A look back at the career of the legendary Jacques Frantz, who died in 2021, and who notably lent his voice to Robert de Niro, Mel Gibson, Sulli from “Monstres & Co” and even Ed Harris in “Abyss”.
In March 2021, he bowed out at the age of 73, leaving countless fans of dubbing and French versions inconsolable. However, its deep, warm, charismatic and benevolent tone has never ceased to resonate in our memories as spectators.
One of the greatest legends of the profession alongside Roger Carel, Richard Darbois and Patrick Poivey, Jacques Frantz is a major actor whose voice cannot be forgotten. This voice, sometimes comforting, sometimes worrying, sometimes facetious, sometimes moving, this voice tinged with hundreds of nuances, capable of dressing thousands of faces, has resonated in the cinema for more than 40 years.
(Re)discover our Voix Ouf homage podcast with Marjorie Frantz, the actor’s daughter…
A flesh-and-blood actor in theater and cinema (for example, he played in Tendre Poulet by Philippe de Brocca, in Les Compères by Francis Veber, in Les Ripoux by Claude Zidi or in L’Arnacoeur by Pascal Chaumeil), Jacques Frantz is best known for lending his unforgettable voice to two huge Hollywood stars: Robert de Niro and Mel Gibson.
But as his voxography has many other facets, here is a small, non-exhaustive list of all the films and series that have been rocked by his voice.
Warner Bros. /Paramount Pictures
The big players
Robert de Niro (in 68 films, including Mission, The Untouchables, Goodfellas, Jitters, Casino, Heat, My Stepfather and Me and Joker)
Mel Gibson (in 34 films, including Lethal Weapon, Braveheart, The Patriot and Signs)
John Goodman (in 29 films, including Always, Arachnophobia, Argo or 10 Cloverfield Lane)
Nick Nolte (in 18 films, including The Prince of Tides, The Red Line and Hotel Rwanda)
Stellan Skarsgaard (in 12 films, notably as Dr. Eric Selvig in the Marvel Cinematic Universe)
Ed Harris (in 3 films, including Abyss)
Pixar Animation Studios / Walt Disney Animation Studios
The animated characters
Sulli (in Monsters & Co.)
Pasha (in Kuzco, the Megalomaniac Emperor)
Alameda Slim (in The Farm Rebels)
Long John Silver (in Treasure Planet)
Gus (in the second dub of Cinderella)
Fergus (in Rebel)
Don Lino (in Gang of Sharks)
Walt Disney Pictures / Paramount Pictures / Lucasfilm Ltd.
But also…
Gibbs (Kevin McNally in the Pirates of the Caribbean saga)
Optimus Prime (Peter Cullen in the Transformers saga)
Hellboy (Ron Perlman)
Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren in Rocky IV)
Sallah (John Rhys-Davies in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade)
Kuiil (Nick Nolte in The Mandalorian)
What is your favorite performance in the rich career of Jacques Frantz?
(Re)discover the “Goodfellas” trailer…