Yves Montand

Lore & Background

Montand was born Ivo Livi in Stignano, Tuscany, Italy, to Giovanni Livi, a broom manufacturer, and Giuseppina Simoni, a devout Catholic. His family left Italy for France in 1923 following fascist Benito Mussolini's rise to power. He grew up in Marseille, working in his sister's beauty salon and later on the docks, before beginning a career as a music-hall singer. In 1944, he was discovered by Édith Piaf in Paris, who made him part of her act.

Montand achieved international recognition as a singer and actor, starring in many films. He was one of the best known performers at Bruno Coquatrix's Paris Olympia music hall. In October 1947, he sang 'Mais qu'est-ce que j'ai ?' at the Théâtre de l'Étoile. He initially refused to sing 'C'est si bon' but recorded it after its success by the Sœurs Étienne in 1948. He was very popular in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, where he did a concert tour in 1956-57. He acted in American motion pictures and on Broadway, and was nominated for César Awards for Best Actor in 1980 and 1984. In 1986, he gave a well-remembered performance as the scheming uncle in Jean de Florette and Manon des Sources, which revived his profile in the United States.

In 1951, he married Simone Signoret, and they co-starred in several films. The marriage was fairly harmonious until her death in 1985, though Montand had well-publicised affairs, notably with Marilyn Monroe. He was stepfather to Catherine Allégret. His only child, a son named Valentine, was born in 1988 to his second wife, Carole Amiel. A paternity suit after his death led to his exhumation for DNA testing, which showed he was not the biological father. He supported left-wing causes in the 1950s and 1960s, but by the mid-1980s his views shifted to the right. He died of a heart attack in November 1991 on the set of IP5: The Island of Pachyderms, and is interred next to Signoret in Père Lachaise Cemetery.

Reader's Guide

Yves Montand's significance lies in his dual career as a singer and actor, spanning French and international stages. As a crooner, his songs about Paris became instant classics, and his performances at the Paris Olympia cemented his status. His film work ranged from French cinema to Hollywood, with a late-career revival in Jean de Florette and Manon des Sources, which brought him renewed acclaim. Montand's personal life, including his marriage to Simone Signoret and his affairs, as well as his political shifts from left to right, reflect the complexities of his era. His legacy is marked by his artistic output and the controversies that followed him, including allegations of sexual abuse by his stepdaughter Catherine Allégret, which she claimed were reconciled before his death. He remains a figure of enduring interest in French cultural history.

Did You Know?

• Montand was born Ivo Livi in Tuscany, Italy, and his family fled to France in 1923 after Mussolini's rise to power.
• He was discovered by Édith Piaf in Paris in 1944, who made him part of her act.
• He initially refused to sing 'C'est si bon' but recorded it after the Sœurs Étienne's 1948 success.
• After his death, a paternity suit led to his exhumation for DNA testing, which proved he was not the girl's biological father.