--- name: "Michael Lonsdale" canonical: "https://film.one/person/michael-lonsdale" fi1m_id: "michael-lonsdale" imdb_id: "nm0003909" tmdb_id: 2369 wikidata_id: "Q346540" roles: ["Actor"] born: "24 May 1931" died: "21 September 2020" reviewed_on_fi1m: 12 average_fi1m_score: 75 average_as: "actor" average_over: 12 updated: "2026-10-04T19:42:06.681425+00:00" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Michael Lonsdale ## Identity Michael Lonsdale - **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/michael-lonsdale - **Type:** Person - **Fi1m ID:** michael-lonsdale - **IMDb ID:** nm0003909 - **TMDB ID:** 2369 - **Wikidata ID:** Q346540 - **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Lonsdale, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q346540, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0003909/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/2369 Actor. Born 24 May 1931 in Paris, France. Died 21 September 2020. ## Details - **Work:** Actor - **Born:** 24 May 1931, Paris, France - **Died:** 21 September 2020 - **Active:** 1971–2011 - **Also known as:** Michel Lonsdale, Майкл Лонсдейл, Мишель Лонсдаль, Майкл Лонсдаль - **Average Fi1m score:** 75, as actor, over 12 titles - **Fi1m score by decade:** 1970s 70 (4), 1980s 80 (2), 1990s 84 (2), 2000s 73 (2), 2010s 74 (2) - **Fi1m against the critics:** 77 to 70 across 8 titles - **Score spread:** 6 at 80+, 5 at 60–79, 1 under 60 - **Lead roles:** 2 of 12 acting credits billed first or second - **Genres:** Drama 9, Thriller 5, Action 3, History 3, Romance 3, Adventure 2 - **Screen time:** 23 hours of reviewed films - **Box office:** $623m across 9 films with figures - **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Lonsdale, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q346540, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0003909/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/2369 ## Streaming the US now - **Amazon Prime Video:** [*Munich*](https://film.one/film/munich.md) (80), [*The Name of the Rose*](https://film.one/film/the-name-of-the-rose.md) (77) - **Disney+:** [*The Remains of the Day*](https://film.one/film/the-remains-of-the-day.md) (88) - **Apple TV:** [*Ronin*](https://film.one/film/ronin.md) (80) - **Netflix:** [*Agora*](https://film.one/film/agora.md) (66) For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country. ## Fi1m on Michael Lonsdale > Michael Lonsdale brought a rich voice, dry delivery and a questioning posture to men accustomed to being obeyed. We rate the understatement; his emotionally intense work with Marguerite Duras gives us another reason to follow him. The stoop is a useful complication for an actor so often cast as a man in authority. Michael Lonsdale has the size and voice for priests, abbots and police commissioners, yet his questioning posture keeps certainty from looking quite so comfortable. That dry delivery can make these men funny without turning them into fools. We value the restraint because it leaves room for a feeling to arrive without a large announcement. *Stolen Kisses* (1968), with François Truffaut, brought critical notice; the dogged Lebel in *The Day of the Jackal* (1973) brought wider recognition. He continued working in French auteur cinema alongside international productions, without abandoning the more demanding, stylised work. Marguerite Duras’s *India Song* (1975) drew on his capacity for emotional intensity; Hugo Drax in *Moonraker* (1979) offered a different use for his authority. Later, Luc in *Of Gods and Men* (2010) gave him a contemplative part. We were moved by *The Remains of the Day* (1993), because Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson make polite conversation painfully affecting. Lonsdale’s part is Dupont D'Ivry, within a supporting cast rather than at the centre of the romance. James Ivory worked with him on two films, and this one places him among actors whose restraint carries considerable feeling. Our reservation is the music, which sometimes insists on an emotion the performances have already made clear; it is a film to choose for the company, not as a Lonsdale vehicle. The same caveat applies to *Ronin* (1998), where his Jean-Pierre is a small but memorable presence in John Frankenheimer’s thriller. Frankenheimer worked with him on three films, a substantial partnership behind what can look like a succession of supporting credits. We recommend this one for its tension, Robert De Niro and Jean Reno, and car chases that deserve the attention they receive. The plotting is less dependable, and Lonsdale’s brief appearance is not sufficient reason on its own to choose it. For a fuller sense of what he could do, make *India Song* the next stop. ## Biography Michael Lonsdale was a French-British actor who appeared in over 180 films and television productions. He was born Michael Edward Lonsdale-Crouch on 24 May 1931 in Paris and died on 21 September 2020 in Paris. He was bilingual and worked in both French- and English-language productions. He is known for roles including Hugo Drax in *Moonraker* (1979), Claude Lebel in *The Day of the Jackal* (1973), the Abbot in *The Name of the Rose* (1986), Dupont D'Ivry in *The Remains of the Day* (1993) and Jean-Pierre in *Ronin* (1998). In 2011 he won the César Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in *Of Gods and Men* (2010). Lonsdale also wrote ten books. *Sources: en.wikipedia.org, nytimes.com, imdb.com.* ## On Fi1m (12) - *Titeuf* (2011), Fi1m 65, as Le psy (voice) — [page](https://film.one/film/titeuf.md) - *Of Gods and Men* (2010), Fi1m 84, as Luc — [page](https://film.one/film/of-gods-and-men.md) - *Agora* (2009), Fi1m 66, as Theon — [page](https://film.one/film/agora.md) - *Munich* (2005), Fi1m 80, as Papa — [page](https://film.one/film/munich.md) - *Ronin* (1998), Fi1m 80, as Jean-Pierre — [page](https://film.one/film/ronin.md) - *The Remains of the Day* (1993), Fi1m 88, as Dupont D'Ivry — [page](https://film.one/film/the-remains-of-the-day.md) - *The Name of the Rose* (1986), Fi1m 77, as The Abbot — [page](https://film.one/film/the-name-of-the-rose.md) - *Smiley's People* (1982), Fi1m 82, as Anton Grigoriev — [page](https://film.one/tv/smileys-people.md) - *Moonraker* (1979), Fi1m 58, as Hugo Drax — [page](https://film.one/film/moonraker.md) - *India Song* (1975), Fi1m 78, as Le Vice-Consul de Lahore — [page](https://film.one/film/india-song.md) - *The Day of the Jackal* (1973), Fi1m 84, as Deputy Commissioner Claude Lebel — [page](https://film.one/film/the-day-of-the-jackal.md) - *Murmur of the Heart* (1971), Fi1m 61, as Father Henri — [page](https://film.one/film/murmur-of-the-heart.md) ## Complete filmography (192) Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page. - *The Life of Mirrors* (2025), Actor - *African Glory* (2024), as Christopher Columbus - *The Outsider* (2023), as Narrator (Voice) - *Degas and I* (2019), as Edgar Degas - *Salvador Dalí: Génie tragi-comique* (2019), as Narrator - *Bazin's Film* (2017), as Narrator - *Sculpt* (2016), Actor - *The First, the Last* (2016), as Jean-Berchmans - *Les Filles au Moyen-Âge* (2016), as Daniel - *J.R.R. Tolkien: Designer of Worlds* (2014), as (voice) - *N: The Madness Of Reason* (2014), as Narrator - *Maestro* (2014), as Cedric Rovère - *Rosenn* (2014), as (voice) - *Le Renard jaune* (2013), as Jean Virno - *Gebo and the Shadow* (2012), as Gebo - *Veilleurs dans la nuit - Une journée monastique à l'Abbaye Sainte-Madeleine du Barroux* (2011), as Narrateur - *The Cardboard Village* (2011), as Old Priest - *Free Men* (2011), as Si Kaddour Ben Ghabrit - *Hitler in Hollywood* (2011), as Michael Lonsdale - *Titeuf* (2011), as Le psy (voice) — Fi1m 65, [page](https://film.one/film/titeuf.md) - *Of Gods and Men* (2010), as Luc — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/of-gods-and-men.md) - *You'll Miss Me* (2009), as Max - *Agora* (2009), as Theon — Fi1m 66, [page](https://film.one/film/agora.md) - *Au siècle de Maupassant, contes et nouvelles du XIXe* (2009), series, as Le Grand Loustalot - *The Man from London* (2008), as Kocsmáros (voice) - *Le Silence de l'épervier* (2008), series, as Antoine Carsac - *To Each His Own Cinema* (2007), as The old blind man (segment "Le Don") - *Heartbeat Detector* (2007), as Mathias Jüst - *Go West: A Lucky Luke Adventure* (2007), as Bartleby (voice) - *The Last Mistress* (2007), as le vicomte Prony - *Les Mains d'Andréa* (2006), Actor - *Goya's Ghosts* (2006), as Inquisitor General - *Jeanne, à petits pas* (2006), as Louis - *Munich* (2005), as Papa — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/film/munich.md) - *Gentille* (2005), as Jean - *The Separation* (2005), as Paul Doumer - *Bye Bye Blackbird* (2005), as Robert - *The Perfume of the Lady in Black* (2005), as Professor Stangerson - *Invisible* (2005), as Le gardien - *Under a False Name* (2004), as David - *Adieu* (2004), as Serge - *Five Times Two* (2004), as Bernard - *Le Furet* (2003), as Don Salvadore - *The Mystery of the Yellow Room* (2003), as Stangerson - *Kaena: The Prophecy* (2003), as Opaz (voice) - *Le Mythe Cathare* (2002), as Narrator - *Those Facing Us* (2001), as Mikaël - *Actors* (2000), as Man walking down the street - *Is Dead - Portrait incomplet de Gertrude Stein* (2000), as Narrator (voice) - *A Monkey's Tale* (1999), as Maître Flavius (Voice) - *Ronin* (1998), as Jean-Pierre — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/film/ronin.md) - *Let There Be Light!* (1998), as Monseigneur Loublié - *Don Juan* (1998), as Don Luis - *Mauvais Genre* (1997), as Honoré de Balzac - *Jean Eustache's Wasted Breath* (1997), as (voice) - *Noise of Love and War* (1997), as The director - *La Plante Humaine* (1996), as Michel - *Nelly and Monsieur Arnaud* (1995), as Dollabella - *Jefferson in Paris* (1995), as Louis XVI - *Vroum-vroum* (1995), Actor - *Dieu sait quoi* (1994), as Narrator - *The Remains of the Day* (1993), as Dupont D'Ivry — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/film/the-remains-of-the-day.md) - *Woyzeck* (1993), as Le capitaine - *L'ordre du jour* (1993), as Stark - *My Life Is Hell* (1991), as Gabriel - *Maigret* (1991), series, as Guillaume Serre, Sir Lampson - *Seul face au crime* (1991), as Procuratore - *Out 1* (1990), as Thomas - *Souvenir* (1989), as Xavier Lorion - *Earthen Man* (1989), as (voice) - *The Tribulations of Balthazar Kober* (1988), as Cammerschulze - *Der Madonna-Mann* (1987), as Tanzmann - *Le Tiroir secret* (1986), series, as Philippe Jolivet - *The Name of the Rose* (1986), as The Abbot — Fi1m 77, [page](https://film.one/film/the-name-of-the-rose.md) - *Rendez-vous manqués* (1986), as Moralès - *L'air d'aimer* (1986), as Raymond - *The Memory of the Eye E.J. Marey* (1986), as Narrator - *Emile Reynaud* (1986), as Narrator - *Billy Ze Kick* (1985), as Commissaire Bellanger - *Le Génie du faux* (1985), series, as Constantin Escher - *The Insomniac on the Bridge* (1985), as Antonie - *The Holcroft Covenant* (1985), as Ernst Manfredi - *Good King Dagobert* (1984), as Saint Eloi - *The Judge* (1984), as Le docteur - *Chronopolis* (1983), as Narrator (voice) - *Une jeunesse* (1983), as Béjardy - *Erendira* (1983), as Senator Onésimo Sanchez - *The Boulugres* (1983), as Le roi (voice) - *La Rényon lontan* (1983), as Narrator (voice) - *Mora* (1982), Writer - *Enigma* (1982), as Bodley - *Smiley's People* (1982), series, as Anton Grigoriev — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/tv/smileys-people.md) - *Mersonne ne m'aime* (1982), as Commissioner Bancau - *Sweet Inquest on Violence* (1982), as Ash, the financier - *Le rose et le blanc* (1982), as Léon - *Alone* (1981), as Ludovic - *The Games of Countess Dolingen* (1981), as Bertrand Haines-Pearson - *The Bunker* (1981), as Martin Bormann - *Un paquebot dans la tête* (1981), as Roland Gougean-Roland - *Jean-Sans-Terre* (1980), as Jean Papeuil - *Moonraker* (1979), as Hugo Drax — Fi1m 58, [page](https://film.one/film/moonraker.md) - *The Passage* (1979), as Renoudot - *Ève avait l'éclat métallique de l'été* (1979), Actor - *The Left-Handed Woman* (1978), as The Waiter - *The Risk of Living* (1978), as narrator - *Aurais dû faire gaffe... le choc est terrible* (1977), Actor - *A Dirty Story* (1977), as The voyeur - *The Accuser* (1977), as Abéraud - *The Devil in the Box* (1977), as Georges Aubert - *Bartleby* (1976), as L'Huissier - *Mr. Klein* (1976), as Pierre - *Cygne II* (1976), as Narrator (voice) - *Son nom de Venise dans Calcutta désert* (1976), as The Vice Consul of Lahore - *Scrambled Eggs* (1976), as The President of the Republic - *Les Écrans déchirés* (1976), as Michael - *La nuit du beau marin peut-être?* (1976), as Boris - *The Pink Telephone* (1975), as M. Morrison, président de la Fielding - *Mad Enough to Kill* (1975), as Stephane Mostri - *The Romantic Englishwoman* (1975), as Swan - *India Song* (1975), as Le Vice-Consul de Lahore — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/film/india-song.md) - *The Track* (1975), as David Sutter - *Special Section* (1975), as Pierre Pucheu - le ministre de l'intérieur - *A Whale That Had a Toothache* (1975), as Le peintre - *Aloïse* (1975), as le médecin - *Galileo* (1975), as Cardinal Barberini (later Pope Urban VIII) - *Serious as Pleasure* (1975), as Inspecteur Fournier - *La Confession d'un enfant du siècle* (1974), series, as Smith - *The Suspects* (1974), as Judge Souftries - *No Pockets in a Shroud* (1974), as Raymond - *The Phantom of Liberty* (1974), as Hatter - *Malaventure* (1974), series, as Georges Mortier - *Caravan to Vaccarès* (1974), as Duc de Croyter - *The Truth About the Imaginary Passion of an Unknown* (1974), as Le reporter TV / Ponce Pilate - *Stavisky...* (1974), as Docteur Mézy - *La Grande Paulette* (1974), as Paul - *Successive Slidings of Pleasure* (1974), as The Judge - *Right to the city* (1974), as Narrator - *Film sur Hans Bellmer* (1974), as Narrator - *Les grands sentiments font les bons gueuletons* (1973), as Stéphane - *The Girl with the Cello* (1973), as Philippe Lariel - *Out 1: Spectre* (1973), as Thomas - *The Day of the Jackal* (1973), as Deputy Commissioner Claude Lebel — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/the-day-of-the-jackal.md) - *Autumn* (1972), as Julien, le réalisateur - *Chut !* (1972), as Sergel - *Les Années Lumière* (1972), as Narrator (voice) - *There Once Was a Cop* (1972), as Commissioner Lucas - *The Old Maid* (1972), as Monod - *Spring* (1971), as L'homme qui fuit - *Out 1* (1971), series, as Thomas - *Law Breakers* (1971), as Inspector Bertrand - *Murmur of the Heart* (1971), as Father Henri — Fi1m 61, [page](https://film.one/film/murmur-of-the-heart.md) - *Papa, the Lil' Boats* (1971), as Hippolyte the brother of Marylène - *Jaune, Le Soleil* (1971), as Un juif - *Le revolver et la rose* (1970), as Philippe de la Tour / Dimitri Korkesky - *Un troisième* (1970), as Le réalisateur - *La Fenêtre* (1970), as Bracquemont - *Les Cent Livres des Hommes* (1970), series, as Socrates - *The Stud* (1970), as Commissioner Donald Both - *Winter* (1969), as Julien & Marc - *Destroy, She Said* (1969), as Stein - *Hibernatus* (1969), as Edouard Loriebat - *The Nail Clippers* (1969), as Le mari - *The Big Wash* (1968), as Delaroche - *Stolen Kisses* (1968), as Georges Tabard - *The Bride Wore Black* (1968), as Morane - *The Man in the Buick* (1968), as L'inspecteur Farjon de la P.J. - *Zoo Story* (1968), as Peter - *Concerto for an Exile* (1968), as Un acteur au théâtre - *The Authentic Trial of Carl Emmanuel Jung* (1967), as L'Avocat de la Défense - *Judoka-Secret Agent* (1967), as Thomas Perkins - *Order of the Daisy* (1967), as Lastac / Lataque, expert en écritures / Le juge (voice) - *Is Paris Burning?* (1966), as Debu-Bridel (uncredited) - *Your Money or Your Life* (1966), as Speaker at the Shy People's Club - *Comédie* (1966), as L'homme (M) - *Hail! Mafia* (1965), as Hyman - *The Ghostly Rental* (1965), as Kernan - *The Buddies* (1965), as Lamendin - *Behold a Pale Horse* (1964), as Reporter - *The Little Misses* (1964), as L'elève - *Jaloux comme un tigre* (1964), as The grimacing motorist - *Le Petit Nicolas* (1964), as The father - *Snobs!* (1962), as Charles Dufaut - *The Trial* (1962), as Priest - *The Immoral Moment* (1962), as Mercier - *Crime Does Not Pay* (1962), as Acteur - *Le bureau des mariages* (1962), Actor - *Adorable Liar* (1962), as Albert - *The Door Slams* (1960), as Georges - *The Itchy Palm* (1960), as Nobert - *Les Trois Sœurs* (1960), as Andreï Prodarov - *A Bullet in the Gun Barrel* (1958), Actor - *It Happened in Aden* (1956), as Sinclair ## Gallery - ![Michael Lonsdale](https://film.one/media/person/82546/gallery-684679cdd92b.jpg) Michael Lonsdale — Photo Claude TRUONG-NGOC, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2c/Michael_Lonsdale_par_Claude_Truong-Ngoc_avril_2013.jpg/1280px-Michael_Lonsdale_par_Claude_Truong-Ngoc_avril_2013.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Michael Lonsdale à l'avant première de Les Hommes libres d'Ismaël Ferroukhi - Paris Cinéma (2011)](https://film.one/media/person/82546/gallery-415a0a4c16f8.jpg) Michael Lonsdale à l'avant première de Les Hommes libres d'Ismaël Ferroukhi - Paris Cinéma (2011) — Yann Caradec, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dd/Michael_Lonsdale.jpg/1280px-Michael_Lonsdale.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Michael Lonsdale Festival Paris Cinéma 2011.](https://film.one/media/person/82546/gallery-8b741e8f7a45.jpg) Michael Lonsdale Festival Paris Cinéma 2011. — Yann Caradec from Paris, France, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b0/Avant_premi%C3%A8re_du_film_Les_Hommes_libres_d%27Isma%C3%ABl_Ferroukhi_-_Paris_Cin%C3%A9ma_%285910462408%29.jpg/1280px-Avant_premi%C3%A8re_du_film_Les_Hommes_libres_d%27Isma%C3%ABl_Ferroukhi_-_Paris_Cin%C3%A9ma_%285910462408%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Michael Lonsdale Festival Paris Cinéma 2011.](https://film.one/media/person/82546/gallery-41d403af7d19.jpg) Michael Lonsdale Festival Paris Cinéma 2011. — Yann Caradec from Paris, France, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/da/Avant_premi%C3%A8re_du_film_Les_Hommes_libres_d%27Isma%C3%ABl_Ferroukhi_-_Paris_Cin%C3%A9ma_%285909907781%29.jpg/1280px-Avant_premi%C3%A8re_du_film_Les_Hommes_libres_d%27Isma%C3%ABl_Ferroukhi_-_Paris_Cin%C3%A9ma_%285909907781%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Michael Lonsdale Festival Paris Cinéma 2011.](https://film.one/media/person/82546/gallery-1fec875fa776.jpg) Michael Lonsdale Festival Paris Cinéma 2011. — Yann Caradec from Paris, France, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1f/Avant_premi%C3%A8re_du_film_Les_Hommes_libres_d%27Isma%C3%ABl_Ferroukhi_-_Paris_Cin%C3%A9ma_%285910416862%29.jpg/1280px-Avant_premi%C3%A8re_du_film_Les_Hommes_libres_d%27Isma%C3%ABl_Ferroukhi_-_Paris_Cin%C3%A9ma_%285910416862%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Michael Lonsdale in 2014](https://film.one/media/person/82546/gallery-44d807e2fba4.jpg) Michael Lonsdale in 2014 — Bruno Chatelin from paris, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Michael_Lonsdale_%2825282655063%29.jpg/1280px-Michael_Lonsdale_%2825282655063%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) ## Awards ### Other awards — 4 won, 2 nominated - Prix Marguerite Duras 2016: Prix Marguerite Duras (won) - César Award for Best Supporting Actor 2011: César Award for Best Supporting Actor (won), for *Of Gods and Men* - Globes de Cristal Awards 2011: Globes de Cristal Awards (won), for *Of Gods and Men* - Medal of the City of Paris 2011: Medal of the City of Paris (won) - César Award for Best Supporting Actor 2008: César Award for Best Supporting Actor (nominated), for *Heartbeat Detector* - César Award for Best Supporting Actor 1996: César Award for Best Supporting Actor (nominated), for *Nelly and Mr. Arnaud* *From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.* --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/michael-lonsdale