Dominique Zardi

Actor · died at 79

Profile

Age at death	79
Birth date	March 2, 1930
Birthplace	10th arrondissement of Paris
Died	December 13, 2009
Profession	Actor, Writer
Zodiac sign	Pisces

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Dominique Zardi — Biography

Dominique Zardi spent six decades in French film as one of its most familiar character actors, credited in well over three hundred productions after making his screen debut in the late 1940s. Born Emile Jean Cohen-Zardi in Paris on 2 March 1930, he built his career largely on secondary parts — gangsters, police officers, minor officials — and became a trusted presence for directors Claude Chabrol and Jean-Pierre Mocky, often paired on screen with fellow supporting player Henri Attal.

His best-remembered screen work came in the Fantômas series, where he appeared alongside Jean Marais and Louis de Funès. Away from acting he wrote around ten novels, contributed music to several of Chabrol's pictures, and worked for a time in sports journalism; he was also related to filmmaker and actress Agnès Jaoui.

He died in Paris, aged 79, on 13 December 2009 after being diagnosed with cancer.

Last reviewed: November 1, 2026

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