Among his most famous films are "Blood-Red Sun" and "Scorpio". The comedy "Poor Little Women" (1959) became a success in France and was the first of Delon's films to be shown in the USA.
He established himself internationally with roles in "Hot Sun" (1960) and especially the major breakthrough "Rocco and His Brothers" (1960). His career never really took off in the USA, but Delon made several classics in Italy and France.
Alain Delon had a turbulent upbringing. His parents divorced early, and Delon was sent to a foster family for a period. He was expelled from school and came into contact with the underworld. He also served as a paratrooper in the French marines during the Indochina War and the Battle of Dien Bien Phu in 1954, but was kicked out of the navy after stealing a jeep. Back in France, Delon associated with criminals and prostitutes before being discovered as an actor.
From Heartthrob to Gangster
Delon worked with directors such as Luchino Visconti, Jean-Luc Godard, Jean-Pierre Melville, Michelangelo Antonioni, and Louis Malle. At the beginning of his career, he often got roles as a heartthrob, and later more in gangster films.
Delon was also controversial. In 2019, he was awarded the honorary Palme d'or d'Honneur at the Cannes Film Festival, which caused protests as Delon was accused of violence against women, racism, and homophobia. Delon was defended by festival director Thierry Fremaux, who said that the Cannes Film Festival was honoring Delon's career and not his opinions.
In a notable TV interview the same year, Delon admitted that he saw no problem with slapping women, but that he had never "beaten up" a woman. His son Anthony also stated that his father had abused his mother.
Suspected of His Bodyguard's Death
In 1968, Delon was at the center of the so-called Marković affair, where his friend and bodyguard Stevan Marković died under violent circumstances. It was speculated that Delon himself, along with a criminal acquaintance, was involved in the death. The case never got a solution.
Alain Delon had a successful career but made few film appearances after 1990. In 2019, he suffered a stroke. He died at the age of 88 after a period of illness, according to his three children in a statement.
"He passed away peacefully at his home in Douchy, surrounded by his three children and his family," the statement reads.
Alain Delon got his film breakthrough in "Rocco and His Brothers" (1960) by Luchino Visconti. This was followed by "Fever" (1962) by Michelangelo Antonioni and "The Leopard" (1963) by Luchino Visconti.
In the following decades, Delon mainly appeared in gangster and police films such as "Samurai Killer" (1967), "Borsalino" (1970), "The Criminals" (1972), "Scorpio" (1979), and "A Cop's Honor" (1985). In 2008, Delon played Julius Caesar in "Asterix at the Olympic Games."
Source: NE
