Michel Constantin
Born July 13, 1924 (Age: 101)
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Boulogne-Billancourt, Hauts-de-Seine, France
Biography
Michel Constantin (born Constantin Hokhloff; 13 July 1924 – 28 August 2003) was a French actor and professional volleyball player. He was the men’s national volleyball champion from 1954 to 1956, before making his film debut as a convict in the 1960 prison thriller The Hole. Thanks to his stature and striking features, he became a popular character actor in crime films, often playing thugs and gangsters. He appeared in several films alongside his friend Charles Bronson during the 1970's. Born Constantin Hokhloff in Billancourt (near Paris), he was the son of a White Russian emigre father and his Polish wife. Hokhloff's father was a former officer in the Russian Army, of Kalmyk descent. He had met Hokhloff's mother while he was stationed in Warsaw, Congress Poland. After the Russian Civil War, the coupled moved to Paris, along with many other White emigres. During World War II, he worked at the Renault factories in Boulogne-Billancourt, where his family lived. Thanks to his height (1.85 meters) and athletic ability, Constantin was recruited by the volleyball team of Club olympique de Billancourt (CO Billancourt) in 1943. He switched teams to Racing Club de France for the 1947-48 season, but returned to CO Billancourt the following season. As setter, he led the team to French national championships in 1954, 1955 and 1956. It was during this period that he changed his name to Michel Constantin. During this time, he was also a freelance reporter for the sports journal L'Équipe. Constantin appeared as an extra in the 1956 film Plucking the Daisy, but made his first significant acting debut in the 1960 prison thriller The Hole. Director Jacques Becker and screenwriter José Giovanni sought to recruit a cast of non-professional actors to play the various convicts. Becker's son Jean knew Constantin from his volleyball days, and recommended him for the part. The film was a critical and commercial success, and enabled Constantin's transition into an acting career. Source: Article "Michel Constantin" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA.
Michel Constantin (born Constantin Hokhloff; 13 July 1924 – 28 August 2003) was a French actor and professional volleyball player. He was the men’s national volleyball champion from 1954 to 1956, before making his film debut as a convict in the 1960 prison thriller The Hole. Thanks to his stature and striking features, he became a popular character actor in crime films, often playing thugs and gangsters. He appeared in several films alongside his friend Charles Bronson during the 1970's.
Born Constantin Hokhloff in Billancourt (near Paris), he was the son of a White Russian emigre father and his Polish wife. Hokhloff's father was a former officer in the Russian Army, of Kalmyk descent. He had met Hokhloff's mother while he was stationed in Warsaw, Congress Poland. After the Russian Civil War, the coupled moved to Paris, along with many other White emigres. During World War II, he worked at the Renault factories in Boulogne-Billancourt, where his family lived.
Thanks to his height (1.85 meters) and athletic ability, Constantin was recruited by the volleyball team of Club olympique de Billancourt (CO Billancourt) in 1943. He switched teams to Racing Club de France for the 1947-48 season, but returned to CO Billancourt the following season. As setter, he led the team to French national championships in 1954, 1955 and 1956. It was during this period that he changed his name to Michel Constantin.
During this time, he was also a freelance reporter for the sports journal L'Équipe.
Constantin appeared as an extra in the 1956 film Plucking the Daisy, but made his first significant acting debut in the 1960 prison thriller The Hole. Director Jacques Becker and screenwriter José Giovanni sought to recruit a cast of non-professional actors to play the various convicts. Becker's son Jean knew Constantin from his volleyball days, and recommended him for the part. The film was a critical and commercial success, and enabled Constantin's transition into an acting career.
Source: Article "Michel Constantin" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA.
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Filmography
Ville à vendre
1992
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as Docteur Bernier
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Age: 67
La loi sauvage
1988
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as Victor Molini
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Age: 63
La Baston
1985
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as Raoul
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Age: 61
Le Deuxième Couteau
1985
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as Commissaire Bartillot
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Age: 60
The Telephone Always Rings Twice
1985
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as Le directeur du cinéma
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Age: 60
Fear in the City
1981
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as Don Vincenzo Talascio
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Age: 57
Signé Furax
1981
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as Grougnache
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Age: 56
Plein les poches pour pas un rond...
1978
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as Steff
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Age: 54
The Inglorious Bastards
1978
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as Veronique
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Age: 53
No Pockets in a Shroud
1974
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as Culli
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Age: 50
The Beast
1974
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as Sandro Colautti
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Age: 50
OK Patron
1974
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as Mario (uncredited)
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Age: 49
Man in the Trunk
1973
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as Capt. Augier
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Age: 49
Special Killers
1973
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as Inspector Palma
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Age: 49
Le Mataf
1973
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as Bernard Solville
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Age: 48
Killing in the Sun
1973
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as Marius Fantoni, aka 'Fanto'
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Age: 48
The Outside Man
1972
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as Antoine
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Age: 48
The Pariah
1972
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as Xavier Saratov, Georgia's brother and Roberto's friend
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Age: 48
The Big Shots
1972
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as Weiss
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Age: 48
There Once Was a Cop
1972
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as Commissioner Campana alias Louis Lopez
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Age: 47
The Lion's Share
1971
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as Inspector Michel Grazzi
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Age: 47
A Very Curious Girl
1969
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as André
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Age: 45
The Strangers
1969
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as Chamoun
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Age: 44
The Southern Star
1969
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as Jose
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Age: 44
The Wise Guys
1965
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as Skida
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Age: 41
Les Gorilles
1964
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as Otto, the legionnaire (uncredited)
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Age: 40
Maigret Sees Red
1963
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as Cicero
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Age: 39
Law of Men
1962
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as Paulo, friend of Sophie
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Age: 37
A Man Named Rocca
1961
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as Head of the American Racketeers
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Age: 37
Le Trou
1960
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as Geo Cassine
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Age: 35