Pierre Bénichou, Commandeur, (1 March 1938 – 31 March 2020) was a French journalist.[3]

Pierre Bénichou
Born(1938-03-01)1 March 1938
Died31 March 2020(2020-03-31) (aged 82)
Paris, France
Other namesBeau Pedro, roi du tango
Tonton Merguez
La Béniche
Bob du grand huit[1]
Le Président[2]
Le Rossignol d'Oran
La Josephine Baker du Maghreb
Occupation(s)Journalist, Columnist
SpouseAlix Dufaure
ParentAndré Bénichou
RelativesPaul Bénichou (paternal uncle)
Vincent Lindon (stepson)

Early life

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Pierre Bénichou was born on 1 March 1938 in Oran, French Algeria.[4] His father, André Bénichou, a philosophy professor, opened a private school after he was dismissed from his job for being Jewish in 1941, in the midst of World War II.[5] One of his father's pupils was author Albert Camus.[5] His paternal uncle, Paul Bénichou, was a historian.[5] His paternal grandparents were practising Jews.[5] He moved to Paris, France, in 1949.[5]

Career

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Bénichou was a journalist.[6] He started his career as an intern for France Soir.[4] He joined France Dimanche in 1956.[5] He became a reporter for Jours de France in 1961.[4] He became the editor-in-chief of Le Nouvel Observateur, another magazine, in 1966, at a time when it was the most sold weekly newspaper in Europe[4] He subsequently joined Les Grosses Têtes, a cult radio programme on RTL that made him a staple name in France for decades.[4] He was also a contributor to Vivement Dimanche, a television programme hosted by Michel Drucker. A much loved figure, he was widely considered as a "monument historique" of French Media.[4][3][7][8]

Bénichou became a Commander of the Legion of Honour on 25 March 2016.[9]

Personal life

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Bénichou was married to Alix Dufaure, journalist for Marie Claire; she died May 2, 2012.[10] They had one son together, Antoine. Actor Vincent Lindon and his brother Sylvain are his stepson; Dufaure divorced Laurent Lindon in 1964.[4]

References

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  1. ^ Émission On va s'gêner, 30.
  2. ^ Il était surnommé ainsi par l'humoriste Coluche. « Émission On n'est pas couché», 20.
  3. ^ a b Giesbert, Franz-Olivier (1 April 2020). "FOG – Pierre Bénichou, un monument historique". Le Point.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g "Pierre Bénichou". Gala. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
  5. ^ a b c d e f Lacub, Marcela (30 August 2016). "Pierre Bénichou, après la fête". Libération. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
  6. ^ "Pierre Bénichou". Bibliothèque nationale de France. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
  7. ^ ""Les Grosses Têtes" : Pierre Bénichou est décédé". RTL.fr.
  8. ^ "Mort de Pierre Bénichou, ancien dirigeant de " L'Obs " et chroniqueur des " Grosses Têtes "". Le Monde.fr. 31 March 2020 – via Le Monde.
  9. ^ "ORDRE NATIONAL DE LA LÉGION D'HONNEUR : Décret du 25 mars 2016 portant élévation aux dignités de grand'croix et de grand officier" (PDF). Journal officiel de la République française. Présidence de la République. 27 March 2016. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
  10. ^ url=https://www.gala.fr/stars_et_gotha/alix_dufaure