Jean Topart

Topart was born in Paris, on 13 April 1922. His sister, actress Lise Topart, died in a plane crash in Nice, France, on 3 March 1952.

In 1973, Topart starred in the French science fiction animated film, Fantastic Planet, which was directed by René Laloux. Best known for his voice work, Topart co-starred in the 1981 Franco-Japanese animated television series, Ulysses 31, and The Mysterious Cities of Gold in 1982. He narrated the 2000 French animated series, Argai: The Prophecy.

Topart was cast in the French version of numerous foreign language films, including DuckTales the Movie: Treasure of the Lost Lamp for Disney in 1990. He was cast as narrator for the French-language release of the 2002 Walt Disney Animation Studios film, Treasure Planet, known as La Planète au trésor, un nouvel univers in French. Topart also dubbed the French-language voices for many foreign live-action films, including The Elephant Man in 1980, Birdy in 1984, and Amadeus in 1984.

Outside of animation, Topart was a member of the Théâtre national populaire (TNP), a French theater troupe, from 1950 to 1960 before entering film and television. His live-action film credits included Angélique, Marquise des Anges by Bernard Borderie in 1964 and Claude Chabrol's Chicken with Vinegar in 1985. His last on-screen film was the 2000 comedy, Les Acteurs, directed by Bertrand Blier.

Topart died in Le Port-Marly, Yvelines department, France, on 29 December 2012, at the age of 90. He was survived by his two daughters and five grandchildren. French Minister of Culture Aurélie Filippetti released a statement following Topart's death calling him, "one of the inimitable voices of French cinema."

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