Françoise Blanchard
Françoise Blanchard (6 June 1954 – 29 May 2013) was a French actress and voice dubbing artist. Her most notable work is that of her role in the 1982 French film La morte vivante, directed by Jean Rollin.[2] Blanchard had collaborated with Rollin on several occasions in films Les trottoirs de Bangkok (1984), À la poursuite de Barbara (1991) and La nuit des horloges (2007). She had worked frequently with directors Richard Balducci and Jesús Franco. She was also known for her work as a voice artist, having dubbed several animated television series including Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Totally Spies!
Françoise Blanchard | |
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Françoise Blanchard in La Morte Vivante | |
Born | Saint-Mandé, France | 6 June 1954
Died | 29 May 2013 58)[1] | (aged
Occupation | Hand model Actress Voice dubbing artist |
Years active | 1979–2013 |
Notable work | La morte vivante (1982) |
Career
Blanchard's career stretched from between the late 1970s until the early 1990s. She may have been best known for playing Catherine Valmont in 1982 horror La Morte Vivante (The Living Dead Girl), a film from Jean Rollin.
She also appeared in films by directors Jess Franco and Bruno Mattei. She recalled her career in an interview, which was featured on the Encore release of La Morte Vivante, she mentioned that it was a tragedy and a coincidence that started her career in the late 1970s. While trying to make ends meet as a hand model, she lost her brother in the late 1970. Around that same time she was offered her first role, coincidentally as someone who had also lost a family member. Françoise approached the part skeptically as she remembered that at that time she was, "aggressive against people but also a bit confused" due to the death of her brother. She enjoyed the experience and took a serious interest in acting, so decided to take acting lessons afterwards.
Blanchard soon became involved in several B movies when her career quickly became intertwined with the legendary Eurocine company. "I liked the feel of these B movies, especially horror", Françoise noted to Encore, which perhaps explains why she became so popular to several of the most noteworthy genre directors of the late 1970s. She also mentioned that she didn't mind nudity and even went so far as to pose for Lui Magazine in the early 1980s. After several films directors such as Pierre Chevalier, Françoise took a role in Bruno Mattei's Caligula and Messalina in 1981. The following year she appeared in Jess Franco's Revenge In The House Of Usher, and she liked Franco and admired his creativity and fire.
She then appeared in the La Morte Vivante with Rollin. The night shoot on the film was mostly difficult and there were many problems with the special effects but, despite some disagreements, she liked and admired Rollin and admitted to Encore that, "he is really nice and is very much there". She enjoyed working with and admired her co-star in the film, Italian actress Marina Pierro, and noted, "she is very maternal with me." Françoise worked again with Rollin in Les Trottoirs De Bangkok (The Sidewalks Of Bangkok), a film which she had a lot of fun making, and she appeared in his newest film production La nuit des horloges (The Night of Clocks) opposite Ovidie.
Death
Blanchard died on 29 May 2013,[3] eight days before her 59th birthday. The cause of death was not disclosed.[4]
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Directed by | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
1979 | Les joyeuses colonies de vacances | L'infirmière | Michel Gérard | |
1980 | Une si jolie petite fille | Françoise | Jacques Peroni | |
1980 | Une maison bien tranquille | Unnamed role | Jean-Claude Strömme | |
1980 | Popeye | Olive Oyl (voice) | Robert Altman | French dub |
1981 | Caligula and Messalina | Agrippina | Bruno Mattei & Antonio Passalia | |
1981 | Les brigades roses | Unnamed role | Jean-Claude Strömme | |
1981 | La Maison Tellier | La veuve | Pierre Chevalier | "The Tellier House" |
1982 | L'oasis des filles perdues | Annie | José Jara | "Police Destination Oasis" |
1982 | Nerone e Poppea | Unnamed role | Bruno Mattei & Antonio Passalia | |
1982 | N'oublie pas ton père au vestiaire... | Juliette | Richard Balducci | |
1982 | Les p'tites têtes | Paloma | Bernard Menez | |
1982 | La morte vivante | Catherine Valmont | Jean Rollin | "The Living Dead Girl" |
1983 | Revenge in the House of Usher | Melissa | Jesús Franco | French version |
1983 | On l'appelle Catastrophe | La fille | Richard Balducci | |
1983 | L'émir préfère les blondes | Sylvie | Alain Payet | |
1984 | Vénus | Annie | Jean Jabely & Sandy Whitelaw | |
1984 | Les trottoirs de Bangkok | Claudine | Jean Rollin | "The Sidewalks of Bangkok" |
1985 | Y'a pas le feu... | Juliette | Richard Balducci | |
1985 | Le facteur de Saint-Tropez | Maria Ficelle | Richard Balducci | |
1986 | Les amazones du temple d'or | Blonde Amazon | Alain Payet & Jesús Franco | |
1986 | Sida, la peste del siglo XX | Unnamed role | Jesús Franco | |
1991 | À la poursuite de Barbara | Unnamed role | Jean Rollin | "Chasing Barbara" |
1997 | Alliance cherche doigt | La femme de Chaneloup | Jean-Pierre Mocky | |
2007 | La nuit des horloges | Lethal | Jean Rollin | "The Night of the Clocks" |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1991 | Lucky Luke | Coyotito (voice) | Season 2 – 6 episodes |
1991 | Bucky O'Hare and the Toad Wars | Unnamed role (voice) | Season 1, Episode 1 – "War of the Warts" (French dub) |
1991 | Little Dracula | Unnamed role (voice) | Unknown episode(s) (French dub) |
1991–92 | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles | Unnamed role (voice) | Season 5, Episode 2 – "Once Upon a Time Machine" (French dub) Season 6, Episode 1 – "Rock Around the Block" (French dub) |
1992 | "Souris souris" | Unnamed role (voice) | Unknown episodes(s) |
1996–97 | Poil de carotte | Remi / Agathe (voice) | Unknown episode(s) |
2000 | Les globulyss | Unnamed role (voice) | Unknown episode(s) |
2003–04 | Martin Mystery | Unnamed role (voice) | Season 1, Episode 2 – "Terror from the Sky" (French dub) Season 1, Episode 11 – "Return of the Dark Druid" (French dub) |
2006 | Team Galaxy | Mrs. Roskoff (voice) | Unknown episode(s) |
2009–10 | The Amazing Spiez! | Unnamed role (voice) | Season 1, Episode 2 – "Operation Dyno-might!" (French dub) Season 2, Episode 14 – "Operation Trudy on Duty" (French dub) |
2004–13 | Totally Spies! | Unnamed role (voice) | Season 3, Episode 1 – "Physics 101 Much?" (French dub) Season 6, Episode 1 – "The Anti-Social Network" (French dub) |
References
- "Disparition de Françoise BLANCHARD". Animeland. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
- Paszylk, Bartlomiej (2009). The pleasure and pain of cult horror films: an historical survey. McFarland. p. 165. ISBN 978-0-7864-3695-8.
- "Obituaries in the Performing Arts 2013". Google Books. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
- Lucas, Tim (31 May 2013). "Françoise Blanchard (1954-2013)". Videowatchdog.blogspot.com. Retrieved 22 May 2019.