Amidou
Acting
Born August 2, 1935, Rabat, French Morocco
From Wikipedia Hamidou Benmessaoud (Arabic: حميدو بنمسعود; 2 August 1935 – 19 September 2013), best known as Amidou, was a Moroccan-French film, television and stage actor. Born in Rabat, at 17 Amidou moved to Paris to attend the CNSAD. In 1968 he made his debut on stage, in Jean Genet's Les paravents. Amidou is probably best known for his association with director Claude Lelouch, with whom he has shot eleven films, including the Lelouch's film debut Le propre de l'homme (1960). He made his debut in a Maroccan film in 1969, starring in Soleil de printemps directed by Latif Lahlou. His career includes roles in Spaghetti Westerns like Buddy Goes West and several American productions, including William Friedkin's Sorcerer, John Frankenheimer's Ronin and John Huston's Escape to Victory. In 1969 Amidou was awarded best actor at the Rio de Janeiro International Film Festival for his role in Life Love Death by Claude Lelouch, later he won best actor awards at the Cairo Film Festival (for Pursuit by Leila Triquie) and at the Tangier Film Festival (for Rachid Boutounes' Here and There). In 2005, he received at the hands of Martin Scorsese a Lifetime Career Award at the International Film Festival of Marrakech. He was also the first Moroccan actor to have won an acting award at the National Conservatory of Dramatic Art. Amidou died on 19 September 2013 in Paris, France. He was 78.
Filmography
- 2012Aïcha : Vacances infernales — M. Bouamaza
- 2011Aïcha : Job à tout prix — Mr. Bouamaza
- 2011Aïcha : La grande débrouille — M. Bouamaza
- 2010Comme les 5 doigts de la main — Lakdar
- 2009Aïcha — M. Bouamaza
- Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves — le Khalif
- 2007Ali Baba and the 40 thieves — Le Caliphe
- 2007Argana — Hamou
- 2006Heaven's Doors
- 2004Here and There
- 2002And Now... Ladies and Gentlemen... — l'inspecteur de police
- 2002Une histoire d'amour
- 2001Spy Game — Sheik's Doctor
- 2000Rules of Engagement — Dr. Ahmar
- 1999Hideous Kinky — Sufi Sheikh
- 1998Ronin — Man at Exchange
- Joséphine, Guardian Angel — Farid
- 1997Soleil — Mokzar
- 1996Lalla Hobby
- 1994Unveiled — Det. Brahms
- 1992Hot Chocolate — Beauregard
- 1992The Beautiful Story — Le berger
- 1992The Big Pardon 2 — Si Ali
- 1990There Were Days... and Moons — Le motard au radar
- 1989Brothers in Arms — Le Kabyle
- 1987The Passenger
- 1986Bitter Champagne — Slim
- 1985Farewell Fred — Poupée
- 1985The Night Wears Suspenders
- 1982Les p’tites têtes — Prince Douzami
- 1981Buddy Goes West — Girolamo / Eagle Eye
- 1981Escape to Victory — André
- 1981Les Avocats du Diable — Leader of the FLN
- 1977Sorcerer — Kassem / 'Martinez'
- 1975Rosebud — Kirkbane
- 1973Man in the Trunk — Abdul
- 1973The Punishment — Raymond
- 19723000 Million Without an Elevator — José
- 1971Smic, Smac, Smoc — Robert 'Smoc'
- 1971Touch and Go — Ali
- 1970Countdown to Vengeance — Macias
- 1970The Crook — Bill
- 1969Life Love Death — François Toledo
- 1969Soleil de Printemps
- 1968Heartbeat — Etienne
- 1968The Girl Across the Way — Womanizer
- 1967Live for Life — photographe
- 1967Sorrel Flower — Francis, le porte-flingue d'Albert Roza
- 1966Brigade Anti Gangs — 'Nez Cassé'
- 1966Les grands moments — Roger Amy
- 1965To Be a Crook — Amidou
- 1963La parole est au témoin — (voice)
- 1962Thé a la menthe
- 1961Flore et Blancheflore — L'aubergiste
- 1961The Right of Man
Appearances as themselves (1)
- Vivement dimanche — Self