1924-07-13 Boulogne-Billancourt, Hauts-de-Seine, France
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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Ville à vendre | Docteur Bernier | 1992-02-26 |
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La loi sauvage | Victor Molini | 1988-05-05 |
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Le téléphone sonne toujours deux fois | Le directeur du cinéma | 1985-01-23 |
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La Baston | Raoul | 1985-08-07 |
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Le Deuxième Couteau | Commissaire Bartillot | 1985-05-22 |
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Les Morfalous | Adjutant Edouard Mahuzard | 1984-03-28 |
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Tir groupé | Alexandre Gagnon | 1982-09-21 |
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Deux heures moins le quart avant Jésus-Christ | Secutor Flavien Magister | 1982-10-06 |
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Il cappotto di legno | Don Vincenzo Talascio | 1981-11-01 |
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Signé Furax | Grougnache | 1981-04-01 |
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Quel maledetto treno blindato | Veronique | 1978-02-08 |
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Plein les poches pour pas un rond... | Steff | 1978-12-20 |
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Sahara Cross | Carl Mank | 1977-09-10 |
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Au-delà de la peur | Guilloux | 1975-09-23 |
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La Traque | Le capitaine Nimier | 1975-05-14 |
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Un linceul n'a pas de poches | Culli | 1974-10-25 |
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Il bestione | Sandro Colautti | 1974-08-12 |
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OK patron | Mario (uncredited) | 1974-06-01 |
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La ragazza di via Condotti | Inspector Palma | 1973-08-11 |
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Le Mataf | Bernard Solville | 1973-06-14 |
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Les hommes | Marius Fantoni, aka 'Fanto' | 1973-03-15 |
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La Valise | Capt. Augier | 1973-10-12 |
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Un homme est mort | Antoine | 1972-12-21 |
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Il était une fois un flic... | Commissioner Campana alias Louis Lopez | 1972-02-11 |
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Les caïds | Weiss | 1972-10-31 |
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La Scoumoune | Xavier Saratov, Georgia's brother and Roberto's friend | 1972-12-12 |
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La part des lions | Inspector Michel Grazzi | 1971-09-08 |
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Laisse aller... c'est une valse | Michel | 1971-04-07 |
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Vertige pour un tueur | René | 1970-08-05 |
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Cold Sweat | Whitey | 1970-12-18 |
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Città violenta | Killain | 1970-09-17 |
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L'Ardoise | Gilani | 1970-01-09 |
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La Peau de Torpédo | Coster | 1970-06-03 |
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Un condé | Viletti | 1970-10-05 |
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Dernier domicile connu | Greg, the henchman | 1970-02-25 |
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La Fiancée du pirate | André | 1969-12-03 |
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The Southern Star | Jose | 1969-03-04 |
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Les Étrangers | Chamoun | 1969-06-11 |
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Mise à sac | Georges | 1967-11-15 |
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Dalle Ardenne all'inferno | Sgt Rudolph Petrowsky | 1967-09-21 |
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Jerk à Istanbul | Vincent | 1967-07-23 |
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La Loi du survivant | Stan | 1967-04-19 |
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Le Deuxième Souffle | Alban, Manouche's bodyguard | 1966-11-01 |
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Ne nous fâchons pas | Jeff, boss of the "Homard Américain" | 1966-04-20 |
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Les Grandes Gueules | Skida | 1965-10-22 |
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Les Gorilles | Otto, the legionnaire (uncredited) | 1964-12-23 |
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Maigret voit rouge | Cicero | 1963-09-18 |
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La Loi des hommes | Paulo, friend of Sophie | 1962-07-04 |
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Un nommé La Rocca | Head of the American Racketeers | 1961-11-17 |
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Le Trou | Geo Cassine | 1960-03-18 |
