Michael Lonsdale

Michael Lonsdale

Michael Edward Lonsdale Crouch (24 May 1931 – 21 September 2020), commonly known as Michael Lonsdale and sometimes as Michel Lonsdale, was a French-British actor and author who appeared in over 180 films and television shows. He is often known in the English-speaking world for his roles as the villain Hugo Drax in the 1979 James Bond film Moonraker, deputy police commissioner Claude Lebel in The Day of the Jackal (1973), The Abbot in The Name of the Rose (1986) and Dupont d'Ivry in The Remains of the Day (1993). Lonsdale was born in Paris, the natural son of British Army officer Edward Lonsdale Crouch and Simone Calderon (née Béraud). He was brought up initially on the island of Jersey, then in London from 1935, and later, during the Second World War, in Casablanca, Morocco. He returned to Paris to study painting in 1947, but was drawn into the world of acting instead, first appearing on stage at the age of 24. Lonsdale was bilingual, and appeared in both English-language and French-language productions. He appeared in a starring role with Roger Moore in the 1979 James Bond film Moonraker. and with Sean Connery, in the 1986 film The Name of the Rose. He would later appear in Munich (2005), a film that also starred another Bond, Daniel Craig. In February 2011, he won a César Award for Best Supporting Actor for his work in Of Gods and Men. Lonsdale was also the author of ten books. A practising Roman Catholic, he was close to the Emmanuel Community. In his 2016 memoir Le Dictionnaire de Ma Vie, Lonsdale revealed he had fallen for Delphine Seyrig, having met her as a student in Tania Balachova's acting classes at the Théâtre du Vieux-Colombier in 1947. He wrote that "it was her or nothing", which was why he never married. Lonsdale died in Paris on 21 September 2020, aged 89. Description above from the Wikipedia article Michael Lonsdale, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Known For

Filmography

2025

The Life of Mirrors
The Life of Mirrors
Movie - Released: 7/13/2025

2024

African Glory
African Glory
as Christopher Columbus
Movie - Released: 5/26/2024

2023

The Outsider
The Outsider
as Narrator (Voice)
Movie - Released: 10/15/2023

2020

Le Fantôme de Laurent Terzieff
Le Fantôme de Laurent Terzieff
as Self
Movie - Released: 9/9/2020

2019

Degas and I
Degas and I
as Edgar Degas
Movie - Released: 10/30/2019
Salvador Dalí: Génie tragi-comique
Salvador Dalí: Génie tragi-comique
as Narrator
Movie - Released: 3/3/2019

2017

Bazin's Film
Bazin's Film
as Narrator
Movie - Released: 10/20/2017

2016

Jean-Marie Serreau, découvreur de théâtres
Jean-Marie Serreau, découvreur de théâtres
as Self
Movie - Released: 4/27/2016
The First, the Last
The First, the Last
as Jean-Berchmans
Movie - Released: 1/27/2016
Les Filles au Moyen-Âge
Les Filles au Moyen-Âge
as Daniel
Movie - Released: 1/27/2016
Sculpt
Sculpt
Movie - Released: 8/16/2016

2015

The Visit
The Visit
as Self
Movie - Released: 7/3/2015

2014

Maestro
Maestro
as Cedric Rovère
Movie - Released: 7/23/2014
N: The Madness Of Reason
N: The Madness Of Reason
as Narrator
Movie - Released: 11/8/2014
J.R.R. Tolkien: Designer of Worlds
J.R.R. Tolkien: Designer of Worlds
as (voice)
Movie - Released: 12/2/2014
Rosenn
Rosenn
as (voice)
Movie - Released: 3/12/2014

2013

Le Renard jaune
Le Renard jaune
as Jean Virno
Movie - Released: 6/26/2013

2012

Gebo and the Shadow
Gebo and the Shadow
as Gebo
Movie - Released: 9/10/2012

2011

Titeuf
Titeuf
as Le psy (voice)
Movie - Released: 4/6/2011
Free Men
Free Men
as Si Kaddour Ben Ghabrit
Movie - Released: 9/28/2011
The Cardboard Village
The Cardboard Village
as Old Priest
Movie - Released: 10/7/2011
Hitler in Hollywood
Hitler in Hollywood
as Michael Lonsdale
Movie - Released: 5/4/2011

2010

Of Gods and Men
Of Gods and Men
as Luc
Movie - Released: 9/8/2010

2009

Agora
Agora
as Theon
Movie - Released: 5/17/2009
You'll Miss Me
You'll Miss Me
as Max
Movie - Released: 6/10/2009
Au siècle de Maupassant, contes et nouvelles du XIXe
Au siècle de Maupassant, contes et nouvelles du XIXe
as Le Grand Loustalot
TV - Released: 3/10/2009

2008

Movie
Les amants cinéma
as Self
Movie - Released: 1/1/2008
Le Silence de l'épervier
Le Silence de l'épervier
as Antoine Carsac
TV - Released: 4/18/2008

2007

The Last Mistress
The Last Mistress
as le vicomte Prony
Movie - Released: 5/30/2007
Go West: A Lucky Luke Adventure
Go West: A Lucky Luke Adventure
as Bartleby (voice)
Movie - Released: 7/29/2007
Heartbeat Detector
Heartbeat Detector
as Mathias Jüst
Movie - Released: 9/12/2007
To Each His Own Cinema
To Each His Own Cinema
as The old blind man (segment "Le Don")
Movie - Released: 10/31/2007

2006

Jeanne, à petits pas
Jeanne, à petits pas
as Louis
Movie - Released: 1/28/2006
Goya's Ghosts
Goya's Ghosts
as Inquisitor General
Movie - Released: 11/8/2006
Les Mains d'Andréa
Les Mains d'Andréa
Movie - Released: 11/23/2006

2005

Munich
Munich
as Papa
Movie - Released: 12/23/2005
The Perfume of the Lady in Black
The Perfume of the Lady in Black
as Le professeur Stangerson
Movie - Released: 9/14/2005
Invisible
Invisible
as Le gardien
Movie - Released: 6/15/2005
Gentille
Gentille
as Jean
Movie - Released: 12/14/2005
Bye Bye Blackbird
Bye Bye Blackbird
as Robert
Movie - Released: 10/14/2005
The Separation
The Separation
as Paul Doumer
Movie - Released: 12/2/2005

2004

Five Times Two
Five Times Two
as Bernard
Movie - Released: 9/1/2004
Under a False Name
Under a False Name
as David
Movie - Released: 11/10/2004
Adieu
Adieu
as Serge
Movie - Released: 9/8/2004

2003

Le Furet
Le Furet
as Don Salvadore
Movie - Released: 10/29/2003
Kaena: The Prophecy
Kaena: The Prophecy
as Opaz (voice)
Movie - Released: 6/4/2003
The Mystery of the Yellow Room
The Mystery of the Yellow Room
as Stangerson
Movie - Released: 6/11/2003

2002

Le Mythe Cathare
Le Mythe Cathare
as Narrator
Movie - Released: 1/1/2002

2001

Those Facing Us
Those Facing Us
as Mikaël
Movie - Released: 9/26/2001

2000

Actors
Actors
as Man walking down the street
Movie - Released: 4/5/2000
Delphine Seyrig, portrait d'une comète
Delphine Seyrig, portrait d'une comète
as Self
Movie - Released: 8/1/2000
Movie
Is Dead - Portrait incomplet de Gertrude Stein
as Narrator (voice)
Movie - Released: 3/11/2000
Inside 'Moonraker'
Inside 'Moonraker'
as Self
Movie - Released: 5/16/2000
Speaking of Buñuel
Speaking of Buñuel
as Self
Movie - Released: 6/9/2000

1999

A Monkey's Tale
A Monkey's Tale
as Maître Flavius (Voice)
Movie - Released: 6/2/1999

1998

Ronin
Ronin
as Jean-Pierre
Movie - Released: 9/25/1998
Let There Be Light!
Let There Be Light!
as Monseigneur Loublié
Movie - Released: 7/8/1998
Don Juan
Don Juan
as Don Luis
Movie - Released: 4/28/1998

1997

Mauvais Genre
Mauvais Genre
as Honoré de Balzac
Movie - Released: 5/27/1997
Jean Eustache's Wasted Breath
Jean Eustache's Wasted Breath
as (voice)
Movie - Released: 5/14/1997
Noise of Love and War
Noise of Love and War
as The director
Movie - Released: 1/1/1997

1996

La Plante Humaine
La Plante Humaine
as Michel
Movie - Released: 2/22/1996

1995

Nelly and Monsieur Arnaud
Nelly and Monsieur Arnaud
as Dollabella
Movie - Released: 10/18/1995
Jefferson in Paris
Jefferson in Paris
as Louis XVI
Movie - Released: 3/31/1995
Movie
Vroum-vroum
Movie - Released: 1/1/1995

1994

Dieu sait quoi
Dieu sait quoi
as Narrator
Movie - Released: 8/4/1994

1993

Woyzeck
Woyzeck
as Le capitaine
Movie - Released: 4/21/1993
The Remains of the Day
The Remains of the Day
as Dupont D'Ivry
Movie - Released: 11/5/1993
L'ordre du jour
L'ordre du jour
as Stark
Movie - Released: 1/1/1993

1991

My Life Is Hell
My Life Is Hell
as Gabriel
Movie - Released: 12/4/1991
Movie
Seul face au crime
as Procuratore
Movie - Released: 1/30/1991
Maigret
Maigret
as Guillaume Serre
TV - Released: 12/1/1991

1990

Film sur Georges Perec
Film sur Georges Perec
as Self
Movie - Released: 1/1/1990
Out 1
Out 1
as Thomas
Movie - Released: 12/15/1990

1989

Souvenir
Souvenir
as Xavier Lorion
Movie - Released: 1/6/1989
Movie
Cela s'appelle l'amour
as Self
Movie - Released: 10/25/1989
Earthen Man
Earthen Man
as (voice)
Movie - Released: 1/1/1989

1988

The Tribulations of Balthazar Kober
The Tribulations of Balthazar Kober
as Cammerschulze
Movie - Released: 12/26/1988

1987

Der Madonna-Mann
Der Madonna-Mann
as Tanzmann
Movie - Released: 10/1/1987

1986

The Name of the Rose
The Name of the Rose
as The Abbot
Movie - Released: 9/24/1986
L'air d'aimer
L'air d'aimer
as Raymond
Movie - Released: 1/1/1986
Movie
Movie
Rendez-vous manqués
as Moralès
Movie - Released: 7/30/1986
Emile Reynaud
Emile Reynaud
as Narrator
Movie - Released: 1/1/1986
The Memory of the Eye E.J. Marey
The Memory of the Eye E.J. Marey
as Narrator
Movie - Released: 1/1/1986
Le Tiroir secret
Le Tiroir secret
as Philippe Jolivet
TV - Released: 12/5/1986

1985

The Holcroft Covenant
The Holcroft Covenant
as Ernst Manfredi
Movie - Released: 9/20/1985
The Insomniac on the Bridge
The Insomniac on the Bridge
as Antonie
Movie - Released: 10/2/1985
Billy Ze Kick
Billy Ze Kick
as Commissaire Bellanger
Movie - Released: 12/18/1985
Le Génie du faux
Le Génie du faux
as Constantin Escher
TV - Released: 11/15/1985

1984

Good King Dagobert
Good King Dagobert
as Saint Eloi
Movie - Released: 8/22/1984
The Judge
The Judge
as Le docteur
Movie - Released: 4/11/1984
Movie
The Colour of Words
as Self
Movie - Released: 6/12/1984

1983

Erendira
Erendira
as Senator Onésimo Sanchez
Movie - Released: 6/1/1983
Chronopolis
Chronopolis
as Narrator (voice)
Movie - Released: 9/21/1983
Une jeunesse
Une jeunesse
as Béjardy
Movie - Released: 6/15/1983
The Boulugres
The Boulugres
as Le roi (voice)
Movie - Released: 1/1/1983
La Rényon lontan
La Rényon lontan
as Narrator (voice)
Movie - Released: 1/1/1983

1982

Enigma
Enigma
as Bodley
Movie - Released: 10/15/1982
Sweet Inquest on Violence
Sweet Inquest on Violence
as Ash, the financier
Movie - Released: 6/4/1982
Trompe-l'oeil
Trompe-l'oeil
as Self (voice)
Movie - Released: 1/1/1982
Mersonne ne m'aime
Mersonne ne m'aime
as Commissioner Bancau
Movie - Released: 6/26/1982
Le rose et le blanc
Le rose et le blanc
as Léon
Movie - Released: 1/6/1982
Smiley's People
Smiley's People
as Anton Grigoriev
TV - Released: 9/20/1982

1981

The Bunker
The Bunker
as Martin Bormann
Movie - Released: 4/15/1981
The Games of Countess Dolingen
The Games of Countess Dolingen
as Bertrand Haines-Pearson
Movie - Released: 9/1/1981
Alone
Alone
as Ludovic
Movie - Released: 10/7/1981
Movie
Un paquebot dans la tête
as Roland
Movie - Released: 3/4/1981

1980

Movie
Jean-Sans-Terre
as Jean Papeuil
Movie - Released: 9/7/1980

1979

Moonraker
Moonraker
as Hugo Drax
Movie - Released: 6/26/1979
The Passage
The Passage
as Renoudot
Movie - Released: 3/9/1979
Movie

1978

The Left-Handed Woman
The Left-Handed Woman
as The Waiter
Movie - Released: 5/26/1978
Movie
The Risk of Living
as narrator
Movie - Released: 4/18/1978

1977

A Dirty Story
A Dirty Story
as The voyeur
Movie - Released: 11/9/1977
The Accuser
The Accuser
as Abéraud
Movie - Released: 9/7/1977
The Devil in the Box
The Devil in the Box
as Georges Aubert
Movie - Released: 4/19/1977

1976

Movie
La nuit du beau marin peut-être?
as Boris
Movie - Released: 1/1/1976
Son nom de Venise dans Calcutta désert
Son nom de Venise dans Calcutta désert
as The Vice Consul of Lahore
Movie - Released: 6/2/1976
Mr. Klein
Mr. Klein
as Pierre
Movie - Released: 9/23/1976
Cygne II
Cygne II
as Narrator (voice)
Movie - Released: 7/2/1976
Scrambled Eggs
Scrambled Eggs
as The President of the Republic
Movie - Released: 3/30/1976
Bartleby
Bartleby
as L'Huissier
Movie - Released: 12/16/1976
Movie
Les Écrans déchirés
as Michael
Movie - Released: 1/1/1976

1975

The Romantic Englishwoman
The Romantic Englishwoman
as Swan
Movie - Released: 6/11/1975
Aloïse
Aloïse
as le médecin
Movie - Released: 4/2/1975
The Track
The Track
as David Sutter
Movie - Released: 5/14/1975
India Song
India Song
as Le Vice-Consul de Lahore
Movie - Released: 6/4/1975
Special Section
Special Section
as Pierre Pucheu - le ministre de l'intérieur
Movie - Released: 4/23/1975
The Pink Telephone
The Pink Telephone
as M. Morrison, président de la Fielding
Movie - Released: 10/15/1975
Galileo
Galileo
as Cardinal Barberini (later Pope Urban VIII)
Movie - Released: 1/27/1975
Mad Enough to Kill
Mad Enough to Kill
as Stephane Mostri
Movie - Released: 8/20/1975
Né
as Self
Movie - Released: 11/5/1975
A Whale That Had a Toothache
A Whale That Had a Toothache
as Le peintre
Movie - Released: 4/15/1975
Serious as Pleasure
Serious as Pleasure
as Inspecteur Fournier
Movie - Released: 1/15/1975
Les Rendez-vous du dimanche
Les Rendez-vous du dimanche
as Self
TV - Released: 1/12/1975

1974

The Phantom of Liberty
The Phantom of Liberty
as The Hatter
Movie - Released: 9/10/1974
Right  to the city
Right to the city
as Narrator
Movie - Released: 1/6/1974
The Suspects
The Suspects
as Judge Souftries
Movie - Released: 11/27/1974
Stavisky...
Stavisky...
as Docteur Mézy
Movie - Released: 5/15/1974
No Pockets in a Shroud
No Pockets in a Shroud
as Raymond
Movie - Released: 10/25/1974
Successive Slidings of Pleasure
Successive Slidings of Pleasure
as The Judge
Movie - Released: 3/7/1974
Caravan to Vaccarès
Caravan to Vaccarès
as Duc de Croyter
Movie - Released: 8/8/1974
Film sur Hans Bellmer
Film sur Hans Bellmer
as Narrator
Movie - Released: 1/1/1974
La grande Paulette
La grande Paulette
as Paul
Movie - Released: 4/24/1974
The Truth About the Imaginary Passion of an Unknown
The Truth About the Imaginary Passion of an Unknown
as Le reporter TV / Ponce Pilate
Movie - Released: 5/20/1974
La Confession d'un enfant du siècle
La Confession d'un enfant du siècle
as Smith
TV - Released: 12/26/1974

1973

The Day of the Jackal
The Day of the Jackal
as Deputy Commissioner Claude Lebel
Movie - Released: 5/16/1973
The Girl with the Cello
The Girl with the Cello
as Philippe Lariel
Movie - Released: 10/4/1973
Les grands sentiments font les bons gueuletons
Les grands sentiments font les bons gueuletons
as Stéphane
Movie - Released: 12/12/1973
Out 1: Spectre
Out 1: Spectre
as Thomas
Movie - Released: 6/30/1973

1972

The Old Maid
The Old Maid
as Monod
Movie - Released: 1/5/1972
There Once Was a Cop
There Once Was a Cop
as Commissioner Lucas
Movie - Released: 2/11/1972
Les années Lumière
Les années Lumière
as Narrator (voice)
Movie - Released: 2/25/1972
Autumn
Autumn
as Julien, le réalisateur
Movie - Released: 7/5/1972
Chut !
Chut !
as Sergel
Movie - Released: 3/23/1972
Le Grand Échiquier
Le Grand Échiquier
as Self
TV - Released: 1/12/1972

1971

Law Breakers
Law Breakers
as Inspector Bertrand
Movie - Released: 5/7/1971
Murmur of the Heart
Murmur of the Heart
as Father Henri
Movie - Released: 4/27/1971
Spring
Spring
as L'homme qui fuit
Movie - Released: 10/27/1971
Papa, the Lil' Boats
Papa, the Lil' Boats
as Hippolyte the brother of Marylène
Movie - Released: 4/22/1971
Jaune, Le Soleil
Jaune, Le Soleil
as Un juif
Movie - Released: 2/16/1971
Out 1
Out 1
as Thomas
TV - Released: 10/9/1971
TV
Samedi soir
as Self
TV - Released: 1/9/1971

1970

Un troisième
Un troisième
as Le réalisateur
Movie - Released: 9/16/1970
Le revolver et la rose
Le revolver et la rose
as Philippe de la Tour / Dimitri Korkesky
Movie - Released: 11/25/1970
The Stud
The Stud
as Commissioner Donald Both
Movie - Released: 2/13/1970
La Fenêtre
La Fenêtre
as Bracquemont
Movie - Released: 8/2/1970

1969

Hibernatus
Hibernatus
as Edouard Loriebat
Movie - Released: 9/10/1969
Destroy, She Said
Destroy, She Said
as Stein
Movie - Released: 9/25/1969
The Nail Clippers
The Nail Clippers
as Le mari
Movie - Released: 1/8/1969
Winter
Winter
as Julien & Marc
Movie - Released: 12/31/1969

1968

Stolen Kisses
Stolen Kisses
as Georges Tabard
Movie - Released: 9/4/1968
The Bride Wore Black
The Bride Wore Black
as Morane
Movie - Released: 3/22/1968
The Man in the Buick
The Man in the Buick
as L'inspecteur Farjon de la P.J.
Movie - Released: 1/12/1968
The Big Wash
The Big Wash
as Delaroche
Movie - Released: 11/12/1968
Concerto for an Exile
Concerto for an Exile
as Un acteur au théâtre
Movie - Released: 1/2/1968
Movie
Zoo Story
as Peter
Movie - Released: 1/12/1968

1967

The Authentic Trial of Carl Emmanuel Jung
The Authentic Trial of Carl Emmanuel Jung
as L'Avocat de la Défense
Movie - Released: 12/27/1967
Order of the Daisy
Order of the Daisy
as Lastac / Lataque, expert en écritures / Le juge (voice)
Movie - Released: 1/20/1967
Judoka-Secret Agent
Judoka-Secret Agent
as Thomas Perkins
Movie - Released: 7/24/1967

1966

Your Money or Your Life
Your Money or Your Life
as Speaker at the shy people's club
Movie - Released: 4/26/1966
Is Paris Burning?
Is Paris Burning?
as Debu-Bridel (uncredited)
Movie - Released: 10/26/1966
Comédie
Comédie
as L'homme (M)
Movie - Released: 1/1/1966

1965

The Buddies
The Buddies
as Lamendin
Movie - Released: 1/15/1965
Hail! Mafia
Hail! Mafia
as Hyman
Movie - Released: 8/10/1965
The Ghostly Rental
The Ghostly Rental
as Kernan
Movie - Released: 4/17/1965

1964

Le petit Nicolas
Le petit Nicolas
as The father
Movie - Released: 1/1/1964
The Little Misses
The Little Misses
as L'elève
Movie - Released: 7/14/1964
Jaloux comme un tigre
Jaloux comme un tigre
as The grimacing motorist
Movie - Released: 6/16/1964
Behold a Pale Horse
Behold a Pale Horse
as Reporter
Movie - Released: 8/14/1964

1962

Adorable Liar
Adorable Liar
as Albert
Movie - Released: 2/2/1962
Snobs!
Snobs!
as Charles Dufaut
Movie - Released: 9/5/1962
Crime Does Not Pay
Crime Does Not Pay
as Acteur
Movie - Released: 7/6/1962
The Trial
The Trial
as Priest
Movie - Released: 8/25/1962
The Immoral Moment
The Immoral Moment
as Mercier
Movie - Released: 7/18/1962
Movie
Le bureau des mariages
Movie - Released: 4/22/1962

1960

The Door Slams
The Door Slams
as Georges
Movie - Released: 12/21/1960
Les Trois Sœurs
Les Trois Sœurs
as Andreï Prodarov
Movie - Released: 1/31/1960
The Itchy Palm
The Itchy Palm
as Nobert
Movie - Released: 2/3/1960

1958

A Bullet in the Gun Barrel
A Bullet in the Gun Barrel
Movie - Released: 11/19/1958

1956

It Happened in Aden
It Happened in Aden
as Sinclair
Movie - Released: 8/22/1956