Biography
Jean-Pierre Cassel (born Jean-Pierre Crochon) was a French actor and dancer. Born in Paris on 27 October 1932, he died there on 19 April 2007. He began in small film roles in the 1950s and gained prominence in comedies directed by Philippe de Broca, including Les Jeux de l'amour (1960), Le Farceur (1960) and L'Amant de cinq jours (1961). He also appeared in films by directors such as Jean Renoir, Luis Buñuel and Claude Chabrol.
Cassel accumulated more than 200 film and television credits over five decades. Among his later roles was Father Lucien in The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007). He received a César Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for La Cérémonie (1995). He was the father of actors Vincent Cassel and Cécile Cassel, and rapper Mathias Cassel.
