''Les Cinq Dernières Minutes'' ''(The Last Five Minutes)'' is a crime based French television series, created by Claude Loursais, broadcast from 1 January 1958 till 20 December 1996. The show was aired in four series on several channels. The first series was broadcast in 56 episodes between 1 January 1958 and 7 November 1973 on RTF. After an intermediary series of four 90 minute episodes were broadcast from 19 July 1974 to 16 January 1975, a second 72 episode series was broadcast from 1975 to 1993, then a third 17 episode series from 1993 to 1996 was broadcast on

Antenne 2 France 2 () is a French public national television channel. It is part of the state-owned France Télévisions group, along with France 3, France 4 and France 5. France Télévisions also participates in Arte and Euronews. Since 3:20 CET on 7 ...

Summary

''Les Cinq Dernières Minutes'' was the first long-running series about police inquiries on French television. Each episode is based on an investigation where the viewer, accompanied by Commissioner Inspector Antoine Bourrel and his assistant Deputy Dupuy, must find clues which will help find the culprit. The programme often takes place in unconventional environments or situations, such as at a racecourse, scrap dealers, the Eiffel tower or a commercial printing business. At the beginning, the series was a gameshow, which was filmed in studio and broadcast live. Two selected viewers took part and had to guess who was guilty when inspector Bourrel said the famous line: "Good God! But it’s… Of course!". Each of the two contestants had the opportunity to repeat two parts of the show, which would also be seen by the audience at home. This famously happened during the pilot episode when glasses of Champagne were given out. In some of the original episodes, there was also participation from the viewers at home, but this was abandoned during the first series.

Cast

Over time, many actors and personalities have featured on the show, including: Françoise Fabian, Guy Kerner,

Ginette Leclerc Ginette Leclerc (born Geneviève Lucie Menut; February 9, 1912 – January 2, 1992) was a French film actress. She appeared in nearly 90 films between 1932 and 1978. Her last TV appearance was in 1981. She was born in Ile-de-France, France ...

, Rellys,

Pierre Brasseur Pierre Brasseur (22 December 1905 – 16 August 1972), born Pierre-Albert Espinasse, was a French actor. Biography The son of actors Georges Espinasse and Germaine Brasseur, the latter a cousin of Albert Brasseur; his grandfather, Jules B ...

, Henri Virlogeux, Bernard Fresson, Henri Crémieux,

Jacques Monod Jacques Lucien Monod (February 9, 1910 – May 31, 1976) was a French biochemist who won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1965, sharing it with François Jacob and André Lwoff "for their discoveries concerning genetic control of e ...

Henri Vilbert Henri Vilbert (6 April 1904 – 20 April 1997) was a French actor. He appeared in more than a hundred films from 1921 to 1982. Filmography References External links * {{DEFAULTSORT:Vilbert, Henri 1904 births 1997 deaths 20th- ...

, André Valmy,

Robert Vattier Robert Vattier (2 October 1906 – 9 December 1982) was a French actor. He was the father of the comedic actress Bérangère Vattier. Selected filmography * '' Marius'' (1931) - Albert Brun * '' Fanny'' (1932) - Albert Brun * ''Vers l'abîme ...

, Serge Gainsbourg,

Anémone Anne Bourguignon (; 9 August 1950 – 30 April 2019), known professionally as Anémone (), was a French actress, filmmaker and political activist. She took her stage name in 1968 from the title of her film debut in Philippe Garrel's ''Anémone' ...

Jean Topart Jean Topart (13 April 1922 – 29 December 2012) was a French actor. He was considered one of the best known voices on French television for decades. In addition to providing the voices and narration for television series and animated films, Topa ...

Paul Le Person Paul Le Person (10 February 1931 in Argenteuil Argenteuil () is a commune in the northwestern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris. Argenteuil is a sub-prefecture of the Val-d'Oise department, the seat of the a ...

Jess Hahn Jesse Beryle Hahn (October 29, 1921June 29, 1998) was an American-French character actor who mostly starred in French films. Biography After serving with the Marines in the Second World War, he moved to France in 1949 and took French citizen ...

Marie-Georges Pascal Marie-Georges Pascal (born Marie-Georges Charlotte Faisy; October 2, 1946 – November 9, 1985) was a French film, television

Pierre Clémenti Pierre André Clémenti (28 September 1942 – 27 December 1999) was a French actor. Life and career Born in Paris to an unknown father and Rose Clémenti, a Corsican concierge whose surname he took, Clémenti had a difficult childhood and took ...

Michel Robin Michel Robin (13 November 1930 – 18 November 2020) was a French film, stage, and television actor. A sociétaire of the Comédie-Française since 1996, he also appeared in 120 films from 1966 to 2018. He won several awards for his acting, ...

Paul Préboist Paul Préboist (21 February 1927 – 4 March 1997) was a French actor. He appeared in more than hundred films, mostly in supporting roles, and is best known as a comic actor. Filmography Theater References External links *Paul Préboista ...

, ... The series also introduced many young actors to the audience, such as

Yves Rénier Yves Rénier (29 September 1942 – 24 April 2021)
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. Marc Eyraud was the only actor to play in the first, intermediary and second series.

Series One

Raymond Souplex Raymond Souplex (1 June 1901 – 22 November 1972) was a French actor and singer. He was in a long-term relationship with Jane Sourza, although they never married. Filmography 1901 births 1972 deaths Male actors from Paris Musicians f ...

: Commissioner inspector Antoine Bourrel (1958-1973) *

Jean Daurand Jean Daurand (1913–1989) was a French actor. He starred in ''La Nuit Merveilleuse'' and ''Derrière la Facade''. Selected filmography * ''Rothchild'' (1933) * ''Le secret d'une nuit'' (1934) * ''Pension Mimosas'' (1935) - Un groom (uncredit ...

: Deputy Dupuy *

Pierre Collet Pierre Collet (10 March 1914 – 30 October 1977) was a French film actor. He appeared in more than 100 films and television shows between 1943 and 1977. Selected filmography * ''Goodbye Leonard'' (1943) - Le marchand d'habits (uncredite ...

: Officer of the Police Judiciaire

Intermediary Series

* Christian Barbier : Commissioner Le Carré (1974-1975) * Jacques Bouvier : The Judge (1974) *

Marc Eyraud Marc Eyraud (1 March 1924 – 15 February 2005) was a French film actor. He appeared in 60 films between 1956 and 1995. Partial filmography * ''Plucking the Daisy'' (1956) - Un photographe (uncredited) * ''The Man in the Raincoat'' (1957) ...

: Inspector Ménardeau (1974-1975) * Henri Lambert : Inspector Lindet (1974)

Series Two

* Jacques Debary : Commissioner Cabrol (1975-1992) *

: Inspector Ménardeau (1975-1992) * Caroline Silhol : Commissioner Belmont (1988-1992) * Marc Adjadj : Inspector Lamouri (1988-1992) * Valérie Jonckeere : Daughter Georges Claisse

Series Three

Pierre Santini Pierre is a masculine given name. It is a French form of the name Peter. Pierre originally meant "rock" or "stone" in French (derived from the Greek word πέτρος (''petros'') meaning "stone, rock", via Latin "petra"). It is a translation ...

: Commissioner Massard (1993-1996) Pierre Hoden : Inspector Antoine Barrier (1993-1996)

Guest

Andrée Damant Andrée Damant (20 September 1929 – 6 December 2022) was a French actress. Life and career Damant starred in many commercials. She also specialized in the roles of sympathetic Méridionales often Marseillaises pure strain, which led from time ...

Artus de Penguern Artus de Penguern (13 March 1957 – 14 May 2013) was a French director, writer and actor of Breton descent. On stage Filmography References External links * 1957 births French film directors 2013 deaths French people of Breto ...

Aurélien Recoing Aurélien Recoing (born 5 May 1958) is a French actor and stage director. Personal life Aurélien Recoing is the son of (puppeteer), and the brother of (director and translator), Blaise Recoing (actor and musician), and David Recoing (pianist, ...

* Catherine Jacob *

Christine Citti Christine Citti (born 26 October 1962 in Paris) is a French actress, director and writer. Personal life Her brother, Marc Citti, is also actor. Her father was mayor of Ramoulu in the Loiret Loiret (; ) is a department in the Centre-Val d ...

Claire Maurier Claire Maurier (born Odette-Michelle-Suzanne Agramon; March 27, 1929) is a French actress who has appeared in more than 90 films since 1947. Life and career Maurier was born Odette-Michelle-Suzanne Agramon on March 27, 1929 in the French commune ...

Claire Nadeau Claire Nadeau (born 1 June 1945) is a French actress. Theater Filmography References External links * {{DEFAULTSORT:Nadeau, Claire French film actresses 20th-century French actresses 21st-century French actresses Actresses from P ...

Claude Gensac Claude Gensac (1 March 1927 – 27 December 2016) was a French actress. She appeared in more than 70 films and television productions since 1952. Gensac is the oldest nominee to date in the category César Award for Best Supporting Actress, nomi ...

Daniel Prévost Daniel Prévost (born 20 October 1939) is a French actor, comedian and writer. Early life Daniel Prévost, alias Denis Forestier, was born to Micheline Chevalier and Mohand Ait Salem. His father was of Berber descent from Algeria (Kabylie re ...

* Danièle Évenou *

Danièle Lebrun Danièle Lebrun (born 24 July 1937) is a French actress. Theater Filmography References External links * {{DEFAULTSORT:Lebrun, Daniele 1937 births Living people French film actresses French stage actresses People from Ardèche 2 ...

Dominique Blanc Dominique Blanc (born 25 April 1956) is a French actress. She is known for her roles in the films '' May Fools'' (1990), '' Indochine'' (1992), '' La Reine Margot'' (1994), ''Those Who Love Me Can Take the Train'' (1998), and '' The Other One'' ...

* Fabienne Chaudat *

Francine Bergé Francine Bergé (born 21 July 1938, Neuilly-sur-Seine, Hauts-de-Seine, France) is a French film and stage actress. Filmography Theater Awards * 2018 - Prix du Brigadier d’honneur * 2016 - Molière Award The Molière Award recognise ...

François Marthouret François Marthouret (born 12 September 1943) is a French actor. Selected filmography Theater References External links * {{DEFAULTSORT:Marthouret, Francois 1943 births Living people Male actors from Paris French male film actors ...

François Perrot François Perrot (26 February 1924 – 20 January 2019)Françoise Bertin Françoise Bertin (23 September 1925 – 26 October 2014) was a French actress. She appeared in over 125 films since 1961. Among these were five films directed by Alain Resnais: ''Last Year at Marienbad'', '' Muriel'', '' The War Is Over'', '' ...

Ginette Garcin Ginette Garcin (4 January 1928 – 10 June 2010) was a French actress of stage, film and television. Biography She lived in Audresselles, Pas-de-Calais. Ginette Garcin made her musical debut with Jacques Hélian and his orchestra in 1946. She ...

Jackie Sardou Jackie Sardou (7 April 1919 – 2 April 1998) was a French actress. Personal life She was born Jacqueline Labbé in Paris, and married Fernand Sardou, a singer. She was the mother of singer Michel Sardou; and grandmother of author Romain Sardou ...

Laure Duthilleul Laure Duthilleul (born 14 January 1959) is a French actress, director and screenwriter. She has appeared in more than 70 films and television shows since 1981. She has appeared in five films that have been screened at the Cannes Film Festival. S ...

Liliane Rovère Liliane Rovère (born 30 January 1933) is a French actress. Personal life In 1955, she went to the United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country pr ...

Magali Clément Magali Clément was a French director Director may refer to: Literature * ''Director'' (magazine), a British magazine * ''The Director'' (novel), a 1971 novel by Henry Denker * ''The Director'' (play), a 2000 play by Nancy Hasty Music * Di ...

Marthe Villalonga Marthe Villalonga (born 20 March 1932) is a French actress. She was born in Fort-de-l'Eau, Algeria ) , image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capit ...

Myriam Boyer Myriam Boyer (born 23 May 1948) is a French actress. She appeared in more than eighty films and television shows since 1970. At the age of 18, she married with whom she had a son, Clovis Cornillac. From 1975 until his death in 1999 she was marri ...

Pascale Roberts Pascale is a common Francophone given name, the feminine of the name Pascal. The same spelling is also an Italian form of the masculine name ''Pascal'', and an Italian surname derived from the given name. Pascale derives from the Latin ''pas ...

Philippe Nahon Philippe Nahon (; 24 December 1938 – 19 April 2020) was a French actor. Best known films Nahon was best known for his roles in French horror and thriller films, including '' I Stand Alone'', '' Humains'', '' Calvaire'', ''The Pack'' and ''Ha ...

Pierre Arditi Pierre Arditi (born 1 December 1944) is a French actor. He is the brother of French actress Catherine Arditi. Life and career Born in Paris, his father was the painter Georges Arditi, from Marseille of Jewish descent, and his mother Yvonne ...

Tonie Marshall Tonie Marshall (29 November 1951 – 12 March 2020) was a French-American actress, screenwriter, and film director. In 2000, she became the first female director to win a César award for her film ''Venus Beauty Institute.'' Life and career Mar ...

* Valérie Vogt *

Véra Belmont Véra Belmont (born 17 November 1932) is a French film producer, director and screenwriter. Since 1960, she has produced 45 films, directed 5 films, and written 8 films. Her films were greatly inspired by François Truffaut and other members of ...

Yves Rénier Yves Rénier (29 September 1942 – 24 April 2021)
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Trivia

This programme was extremely successful until the main actor Raymond Souplex left in November 1972. In recognition of his character, the following commissioners were no longer called Bourrel, but instead, Le Carré, Cabrol and Massard. Besides Claude Loursais, many directors have written for this programme, notably Jean-Pierre Decourt, Bernard Hecht, Jean-Yves Jeudi, Guy Lessertisseur, Raymond Pontarlier and Guy Séligmann. The scripts for the first series were mostly written by Jean Cosmos, Fred Kassak and Louis C. Thomas The

theme music Theme music is a musical composition that is often written specifically for radio programming, television shows, video games, or films and is usually played during the title sequence, opening credits, closing credits, and in some instances at so ...

played (on trumpet by

Pierre Thibaud Pierre Thibaud (22 June 1929 – 29 October 2004) was a French classical trumpeter. Life Born in Proissans (Dordogne), Thibaud studied violon and trumpet at the Conservatoire de Bordeaux, then at the Conservatoire de Paris in Eugène Foveau's c ...

) during the opening sequence is called ''Arsenic blues'' and was composed by Marc Lanjean. The programme was referenced by

Gotlib Marcel Gottlieb (14 July 1934 – 4 December 2016), known professionally as Gotlib, was a French French comics, comics artist/writer and publisher. Through his own work and the magazines he co-founded, ''L'Écho des savanes'' and ''Fluide Glacial' ...

in many of his comic strips, Rubrique-a-brac. Raymond Devos also references it in one of his sketches, ''Ma dernière heure est arrivée''.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Cinq Dernieres Minutes 1950s French television series 1960s French television series 1970s French television series 1980s French television series 1990s French television series 1958 French television series debuts 1996 French television series endings