On the morning of July 16, 1982 in the Bois de Boulogne, he played with Évelyne Bouix in front of Claude Lelouch's camera, the first trials of Edith and Marcel.
At the beginning of the afternoon, Patrick Dewaere, alone at home, committed suicide at home by shooting himself in the mouth.
The actor was only 35 years old but he was already, since
Les Valseuses
by Bertrand Blier in 1974, a generational myth.
It was 40 years ago.
From his tormented childhood in a family of acrobats to his first successes through his excesses (alcohol, hard drugs, etc.), L
e Figaro looks
back on the life and career of one of the most important actors in French cinema. , which remains to this day a model for many young actors.
Watch the videoPatrick Dewaere: The tragic novel of an icon of French cinema
●
1947.
Patrick Bourdeaux - the name of his adoptive father Pierre-Marie Bourdeaux - was born on January 26 in Saint-Brieuc into a family of artists.
He is the son of actress Mado Maurin and an unknown father.
His siblings, Jean-Pierre Maurin (1941-1946), Yves-Marie Maurin (1944-2009), Dominique Collignon-Maurin, Jean-François Vlérick and Marie-Véronique Maurin also left their mark on the great family of French cinema.
●
1950.
This child of the ball makes his "debut" under the pseudonym of Patrick Maurin on the stage of the Chaillot theater in the play
Primerose
by Robert Flers in which his mother Mado plays.
●
1963.
Plays in
Nobody's Son
by Henry de Montherlant at the Théâtre des Mathurins.
The famous novelist sends him a letter of congratulations for the quality of his interpretation.
●
1964.
Birth of the pseudonym Patrick de Waëre which will become Dewaere.
He was inspired by the surname of his maternal great-grandmother who was named Devaëre.
●
1967.
He plays the hero in
Jean de la Tour Miracle
by Jean-Paul Carrère, a television soap opera broadcast on the first channel of the historic ORTF.
This adaptation of the novel
The Lucky Prisoner
by Joseph-Arthur de Gobineau enjoyed great popular success.
On the set, like a Belmondo, he refuses to be overtaken and performs his stunts.
His career is launched.
●
1968.
Starts working at the Café de la Gare under the direction of Romain Bouteille.
He rubbed shoulders with other beginner actors such as Coluche, Martin Lamotte, Henri Guybet and Sylvette Herry who would become famous under his nickname Miou-Miou.
The latter who is still an apprentice actress will live a great passion with Patrick Dewaere which will last until 1975. From this love was born Angèle Herry who today is a recognized screenwriter (
Julie Lescaut
,
Sister Thérèse.com
...).
●
1974.
The film by Bertrand Blier
Les Valseuses
reveals three talents: Gérard Depardieu, Miou-Miou and... Patrick Dewaere.
It is the beginning of glory and of a myth.
The director and his actors become symbols of the post-sixty-eight spirit.
●
1975.
Miou-Miou leaves Patrick Dewaere for Julien Clerc.
The two actors still play together after their separation in
F...like Fairbanks
.
On the set, the atmosphere is electric.
This separation will have serious consequences on the psychic balance of the actor.
It is from this time that most biographers of Dewaere date the beginning of his discovery of artificial paradises.
Three years later, the actor will follow a detoxification treatment.
●
1979.
The movie
Alain Corneau's
Black Series hits the screens.
This desperate work shows a Patrick Dewaere capable of appropriating his character to excess.
●
1980.
An article by Patrice de Nussac in
Le Journal du Dimanche
makes public the actor's future marriage to Elsa.
Accompanied by two men, the actor beat the journalist.
The case causes a great scandal from which Patrick Dewaere does not come out unscathed.
●
July 16, 1982.
Patrick Dewaere commits suicide at home by shooting himself in the mouth.
In the morning, he had shot tests for Claude Lelouch's film,
Edith and Marcel
.
The actor disappears in full glory.
He was only 35...