Jean-Pierre Masson

{{Short description|Canadian actor}} {{Infobox person | name = Jean-Pierre Masson | image = Radio. Jean Pierre Masson BAnQ P48S1P23445.jpg | alt = | caption = | birth_name = | birth_date = {{Birth date|1918|08|25}} | birth_place = Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts, Quebec | death_date = {{Death date and age|1995|03|11|1918|08|25}} | death_place = Pottsville, Pennsylvania | other_names = | occupation = Actor | known_for = ''Les Belles Histoires des pays d'en haut'' }} '''Jean-Pierre Masson''' (August 25, 1918 - March 11, 1995) was a Canadian film and television actor, best known for his long-running television role as Séraphin Poudrier in ''Les Belles Histoires des pays d'en haut''.<ref name=dies>"Actor Jean-Pierre Masson dies". ''Montreal Gazette'', March 14, 1995.</ref>

Masson studied law at the Université de Montréal, where he was a classmate of Pierre Trudeau, and acted with the Compagnons de Saint-Laurent theatre troupe. Following his graduation, he pursued acting as a career instead of law, taking both stage and radio roles until being cast as Leonidas Plouffe in the television series ''The Plouffe Family'' in 1953<ref name=dies/> and as Mr. Jeneau in ''14, rue de Galais'' in 1954. In 1956, he was cast in ''Les Belles Histoires'', a series which lasted until 1970.

Following ''Les Belles Histoires'', Masson had other supporting roles, including the films ''Don't Push It (Pousse mais pousse égal)'', ''Cordélia'', ''A Scream from Silence (Mourir à tue-tête)'', ''Bound for Glory (Partis pour la gloire)'', ''Far from You Sweetheart (Je suis loin de toi mignonne)'', ''Why Rock the Boat?'', ''Maria Chapdelaine'' and ''The Alley Cat (Le Matou)'', and the television series ''Terre humaine'' and ''He Shoots, He Scores''. However, he was too strongly typecast by his longtime role as Séraphin Poudrier, and never had another major leading role.<ref>"Quebec actor's lonely death in U.S. may prove tragically symbolic". ''Ottawa Citizen'', March 21, 1995.</ref>

Masson died in a motel room in Pottsville, Pennsylvania on March 11, 1995, while travelling to Florida.<ref>"Service today for actor Masson". ''Montreal Gazette'', March 17, 1995.</ref> He was entombed at the Notre Dame des Neiges Cemetery in Montreal.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Répertoire des personnages inhumés au cimetière ayant marqué l'histoire de notre société|publisher=Notre Dame des Neiges Cemetery|location=Montreal|language=fr}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *{{IMDb name|0557500}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Masson, Jean-Pierre}} Category:1918 births Category:1995 deaths Category:Canadian male film actors Category:Canadian male television actors Category:Canadian male stage actors Category:Canadian male radio actors Category:Male actors from Quebec Category:People from Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts Category:Burials at Notre Dame des Neiges Cemetery