Amidou
Born
August 2, 1935
Died
September 19, 2013 (78 years old)
Known For
Acting
Place of Birth
Rabat, Morocco
From Wikipedia
Hamidou Benmessaoud (Arabic: حميدو بنمسعود; 2 August 1935 – 19 September 2013), best known as Amidou, was a Moroccan-French film, television and stage actor.
Born in Rabat, at 17 Amidou moved to Paris to attend the CNSAD. In 1968 he made his debut on stage, in Jean Genet's Les paravents.
Amidou is probably best known for his association with director Claude Lelouch, with whom he has shot eleven films, including the Lelouch's film debut Le propre de l'homme (1960). He made his debut in a Maroccan film in 1969, starring in Soleil de printemps directed by Latif Lahlou. His career includes roles in Spaghetti Westerns like Buddy Goes West and several American productions, including William Friedkin's Sorcerer, John Frankenheimer's Ronin and John Huston's Escape to Victory.
In 1969 Amidou was awarded best actor at the Rio de Janeiro International Film Festival for his role in Life Love Death by Claude Lelouch, later he won best actor awards at the Cairo Film Festival (for Pursuit by Leila Triquie) and at the Tangier Film Festival (for Rachid Boutounes' Here and There). In 2005, he received at the hands of Martin Scorsese a Lifetime Career Award at the International Film Festival of Marrakech. He was also the first Moroccan actor to have won an acting award at the National Conservatory of Dramatic Art.
Amidou died on 19 September 2013 in Paris, France. He was 78.

Aïcha : Vacances infernales
M. Bouamaza
2012

Aïcha : La grande débrouille
M. Bouamaza
2011

Aïcha : Job à tout prix
Mr. Bouamaza
2011

Comme les 5 doigts de la main
Lakdar
2010

Aïcha
M. Bouamaza
2009

Ali Baba and the 40 thieves
Le Caliphe
2007

Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves
le Khalif · (2 episodes)
2007

Argana
Hamou
2007

Heaven's Doors
2006

Here and There
2004

And Now... Ladies and Gentlemen...
l'inspecteur de police
2002
Une histoire d'amour
2002

Spy Game
Sheik's Doctor
2001

Rules of Engagement
Dr. Ahmar
2000

Hideous Kinky
Sufi Sheikh
1999

Ronin
Man at Exchange
1998

Vivement dimanche
Self · (1 episode)
1998

Joséphine, Guardian Angel
Farid · (1 episode)
1997

Soleil
Mokzar
1997

Lalla Hobby
1996
Unveiled
Det. Brahms
1994

The Big Pardon 2
Si Ali
1992

The Beautiful Story
Le berger
1992

Hot Chocolate
Beauregard
1992

There Were Days... and Moons
Le motard au radar
1990

Brothers in Arms
Le Kabyle
1989

Bitter Champagne
Slim
1986

The Night Wears Suspenders
1985

Farewell Fred
Poupée
1985

Les p’tites têtes
Prince Douzami
1982

Escape to Victory
André
1981

Les Avocats du Diable
Leader of the FLN
1981

Buddy Goes West
Girolamo / Eagle Eye
1981

Sorcerer
Kassem / "Martinez"
1977

Rosebud
Kirkbane
1975

Man in the Trunk
Abdul
1973

The Punishment
Raymond
1973

3000 Million Without an Elevator
José
1972

Touch and Go
Ali
1971

Smic, Smac, Smoc
Robert 'Smoc'
1971

The Crook
Bill
1970

Countdown to Vengeance
Macias
1970

Life Love Death
François Toledo
1969

Soleil de Printemps
1969

Heartbeat
Etienne
1968

The Girl Across the Way
Womanizer
1968

Sorrel Flower
Francis, le porte-flingue d'Albert Roza
1967

Live for Life
photographe
1967

Les grands moments
Roger Amy
1966

Brigade Anti Gangs
'Nez Cassé'
1966

To Be a Crook
Amidou
1965

La parole est au témoin
(voice)
1963
Thé a la menthe
1962

The Right of Man
1961