French Actor. He was first noticed after he won the “Apollo of 1939” contest at the French Riviera. He was then spotted by Edith Piaf and made his film debut alongside her in “Montmartre-Sur-Seine” in 1941. Quickly established as a leading man in French cinema his big break came when starring in the spectacle “Fabiola” in Cinecitta in Rome where he met and fall in love with French movie queen Michèle Morgan. He was married to her from 1950 until his death. They became one of the most popular film couples in Europe during the Fifties, with Vidal establishing himself as one of the most sought after stars of French and international cinema, playing both heroes and heels with many of the most beautiful women of this era (Sophia Loren, Romy Schneider, Brigitte Bardot, Dawn Addams, Francoise Arnoul, Zizi Jeanmaire) at his side. Among his greatest successes are “Les Maudits” (1947), “La belle que voilà (1950/with Morgan), Orientexpreß” (1954), Série noir” (1955), “Porte des lilas” (1956/directed by René Clair), “La Parisienne” (1957), “Sois belle et tais-tois” (1958), “La bête à l´affut” (1959) and “Voulez-vous danser avec moi?” (1959). But fame and fortune was only one side of the medal. He battled drug addiction his whole life. His problem started in his teens when, after an attempt to escape from home, his mother began to keep him quiet by giving him some powders that he believed were the beginning of his addiction. He checked into rehab ten times during his marriage to Morgan. His weakened physical state finally lead to a fatal heart attack only two weeks after the death of Gerard Philipe, another very popular young star.
French Actor. He was first noticed after he won the “Apollo of 1939” contest at the French Riviera. He was then spotted by Edith Piaf and made his film debut alongside her in “Montmartre-Sur-Seine” in 1941. Quickly established as a leading man in French cinema his big break came when starring in the spectacle “Fabiola” in Cinecitta in Rome where he met and fall in love with French movie queen Michèle Morgan. He was married to her from 1950 until his death. They became one of the most popular film couples in Europe during the Fifties, with Vidal establishing himself as one of the most sought after stars of French and international cinema, playing both heroes and heels with many of the most beautiful women of this era (Sophia Loren, Romy Schneider, Brigitte Bardot, Dawn Addams, Francoise Arnoul, Zizi Jeanmaire) at his side. Among his greatest successes are “Les Maudits” (1947), “La belle que voilà (1950/with Morgan), Orientexpreß” (1954), Série noir” (1955), “Porte des lilas” (1956/directed by René Clair), “La Parisienne” (1957), “Sois belle et tais-tois” (1958), “La bête à l´affut” (1959) and “Voulez-vous danser avec moi?” (1959). But fame and fortune was only one side of the medal. He battled drug addiction his whole life. His problem started in his teens when, after an attempt to escape from home, his mother began to keep him quiet by giving him some powders that he believed were the beginning of his addiction. He checked into rehab ten times during his marriage to Morgan. His weakened physical state finally lead to a fatal heart attack only two weeks after the death of Gerard Philipe, another very popular young star.
Bio by: Fritz Tauber
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