Yves Montand Biography

Yves Montand was a popular french nightclub singer and movie actor, most famous for his dramatic role in the 1953 thriller The Wages of Fear. Born in Italy, his family fled to France when Benito Mussolini came to power. Montand began singing professionally as a teenager, and worked his way up to performing in the best Paris music halls. With the help of Edith Piaf, Montand landed his first film role in Etoile sansLumiére (1946). Mostly a singing film star at first, his acting career took off after The Wages of Fear, and he starred in a number of French and European films. His long marriage to actress Simone Signoret weathered his exploits as a ladies’ man, including his famous dalliance with Marilyn Monroe, his co-star in Hollywood’s Let’s Make Love (1960). In the 1980s Montand had a second wind, with character roles in several films, including Jean de Florette (1986). His other films include The Crucible (1957), Is Paris Burning?, Z (1969) and On A Clear Day You Can See Forever (1970, with Barbra Streisand).