Roland Bertin, a cherished actor and honorary member of the Comédie-Française, passed away on February 19 at the age of 93. Eric Ruf, in a press release, paid tribute to Bertin, calling him an “immense figure of our House”. Bertin passed away peacefully in his sleep at his retirement home in Pont-l’Abbé, Brittany.
Throughout his career, Bertin had portrayed a variety of characters from works of Shakespeare, Goldoni, Chekhov, Marivaux, Christopher Marlowe, René de Obaldia and Nathalie Sarraute. He was grateful to the directors who entrusted him with these roles, including Roger Planchon, André Steiger, Georges Lavelli, Patrice Chéreau and Claude Régy.
After joining the Comédie-Française in 1982, Bertin played in Les Corbeaux de Becque, directed by Jean-Pierre Vincent. He also played a memorable role of Dom Juan in Molière’s play, directed by Jacques Lassalle, in 1993. Despite his long career in the theatre, Bertin maintained that he always felt a “fierce fear” before his performances.
Over the course of his career, Bertin played a variety of roles, including Mère Courage and her children, The Balcony by Genet, and The Summer Visitors by Gorky. He left the Comédie-Française in 2001, after twenty years of service. In 2009, he won the Molière for best supporting role for Coriolanus by William Shakespeare. He continued to act until his later years, stating, “It is the desire of others that makes you live.”
Bertin also had a successful career in cinema and television, working with renowned directors such as Alain Resnais, Patrice Chéreau, Jean-Paul Rappeneau, Jean-Jacques Beineix, Costa-Gavras. Some of his notable television appearances include Les Miserables, The Masters of Bread, Rastignac or the ambitious, and The Haunted Armchair in Tales and short stories from the 19th century.
Even when he was not performing, Bertin remained engaged with the theatre community, frequently attending performances. In 2012, he played a cunning Volpone in Ben Jonson’s play, alongside his former Comédie-Française colleagues, Yves Gasc and Nicolas Briançon.
