Michael Lonsdale

Biography

Michael Edward Lonsdale Crouch, born on May 24, 1931, in Paris, was a distinguished French-British actor and author, celebrated for his extensive contributions to film and television, with over 180 credits to his name. He is particularly recognized in the English-speaking realm for his memorable performances, including the villain Hugo Drax in the 1979 James Bond film *Moonraker*, as 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 the son of British Army officer Edward Lonsdale Crouch and Simone Calderon, and he spent his early years on the island of Jersey and in London before moving to Casablanca, Morocco during World War II. He returned to Paris in 1947 to pursue painting but soon pivoted to acting, making his stage debut at 24. Fluent in both English and French, he seamlessly transitioned between languages in his performances.

In 2011, he earned a César Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in *Of Gods and Men*. An accomplished author, he penned ten books and shared personal insights in his 2016 memoir, *Le Dictionnaire de Ma Vie*, revealing a lifelong affection for actress Delphine Seyrig, which influenced his choice to remain unmarried. Lonsdale, a devoted Roman Catholic, was closely associated with the Emmanuel Community. He passed away in Paris on September 21, 2020, at the age of 89.