Philippe Leroy

Philippe Marie Paul Leroy-Beaulieu (15 October 1930 – 1 June 2024) was a French actor. He appeared in over 150 films between 1960 and 2019, and worked extensively in Italian cinema, as well as in his native country.

After an early career as a paratrooper in the French Foreign Legion, Leroy made his film debut at the age of 30 in Jacques Becker’s The Hole (1960), earning a BAFTA Award nomination for Best Foreign Actor. During the following two decades, he appeared in many films as both a leading man and a supporting player. He was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie for playing the title role in the Italian miniseries The Life of Leonardo da Vinci (1971).

Leroy also became well-known to television audiences for playing Yanez De Gomera in Sandokan (1976), based on the Emilio Salgari novels of the same name. Later in life, he played a recurring role on the long-running series Don Matteo. His last film role was at the age of 88.

He was also the father of actress Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu.

Early life

Philippe Leroy-Beaulieu was born in Paris on 15 October 1930 to an aristocratic family; his ancestors included economist Pierre Paul Leroy-Beaulieu, historian Henri Jean Baptiste Anatole Leroy-Beaulieu, and architect Jean-François Leroy. At the age of 17, he started working on an ocean liner, and spent a year abroad in New York City. He worked several oddjobs, including as a sailor and a circus performer.