Acting
Sep 23, 1932
Sorel-Tracy, Québec, Canada
Dominique Michel
Acting
Biography
Dominique Michel (born Aimée Sylvestre; September 24, 1932) is a retired Québec comedian, actress, singer and artist. She began her career in cabarets performing songs written by Raymond Lévesque and subsequently sang with Jean Coutu. She made her television debut co-hosting a variety show then widened her audience with her first sitcom Moi et l'autre in which she co-starred with Denise Filiatrault. The show was an enormous success during its run from 1966 to 1972 and made Michel a household name in Quebec. She has been married only once in 1958 to New York Rangers all star Camille Henry but later divorced in 1960. From 1977 to 1982, she had numerous leading roles in television programs such as Dominique, Chère Isabelle and Métro-boulot-dodo. Michel's first film role was in Tiens-toi bien après les oreilles à papa with Yvon Deschamps in 1971. She played for cineast Denys Arcand in two movies well known outside of Quebec: The Decline of the American Empire (Le Déclin de l'empire américain) and its sequel The Barbarian Invasions (Les Invasions barbares). She is also a comedian. She notably co-starred with Daniel Lemire and has hosted the Festival Juste pour rire multiple times. Michel also showed her multiple comedic talents in the year-end review show Bye Bye from Radio-Canada in which she would do multiple impressions on top of hosting the 90 minutes special. In 1992, Michel received the Governor General's Performing Arts Award for Lifetime Artistic Achievement in broadcasting. In 1994, she was made an Officer of the Order of Canada "for her encouragement of humour and her contribution to the cultural life of the country."[1] In 2002, she was made a Knight of the National Order of Quebec. In 1995, she received, jointly with Denise Filiatrault, the Grand Prix Gémeau from l'Académie canadienne du cinéma et de la télévision for lifetime achievements. In 2010, at 77, it was announced that she had colon cancer. After undergoing chemotherapy treatments, she declared in April 2011 that she was cancer-free.
Feature Films (19)
In this belated sequel to 'The Decline of the American Empire', middle-aged Montreal college professor, Remy, learns that he is dying of liver cancer. His ex-wife, Louise, asks their estranged son, Sebastian, a successful businessman living in London, to come home. Sebastian makes the impossible happen, using his contacts and disrupting the Canadian healthcare system in every way possible to help his father fight his terminal illness to the bitter end, while reuniting some of Remy's old friends, including Pierre, Alain, Dominique, Diane, and Claude, who return to see their friend before he passes on.
The Barbarian Invasions
Four very different Montreal university teachers gather at a rambling country house to prepare a dinner. Remy (married), Claude (a homosexual), Pierre (involved with a girlfriend) and Alain (a bachelor) discuss sex, the female body and their affairs with them. Meanwhile, their four female guests, Louise (Remy's wife of 15 years), Dominique (a spinster), Diane (a divorcée) and Danielle (Pierre's girlfriend) are spending the time at a downtown health gym. They also discuss sex, the female body and, naturally, men. Later in the evening, they finally meet at the country house and have dinner. A ninth guest, named Mario, who used to know Diane, drops in on the group for some talk and has a surprise of his own.
The Decline of the American Empire
A Parisian named Cartier living in Quebec City and employee of a major English Canadian insurance company is promoted to a job in Vancouver. He brings along his annoying and hyperactive Quebecquer wife and his two young kids. Rolling on a trailer van and with no knowledge of the English language, it becomes a Trans-Canadian wacky journey for the French-speaking family, and might influence Mr.Cartier to reconsider accepting this important position...
I've Had It
Television & Series (24)
A culture show set hosted by Marc Labrèche and his collaborators, Simon Boulerice, Émilie Perreault and Fred Savard. Each week, based on a significant year in history, they revisit a cultural event of a previous era and compare it with today’s yardstick. The hosts and their guests examine subjects that link the chosen year to what’s hot in cultural circles right now.
Cette année-là
Host Guy A. Lepage brings together six to eight personalities from different milieus—sports, politics, stage productions and more—that are the subject of everyone’s conversations and/or are important figures in recent events. Participants are invited to speak freely, voicing their opinions on headline news or on a subject that is near and dear to them.
Tout le monde en parle
Michel Barrette hits the road with public figures. Every drive is the perfect opportunity to share a moment, a chat and a trip down memory lane. For each outing, Michel selects the car best suited to his guest from his personal collection.
