Alain Cuny
Biography
Alain Cuny was a French actor born René Xavier Marie on July 12, 1908, in Saint-Malo, Brittany, and died on May 16, 1994. He studied medicine for a time before entering the film industry as a costume and set designer. He began acting in the 1930s. Among his most notable films are Les Visiteurs du soir in 1942, directed by Marcel Carné, The Lovers in 1958, and Federico Fellini films La dolce vita in 1960 and Satyricon in 1969. Later in his career, Cuny appeared in the softcore porn film Emmanuelle in 1974 and played Sitting Bull in the absurdist western Don't Touch the White Woman the same year.
Career overview
Alain Cuny was a French actor born in Saint-Malo, Brittany, on July 12, 1908. Before entering the film industry, he studied medicine for a while and initially worked as a costume and set designer. Cuny began his acting career in the 1930s.
Among his most notable films are Les Visiteurs du soir in 1942, directed by Marcel Carné, and Les Amants, also known as The Lovers, in 1958. He also appeared in two films directed by Federico Fellini, namely La dolce vita in 1960 and Satyricon in 1969. Later in his career, Cuny had a role in the softcore porn film Emmanuelle in 1974. Also in 1974, he played the character Sitting Bull in the absurdist western Don't Touch the W. Alain Cuny passed away on May 16, 1994.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full Filmography
78 titles- Emmanuelle in Ontario (2025) as Mario (archival footage)
- Histoire(s) du Cinéma 3a: The Coin of the Absolute (2006) as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
- Fellini: I'm a Born Liar (2003) as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
- La famiglia Ricordi (1995)
- Dear Antonioni (1995) as Self
- The Return of Casanova (1992) as Marquis
- Sweet War, Farewell (1991) as Vecchio Crimen
- The Annunciation of Marie (1991) as Anne Vercors
- The Annunciation of Marie (1991) Director
- The Annunciation of Marie (1991) Screenplay
- Film sur Georges Perec (1990) as Self
- Les chevaliers de la table ronde (1990) as Merlin
- Histoire(s) du cinéma (1989) as Self
- Camille Claudel (1988) as Louis-Prosper Claudel
- La coscienza di Zeno (1988) as Alfio Cosini sr.
- Umi e, See You (1988) as Don Macine
- Van Gogh à Paris, repérages (1988) as Lecteur des textes d'Artaud
- Chronicle of a Death Foretold (1987) as El Viudo Xius
- Lucky Ravi (1987) as Plantation Owner
- The Distant Land (1987) as Aigner
- Detective (1985) as Old Mafioso
- Buio nella Valle (1984) as Luigi
- Fellini nel cestino (1983) as Self
- The Basileus Quartet (1983) as Mario Cantone
- Time Masters (1982) as Xul (voice)
- Deuil en 24 heures (1982) as Le colonel Carvin
- Colomba (1982)
- The Games of Countess Dolingen (1981)
- Christ Stopped at Eboli (1979) as Barone Nicola Rotunno
- Le Journal (1979) as Wilchaint
- Roberte (1979) as La voix du pur esprit
- The Song of Roland (1978) as Turpin/der Mönch
- Illustrious Corpses (1976) as Judge Rasto
- I prosseneti (1976) as Il conte Davide
- Two in the Amsterdam Rain (1975)
- E il Casanova di Fellini? (1975) as Self
- Irene, Irene (1975) as Guido
- Emmanuelle (1974) as Mario
- Le Roman de Renart (1974) as Ysengrin (voice)
- Don't Touch the White Woman! (1974) as Sitting Bull
- Antigone (1974) as Le Coryphée
- La rosa rossa (1973) as Count Paolo Balzeri
- La divine comédie (1973) as Virgile
- Valparaiso, Valparaiso (1973) as Balthazar Lamarck-Caulaincourt
- Midi trente (1972) as Self
- The Audience (1972) as teologa Belga
- The Master and Margarita (1972) as Profesor Woland & Satana
- La Légende du siècle (1972) as Self
- Samedi soir (1971) as Self
- The Big Black Sow (1971) as Il Padre di Enrico
- Many Wars Ago (1970) as Gen. Leone
- Ciao, Federico! (1970) as Self (uncredited)
- The Milky Way (1969) as Man with cape
- Satyricon (1969) as Lica
- Safari 5000 (1969)
- La forêt noire (1968) as Hans Richter
- Mission of Fear (1965) as Jean de Brébeuf
- Banana Peel (1963) as Hervé Bontemps
- Corruption (1963) as Leonardo Mattioli
- Cross of the Living (1962) as Baron Von Eggerth
- Scano Boa (1961) as Cavarzan
- La Dolce Vita (1960) as Steiner
- The Lovers (1958) as Henri Tournier
- Cinépanorama (1956) as Self
- The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1956) as Claude Frollo
- The Vanquished (1953) Second Assistant Director
- The Lady Without Camelias (1953) as Lodi
- Mina de Vanghel (1953) as Mr. de Larçay
- Les Crimes de l'amour (1953) as Mr. de Larçay (segment 'Mina de Vanghel')
- The Solitary Conquerors (1952) as Pascal Giroud
- Red Shirts - Anita Garibaldi (1952) as Bueno
- The Forbidden Christ (1951) as Antonio
- Solita de Cordoue (1946) as Pierre Desluc
- The Phantom Baron (1943) as Hervé
- The Devil's Envoys (1942) as Gilles, a Minstrel
- Stormy Waters (1941) as Un matelot du « Mirva » (uncredited)
- Madame Sans-Gêne (1941) as Roustan
- My Crimes After Mein Kampf (1940) as Marinus van der Lubbe (l'incendiaire du Reichstag)
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is Alain Cuny best known for?
Alain Cuny is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including Spectre (2015), Camille Claudel (1988), Detective (1985), Time Masters (1982).
When and where was Alain Cuny born?
Alain Cuny was born on July 12, 1908 in Saint-Malo, Ille-et-Vilaine, France. They passed away on May 16, 1994.
How many credits does Alain Cuny have?
Alain Cuny has accumulated over 78 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1940 to 2025.
What is Alain Cuny's background in cinema and television?
Alain Cuny was a French actor born René Xavier Marie on July 12, 1908, in Saint-Malo, Brittany, and died on May 16, 1994. He studied medicine for a time before entering the film industry as a costume and set designer. He began acting in the 1930s. Among his most notable films are Les Visiteurs du soir in 1942, directed...
Alain Cuny by the numbers
Age in their best-rated roles
- Cinépanorama (1956) as Self — aged about 47
- La Dolce Vita (1960) as Steiner — aged about 51
- Corruption (1963) as Leonardo Mattioli — aged about 54
- Many Wars Ago (1970) as Gen. Leone — aged about 61
- Time Masters (1982) as Xul (voice) — aged about 73
- The Milky Way (1969) as Man with cape — aged about 60
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