{{short description|Moroccan actor}} {{Infobox person | name = Amidou | image = Amidou.jpg | image_size = | caption = | birth_name = Hamidou Benmessaoud | birth_date = {{Birth date|1935|8|2|df=y}} | birth_place = Rabat, French Morocco | death_date = {{Death date and age|2013|9|19|1935|8|2|df=y}} | death_place = Paris, France | occupation = Actor | years_active = 1935–2013 | awards = Rio de Janeiro International Film Festival, Cairo Film Festival | spouse = }}'''Hamidou Benmessaoud''' ({{langx|ar|حميدو بنمسعود}}; 2 August 1935 – 19 September 2013), best known as '''Amidou''', was a Moroccan-French film, television, and stage actor.
==Biography== Born in Rabat, at 17, Amidou moved to Paris to attend the CNSAD. In 1968 he made his debut on stage, in Jean Genet's ''Les paravents''.<ref name=Aufait>{{cite news|title=Décès de Hamidou Benmassoud :Amidou, premier acteur marocain à s'être fait un nom à l'international |url=http://www.aufaitmaroc.com/actualites/culture/2013/9/20/amidou-premier-acteur-marocain-a-setre-fait-un-nom-a-linternational_215370.html#.Uj783H-OHdI |accessdate=22 September 2013 |newspaper=Aufait Moroc |language=French |date=20 September 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130927081056/http://www.aufaitmaroc.com/actualites/culture/2013/9/20/amidou-premier-acteur-marocain-a-setre-fait-un-nom-a-linternational_215370.html |archivedate=27 September 2013 }}</ref>
Amidou was best known for his association with director Claude Lelouch, with whom he shot eleven films, including Lelouch's film debut ''Le propre de l'homme'' (1960).<ref name=Figaro>{{cite news|title=Amidou, comédien fétiche de Lelouch, est décédé|url=http://www.lefigaro.fr/cinema/2013/09/20/03002-20130920ARTFIG00429-amidou-comedien-fetiche-de-lelouch-est-decede.php|accessdate=22 September 2013|newspaper=Le Figaro|language=French|date=20 September 2013}}</ref> He made his debut in a Moroccan film in 1969, starring in ''Soleil de printemps'' directed by Latif Lahlou.<ref name=Aufait/> His career included roles in Spaghetti Westerns like ''Buddy Goes West'' and several American productions, including William Friedkin's ''Sorcerer'', John Frankenheimer's ''Ronin'' and John Huston's ''Escape to Victory''.<ref name=Figaro/>
In 1969, Amidou was awarded best actor at the Rio de Janeiro International Film Festival for his role in ''Life Love Death'' by Claude Lelouch,<ref name=Chaouch>{{cite news|last=Rebecca Chaouch|title=Décès de l'acteur marocain Hamidou Benmessaoud|url=http://www.huffpostmaghreb.com/2013/09/21/amidou-deces-acteur-maroc_n_3966581.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130922224316/http://www.huffpostmaghreb.com/2013/09/21/amidou-deces-acteur-maroc_n_3966581.html|url-status=usurped|archive-date=September 22, 2013|accessdate=22 September 2013|newspaper=Huffington Post|language=French|date=21 September 2013}}</ref> and later won best actor awards at the Cairo Film Festival (for ''Pursuit'' by Leila Triquie) and at the Tangier Film Festival (for Rachid Boutounes's ''Here and There'').<ref name=Figaro/> In 2005 he received, from the hands of Martin Scorsese, a Lifetime Career Award at the International Film Festival of Marrakech.<ref name=Chaouch/> He was also the first Moroccan actor to have won an acting award at the National Conservatory of Dramatic Art.<ref name=Figaro/>
Amidou died on 19 September 2013 in Paris, France, from an undisclosed illness.<ref name=Figaro/>
==Filmography== {{Div col|colwidth=30em}} *''Le propre de l'homme'' (1961) *''Une fille et des fusils'' (1965) – Amidou *''The Grand Moments'' (1966) – Roger Amy *''Brigade antigangs'' (1966) – Broken Nose *''Live for Life'' (1967) – Photographer *''Fleur d'oseille'' (1967) – Francis *''La Fille d'en face'' (1968) – The seducer *''La Chamade'' (1968) – Etienne *''Life Love Death'' (1969) – François Toledo *''Soleil de printemps'' (1969) *''Le Voyou'' (1970) – Bill *''Comptes à rebours'' (1971) – Macyas *''Smic Smac Smoc'' (1971) – Smoc *''La Poudre d'escampette'' (1971) – Ali *''Trois milliards sans ascenseur'' (1972) – José *''What a Flash!'' (1972) *''La Punition'' (1973) – Raymond *''La Valise'' (1973) – Lieutenant Abdul Fouad *''Rosebud'' (1975) – Kirkbane *''Sorcerer'' (1977) – Kassem / Martinez *''Buddy Goes West'' (1981) – Girolamo / Eagle Eye *''Escape to Victory'' (1981) – André *''Les P'tites Têtes'' (1982) – Prince Douzami *''Afghanistan pourquoi ?'' (1983) *''La Nuit porte-jarretelles'' (1985) *''Adieu Blaireau'' (1985) – Poupée *''Catherine'' (1986) – Abou-al-Khayr (TV Series) *''Champagne amer'' (1989) – Slim *''L'union sacrée'' (1989) – Le Kabyle *''There Were Days... and Moons'' (1990) – The incredulous policeman *''La Belle Histoire'' (1992) – The shepherd *''Day of Atonement'' (1992) – Si Ali *''Unveiled'' (1994) – Det. Brahms *''Lalla Hobby'' (1996) – Haj Moussa *''Soleil'' (1997) – Mokzar *''Ronin'' (1998) – Man at Exchange *''Hideous Kinky'' (1998) – Sufi Sheikh *''Rules of Engagement'' (2000) – Dr. Ahmar *''Spy Game'' (2001) – Dr. Ahmed *''And Now... Ladies and Gentlemen...'' (2002) – Police Inspector *''Heaven's Doors'' (2006) – Mansour *''Moussem lamchaoucha'' (2009) – Haj Lamfadel *''Comme les cinq doigts de la main'' (2010) – Lakdar {{div col end}}
==Theater== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Author ! Director |- | 1961 | ''Ross'' | Terence Rattigan | Michel Vitold |- | 1965 | ''The Siege of Numantia'' | Miguel de Cervantes | Jean-Louis Barrault |- | rowspan=2| 1966 | ''Henry VI'' | William Shakespeare | Jean-Louis Barrault |- | ''The Screens'' | Jean Genet | Roger Blin |- |}
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == * {{IMDb name|0024849}}
{{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Amidou}} Category:1935 births Category:Moroccan male film actors Category:Actors from Rabat Category:2013 deaths Category:Moroccan emigrants to France Category:Moroccan male stage actors Category:Moroccan male television actors Category:French National Academy of Dramatic Arts alumni Category:20th-century Moroccan male actors Category:21st-century Moroccan male actors