19 February, 2012

Olivier Mathot (1924-2011)

Real Name: Claude Albert Plaut 
 in Paris, France
 
Olivier Mathot as the member of a gang of criminals which includes Paul Naschy, in CRIMSON (1973).

I've just been informed by the actress Monika Swinn that the prolific French actor/director Olivier Mathot (Claude Plaut) died in December, 2011. She had no further details on the cause, place or exact time/date of his demise.
A familiar face in numerous Eurocine coproductions from CRIMSON,  (1973), in which he played alongside Paul Naschy, to DEVIL KISS (1975), a Spanish French Eurocine coproduction in which he appeared with the late Silvia Solar, MANIAC KILLER (1988) with Chuck Connors, to numerous Jess Franco directed-Eurocine produced thrillers such as EXORCISM (1974) and its reedited 1979 version (EL SADICO DE NOTRE DAME), KISS ME KILLER and SHINING SEX (1975) (in which he appeared with Ms. Swinn). He also appeared in Michel Lemoine's DESIRE UNDER THE SUN, Franco's THE MIDNIGHT PARTY and CONVOY OF WOMEN, among many other titles. His acting career began in 1945 and his last listed role, according to the IMDb, was in the rarely seen Jess Franco/Jean Rollin crime/kidnapping adventure CHASING BARBARA (1991), also featuring the late Peter Martell. [BTW, if anyone reading this has a VHS/DVD copy of CHASING BARBARA please contact me here of by PM. 

Mathot also directed a number of films as well as scenes in alternate [French] Eurocine versions of Jess Franco films, such as CECILIA (1980) and THE DIAMONDS OF KILIMANDJARO (1983). A reliable actor with a distinguished appearance he could effectively play criminals, mad scientists, police offiers and comedy.

Also known as Oliver Mathews, Oliver Matthau, Claude Plaud, 

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