René Simard

René Simard
CM CQ
Born
René Claude Simard

(1961-02-28) 28 February 1961 (age 65)
Chicoutimi, Saguenay, Quebec, Canada
GenrePop
Occupations
  • Singer
  • actor
Years active1970s–present
Spouse
Marie-Josée Taillefer
​
​
(m. 1987)​
RelativesNathalie Simard (sister)

René Claude Simard CM CQ (born 28 February 1961) is a Canadian pop singer from Quebec. He is the older brother of Nathalie Simard.

Biography

Simard was born in Chicoutimi, Quebec.

In 1974, Simard was awarded the Grand Prix[clarification needed] by Frank Sinatra at the annual Tokyo Music Festival. In Canada, he hosted the CBC Television series The René Simard Show from 1977 to 1979.

Simard is also an occasional actor. He appeared alongside his brother Régis in the 1973 film Enuff Is Enuff (J'ai mon voyage!) and played the henchman Stu in the 1995 film Kids of the Round Table.

Between 2006 and 2008, he hosted the television series L'heure de gloire on Ici Radio-Canada Télé.

Simard was formerly managed by Guy Cloutier who also managed his sister, Nathalie. In 2004, Cloutier was convicted of sexually assaulting Nathalie when she was a child. Michel Vastel's 2005 book on the case, Briser le silence (Breaking the Silence), alleged that René co-operated with Cloutier in trying to hide the assaults. In 2005, Simard made a public statement in which he denied this.

In 1999, he briefly played the role of the Phantom in the Toronto production of The Phantom of the Opera (April – May 23, 1999). He was succeeded by Paul Stanley.

Simard has been married to TV hostess Marie-Josée Taillefer since 1987.

In 2014, Simard was named a Member of the Order of Canada "For his contributions to the development of Quebec culture as a performer, host and director."

References

  1. 1 2 Menard, Denise; Grills, Barry; L'herbier, Benoit. "Rene Simard". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
  2. ↑ "Rene Simard with Frank Sinatra". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 29 January 1977. p. 33. ISSN 0006-2510.
  3. ↑ "Rene Simard, April 20, Salle Pierre-Mercure". The Montrealer. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
  4. ↑ Kelly, Brendan (18 May 1995). "Kids of the Round Table – Variety". Variety. Retrieved 26 January 2019.
  5. ↑ Umland, Rebecca A.; Umland, Samuel J. (1996). The Use of Arthurian Legend in Hollywood Film: From Connecticut Yankees to Fisher Kings. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 72. ISBN 0-313-29798-3. ISSN 0198-9871 – via Google Books.
  6. ↑ "De sacrés artistes à Sacré talent!". Le Devoir. 22 September 2006. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
  7. ↑ Paquet, Daniel (11 March 2017). "1975 - Du rêve au cauchemar". Le Journal De Quebec. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
  8. ↑ "René Simard réplique à Michel Vastel". Radio-Canada. 17 November 2005. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
  9. ↑ "Simard challenges book on sister". CBC. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
  10. ↑ "Livent's Phantom to leave Toronto". CBC. 11 March 1999.
  11. ↑ "30 ans de mariage pour René Simard et Marie-Josée Taillefer". Radio-Canada. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
  12. ↑ "Order of Canada Appointments". 30 June 2014. Retrieved 1 July 2014.