Sacha Distel

Personal Info

Known For Actor

Gender Male

Birthday 1933-01-29

Deathday 2004-07-22 (71 years old)

Place of Birth Paris, France

Also Known As Sacha Distel et ses Collégiens, Sascha Distel, Sasha Distel

Sacha Distel

Biography

Alexandre "Sacha" Distel (29 January 1933 – 22 July 2004) was a French singer, guitarist, songwriter and actor who had hits with a cover version of "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head" in 1970, which reached No 10 in the UK Charts, "Scoubidou", and "The Good Life". He was made Chevalier (Knight) of the Légion d'honneur in 1997. He had also scored a hit as a songwriter when Tony Bennett recorded Sacha's song for The Good Life in 1963. It peaked at #18 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart and Top 10 on the Easy Listening chart. Distel was the son of Russian-French emigre Léonide Distel who was born in Odessa (Russian Empire) and French-Jewish pianist Andrée Ventura (1902–1965), born in Constantinople. His uncle was bandleader Ray Ventura. After Ventura settled in Paris with his orchestra Les Collégiens, Distel gave up piano and switched to guitar. During his career, Distel worked with Kenny Clarke, Jimmy Gourley, Lionel Hampton, Slide Hampton, Bobby Jaspar, Barney Kessel, John Lewis, Pierre Michelot, Bernard Peiffer, Henri Renaud, Fats Sadi, Art Simmons, Martial Solal, René Urtreger, and Barney Wilen. Distel was involved with actress Brigitte Bardot in 1958, having invited her to his birthday party in Saint-Tropez. The relationship ended in 1959. He married championship Olympic skier Francine Bréaud in 1963. Distel publicly stated that he remained faithful to his wife: "Anything I want in a woman I can get at home." Distel died of cancer at the age of 71 on 22 July 2004 at his mother in law's home in Rayol-Canadel, near Saint-Tropez, France. In an interview a month after Distel's death, his widow Francine said she knew he had been unfaithful: "I knew it was going to happen and I knew it was going to pass." Source: Article "Sacha Distel" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA 3.0.

Known For

Actor

2023
Elis & Tom: It Had to be You

as Self (archive footage)

2023
L'Âge d'or de la pub

as Self (archive footage)

2022
Sheila, toutes ces vies-là

as Self (archive footage)

2022
Il était une fois Champs-Élysées

as Self (archive footage)

2001
Star Academy

as Self

2001
1998
A Song for Eurotrash

as Self - Special Guest

1998
1998
1998
Parkinson

as Self

1992
Frou-Frou

as Self - Guest

1990
Stars 90

as self

1987
Téléthon

as Self

1987
1987
1984
1982
1981
1977
Fan School

as Self

1976
1975
Numéro un

as Self

1975
Numéro un

as Self - Host

1975
Système 2

as Self

1975
1975
1972
Midi trente

as Self

1971
Without Apparent Motive

as Julien Sabirnou

1971
1971
Samedi soir

as Self

1970
The Crook

as Self

1969
TV Intim

as Self

1968
1968
Starparade

as Self

1968
Cilla

as Self

1965
1965
Dim Dam Dom

as Self

1964
1962
1961
1961
1960
Zazie dans le Métro

as Cameo Appearance (uncredited)

1960
The Delinquents

as Bernard

1959
Discorama

as Self

Sound

1962
Pride

as Music

1962
The Seven Deadly Sins

as Original Music Composer

1960