Belmondo Film Icon Pierre Vernier Passes Away at 93, Also Played Charles de Gaulle

Pierre Vernier died on Wednesday, October 9 in Vic-Fezensac, with his family announcing the news on Saturday, October 12 to Agence France-Presse. This French actor, known for his natural elegance and precise diction, was a celebrated supporting actor in cinema, often sharing the screen with Jean-Paul Belmondo, his fellow Conservatoire classmate, on numerous occasions. He was 93 years old.

A Stellar Graduate of the Conservatoire

Graduating from the Paris Conservatoire in 1954 alongside Jean-Paul Belmondo, Jean-Pierre Marielle, Bruno Cremer, and Jean Rochefort, Pierre Vernier landed his first role in Marcel Carné’s “Juliette ou la clef des songes”. He continued during the 1950s, making brief appearances in “Les Copains du dimanche”, “Les Affreux”, and Denys de La Patellière’s melodrama “Rue des prairies”, set in 1942 featuring Jean Gabin.

Vernier became more active in the 1960s, appearing in minor roles under the direction of renowned filmmakers. During this period, Claude Chabrol cast him in three drama films: “Les Godelureaux”, “Ophélia”, and “Landru”. He also worked again with de La Patellière (“Les Yeux de l’amour”, “Caroline chérie”), as well as with Henri Verneuil (“Week-end à Zuydcoote”) and Jean Becker (“Pas de caviar pour tante Olga”).

Rocambole

In the mid-1960s, Pierre Vernier ventured into television and secured the titular role in the adventure series “Rocambole”, based on the serialized novel of the same name by Ponson du Terrail. Playing the hero, an ex-prisoner turned vigilante, he gained recognition among a broader audience. The native of Saint-Jean-d’Angély also appeared in the television movies “Sens interdit”, “Orion le tueur”, “L’Officier recruteur”, and “Un jeu d’enfer”.

Not forgetting cinema, Pierre Vernier reconnected in the 1970s with several familiar directors, such as Joseph Losey (“Monsieur Klein”), Henri Verneuil (“I… comme Icare”), and Georges Lautner (“Le Guignolo”). Additionally, he played Maître Pierre Grammont in Alain Resnais’s historical drama “Stavisky” and participated in the mini-series “Le Secret des dieux”, “Michel Strogoff”, “Richelieu”, and “Mazarin”.

A Familiar Face in Belmondo Films

In the 1980s and 1990s, Pierre Vernier frequently acted alongside his friend Jean-Paul Belmondo in films such as “Le Professionnel”, “Le Marginal”, “Le Solitaire”, and others. Claude Lelouch also cast him in three supporting roles in “La Belle histoire” (as the school principal), “Itinéraire d’un enfant gâté”, and “Les Misérables”. On television, he appeared in “Le Château des oliviers” and “Belle Epoque”.

Although less active in the 2000s and 2020s due to his age, Vernier could be seen in François Ozon’s “Sous le sable” and Claude Chabrol’s “L’Ivresse du pouvoir”, where he played President Martino, superior to Isabelle Huppert. He also appeared in the comedies “La Confiance règne” by Etienne Chatiliez and “Palais Royal!” by Valérie Lemercier, who cast him again in “100% cachemire” and “Marie-Francine” (his last performance).

De Gaulle

Notably, in 2008, Pierre Vernier portrayed General de Gaulle in the television movie “Adieu de Gaulle, adieu”, once again demonstrating his affinity for historical characters. This intense performance earned him the award for Best Male Interpretation at the Festival des créations télévisuelles de Luchon in 2009. Furthermore, in 2016, he was made an Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters and a Knight of the National Order of Merit.