Guy Marchand (May 22, 1937 - December 15, 2023) was a French actor and musician.
He was a parachutist during the Algerian War then was briefly in the Foreign Legion. He played in over 60 films by the likes of Robert Enrico, François Truffaut, Pierre Granier-Deferre, Claude Zidi, Bertrand Tavernier, Claude Miller, Philippe de Broca or Édouard Molinaro. His most famous role was the Private Detective Nestor Burma in the 1990s television series of the same name, adapted from the Mystery Fiction novels by Léo Malet.
As a musician, he recorded 19 albums and over 30 singles and EPs and played either piano, saxophone or clarinet (which also ended up Nestor Burma's Signature Instrument) in the Jazz, Blues and Tango genres. He also sang as a crooner.
Selected filmography:
- Coup de Torchon (1981) as Marcel Chavasson
- Entre Nous (1983) as Michel Korski
- Hold-up (1985) as Georges
- Nestor Burma (1991-2003) as Nestor Burma
- Beaumarchais (1996) as a royal court member
- The Best Job in the World (1996) as Principal Gauthier
- Les Passeurs (2004) as Bernard Anthonioz
- The Dune (2014) as Paolo
- Dix pour cent (2017-2018) as himself
Tropes & Trivia in his works:
- Actor-Inspired Element: He came up with the idea of Nestor Burma playing saxophone and clarinet as his Signature Instruments, because himself was a player of them, and because he felt the detective needed to play music instruments much like Sherlock Holmes plays the violin. He also had other characters he portrayed play the instruments on occasion.
- The Cast Showoff: In the cases his characters played either piano, saxophone or clarinet, he played the instruments himself.
- He Also Did: Having had parachutist experience in the Algerian War, he was hired as consultant on The Longest Day.
