Hamidou Benmessaoud (; 2 August 1935 – 19 September 2013), best known as Amidou, was a Moroccan-French film, television, and stage actor.

Biography

Born in

Rabat Rabat (, also , ; ) is the Capital (political), capital city of Morocco and the List of cities in Morocco, country's seventh-largest city with an urban population of approximately 580,000 (2014) and a metropolitan population of over 1.2 million. ...

, at 17 Amidou moved to Paris to attend the CNSAD. In 1968 he made his debut on stage, in

Jean Genet Jean Genet (; ; – ) was a French novelist, playwright, poet, essayist, and political activist. In his early life he was a vagabond and petty criminal, but he later became a writer and playwright. His major works include the novels '' The Th ...

's '' Les paravents''. Amidou was best known for his association with director

Claude Lelouch Claude Barruck Joseph Lelouch (; born 30 October 1937) is a French film director, writer, cinematographer, actor and producer. Lelouch grew up in an Algerian Jewish family. He emerged as a prominent director in the 1960s. Lelouch gained critical ...

, with whom he shot eleven films, including Lelouch's film debut ''

Le propre de l'homme ''Le Propre de l'homme'' is a 1960 film directed by Claude Lelouch. Synopsis Claude and Janine get to know each other through friends. They spend a day in Paris and they become a couple. An exploration of the formation of a couple from both poi ...

'' (1960). He made his debut in a Moroccan film in 1969, starring in ''Soleil de printemps'' directed by Latif Lahlou. His career included roles in Spaghetti Westerns like '' Buddy Goes West'' and several American productions, including

William Friedkin William David Friedkin (; August 29, 1935 – August 7, 2023) was an American film, television and opera director, producer, and screenwriter who was closely identified with the "New Hollywood" movement of the 1970s. Beginning his career in doc ...

's ''Sorcerer'',

John Frankenheimer John Michael Frankenheimer (February 19, 1930 – July 6, 2002) was an American film and television director known for social dramas and action/suspense films. Among his credits are ''Birdman of Alcatraz (film), Birdman of Alcatraz'', ''The Manc ...

's ''Ronin'' and

John Huston John Marcellus Huston ( ; August 5, 1906 – August 28, 1987) was an American film director, screenwriter and actor. He wrote the screenplays for most of the 37 feature films he directed, many of which are today considered classics. He rec ...

's '' Escape to Victory''. In 1969, Amidou was awarded best actor at the

Rio de Janeiro International Film Festival The Festival do Rio is an international film festival in Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro, or simply Rio, is the capital of the Rio de Janeiro (state), state of Rio de Janeiro. It is the List of cities in Brazil by population, second-most-populou ...

for his role in '' Life Love Death'' by Claude Lelouch, and later won best actor awards at the Cairo Film Festival (for ''Pursuit'' by Leila Triquie) and at the Tangier Film Festival (for Rachid Boutounes's ''Here and There''). In 2005 he received, from the hands of

Martin Scorsese Martin Charles Scorsese ( , ; born November17, 1942) is an American filmmaker. One of the major figures of the New Hollywood era, he has received List of awards and nominations received by Martin Scorsese, many accolades, including an Academ ...

, a Lifetime Career Award at the International Film Festival of Marrakech. He was also the first Moroccan actor to have won an acting award at the National Conservatory of Dramatic Art. Amidou died on 19 September 2013 in

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

, France, from an undisclosed illness.

Filmography

*''

'' (1961) *'' Une fille et des fusils'' (1965) – Amidou *'' The Grand Moments'' (1966) – Roger Amy *''

Brigade antigangs ''Brigade antigangs'' is a 1966 French-Italian film directed by Bernard Borderie. Synopsis Restaurateur Sartet is investigated over being behind a great many robberies. When a special task force known as ''Brigade antigangs'' under the helm o ...

'' (1966) – Broken Nose *'' Live for Life'' (1967) – Photographer *''Fleur d'oseille'' (1967) – Francis *''La Fille d'en face'' (1968) – The seducer *'' La Chamade'' (1968) – Etienne *'' Life Love Death'' (1969) – François Toledo *''Soleil de printemps'' (1969) *'' Le Voyou'' (1970) – Bill *''Comptes à rebours'' (1971) – Macyas *'' Smic Smac Smoc'' (1971) – Smoc *''La Poudre d'escampette'' (1971) – Ali *'' Trois milliards sans ascenseur'' (1972) – José *''What a Flash!'' (1972) *''La Punition'' (1973) – Raymond *''La Valise'' (1973) – Lieutenant Abdul Fouad *'' Rosebud'' (1975) – Kirkbane *'' Sorcerer'' (1977) – Kassem / Martinez *'' Buddy Goes West'' (1981) – Girolamo / Eagle Eye *'' Escape to Victory'' (1981) – André *''Les P'tites Têtes'' (1982) – Prince Douzami *''Afghanistan pourquoi ?'' (1983) *'' La Nuit porte-jarretelles'' (1985) *'' Adieu Blaireau'' (1985) – Poupée *'' Catherine'' (1986) – Abou-al-Khayr (TV Series) *''Champagne amer'' (1989) – Slim *''L'union sacrée'' (1989) – Le Kabyle *'' There Were Days... and Moons'' (1990) – The incredulous policeman *'' La Belle Histoire'' (1992) – The shepherd *''

Day of Atonement Yom Kippur ( ; , ) is the holiest day of the year in Judaism. It occurs annually on the 10th of Tishrei, corresponding to a date in late September or early October. For traditional Jewish people, it is primarily centered on atonement and ...

'' (1992) – Si Ali *''Unveiled'' (1994) – Det. Brahms *''Lalla Hobby'' (1996) – Haj Moussa *''Soleil'' (1997) – Mokzar *'' Ronin'' (1998) – Man at Exchange *'' Hideous Kinky'' (1998) – Sufi Sheikh *'' Rules of Engagement'' (2000) – Dr. Ahmar *'' Spy Game'' (2001) – Dr. Ahmed *'' And Now... Ladies and Gentlemen...'' (2002) – Police Inspector *''Heaven's Doors'' (2006) – Mansour *''Moussem lamchaoucha'' (2009) – Haj Lamfadel *''Comme les cinq doigts de la main'' (2010) – Lakdar

Theater

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Amidou 1935 births Moroccan male film actors Actors from Rabat 2013 deaths Moroccan emigrants to France Moroccan male stage actors Moroccan male television actors French National Academy of Dramatic Arts alumni 20th-century Moroccan male actors 21st-century Moroccan male actors