Patrice Laffont, an iconic figure on French television, died on Wednesday August 7, 2024 at his home inOppède, Vaucluse, at the age of 84. A TV host who left his mark on several generations of viewers thanks to cult programs such as Des chiffres et des lettres, Fort Boyard and Pyramide.
Born in Marseille on August 21, 1939, Patrice Laffont began his artistic career as an actor in the 1960s. He appeared in such films as Jean-Pierre Mocky 's Les vierges and Jean Girault's Le gendarme de Saint-Tropez. At the same time, he became friends with Michel Fugain and Michel Sardou, for whom he wrote several songs.
His television career really took off when he joined Europe 1 as a journalist before moving on to television. In 1972, he became the host of Des chiffres et des lettres, a position he held for 17 years. He then presented Fort Boyard from 1990 to 1999 and Pyramide from 1990 to 1997, consolidating his position as a star of the small screen.
In addition to his role as host, Patrice Laffont also worked in theater, starring in several plays, including Feydeau's L'Hôtel du Libre Echange in 2015, Eugène Labiche's Un chapeau de paille d'Italie in 2016 and, more recently, Bruno Druart and Patrick Angonin's Bas les masques in 2023. A man of television and theater who will be missed.
