Pierre Vaneck

Pierre Vaneck (born Pierre Auguste Van Hecke; 15 April 1931 – 31 January 2010) was a French actor. During his career, he won a Molière Award in 1988 and received a César Award nomination in 2009. Son of a Belgian army officer, Pierre Vaneck spent his youth in Antwerp, Belgium, until the age of 17, when he started medical studies in Paris, France. Before long, he branched into studying acting, first at the Rene Simon school, and then at the Theatre Academy, under Henri Rollan. He earned his living meanwhile by working for a saddle-maker by day, and in the evenings, he recited François Villon's poems in cabarets. His début on the stage came in 1952 in The Three Musketeers in the role of Louis XIII. His first important role in the cinema was in the Julien Duvivier film, Marianne of my Youth in 1955.