterPhilippe de Broca
1969The BrainBelgian soldierGérard OuryUncredited
1969L'Auvergnat et l'AutobusGrosswiller, a businessmanGuy Lefranc
1969Trois hommes sur un chevalJo GabardineMarcel Moussy
1971L'ExplosionLéopoldMarc Simenon
1972Un caveFarmerGilles Grangier
1973La Raison du plus fouFirst bikerFrançois Reichenbach
1973I Don't Know Much, But I'll Say EverythingPolice officerPierre Richard
1973Now Where Did the 7th Company Get to?Captain DumontRobert Lamoureux
1974Antoine and SebastianMaxÉtienne Périer
1974Le permis de conduireLe directeur de l'agence bancaireJean Girault
1974Le Permis de conduireBank directorJean Girault
1974Vos gueules, les mouettes !CaptainRobert Dhéry
1974Impossible Is Not French Albert LombardRobert Lamoureux
1975Raging FistsJo, the bar ownerÉric Le Hung
1975The Common ManColinYves Boisset
1975Soldat Duroc, ça va être ta fêteSergeant LapointeMichel Gérard
1975Opération Lady MarlèneCommander MouinotRobert Lamoureux
1975On a retrouvé la septième compagnieCaptain DumontRobert Lamoureux
1975Adieu pouletCommissaire PignolPierre Granier-Deferre
1976Oublie-moi, MandolineJean-Paul TarduMichel Wyn
1976Le Jour de gloireMayorJacques Besnard
1977Dis bonjour à la dameRobert FerryMichel Gérard
1977Arrête ton char... bidasse!Captain MarcusMichel Gérard
1978Général... nous voilà !Julien BergerJacques Besnard
1979C'est dingue... mais on y vaArthur BeyssacMichel Gérard
1981L'oeil du maîtreLe parachutisteStéphane Kurc
1981Le Chêne d'Allouville / Ils sont fous ces NormandsMayor Henri BrainvilleSerge Pénard
1981Signé FuraxObélisque agentMarc Simenon
1982Toutes griffes dehorsBarbazanMichel Boisrond
1983Salut la puceAlfredRichard Balducci
1984Fort SaganneCharles's fatherAlain Corneau
1986Commissaire BontempsWigbert Wicker
1986À notre regrettable épouxRadetskySerge Korber
1988Les Gauloises blondesLe chef BiturixJean Jabely

Voice actor

Film dubbing

YearTitleRoleDirector
1972The GodfatherLuca BrasiFrancis Ford Coppola
1973High Plains DrifterSheriff Dan ShawClint Eastwood

Animated films

YearEnglish titleOriginal titleRoleNotes
1967Asterix the GaulAstérix le GauloisVitalstatistix / MerchantVoice
1968Asterix and CleopatraAstérix et CléopâtreEdifis / Vitalstatistix / MercenaryVoice
1971Daisy TownLucky LukeAverell DaltonVoice
1976The Twelve Tasks of AsterixLes douze travaux d'AstérixVitalstatistix / Cacofonix Voice
1978La Ballade des DaltonLa Ballade des DaltonAverell DaltonVoice
1983Lucky Luke the Lucky CowboyLes Dalton en CavaleAverell Dalton / Baker / ButcherVoice
1985Asterix Versus CaesarAstérix et la surprise de CésarObelixVoice
1986Asterix in BritainAstérix chez les BretonsVoice
1989Asterix and the Big FightAstérix et le coup du menhirVoice
1994Asterix Conquers AmericaAstérix et les IndiensVoice

Television series

YearTitleRole
1963–1966Thierry la FrondeTaillevent (episodes 32–48) / Arnaut (episode 20)
1976–1981The Muppet ShowLink Hogthrob / Statler

Animated series

YearTitleRoleNote
1983–1984Lucky LukeAverell Dalton
1989WowserWowser
1989Jungle Book Shōnen MowgliBalooFrench voice
1991–1992Lucky LukeAverell Dalton

Video games

YearTitleVoice
2004Asterix & Obelix XXLObelix
2005Obelix

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Décès du comédien Pierre Tornade . 7 March 2012. Le Point. 7 March 2012 . fr.
  2. News: Pierre Tornade, the voice of "Obelix," dead at 82. Ethan. Minovitz. Big Cartoon News. 8 March 2012. 8 March 2012. dead. https://archive.today/20121203085013/http://blog.bcdb.com/pierre-tornade-voice-obelix-dead-82-3409/. 3 December 2012.