The product of a broken home, Alain Delon had a stormy childhood. He was frequently expelled from school.

During the early 50s - parachutist with French Marines in Indochina; mid-50s - worked at various odd jobs including, waiter, salesman, and porter in Les Halles market; 1957 - film debut in Yves Allégret's Quand la femmes s'en mele; declined contract with Selznick studios; 1960 - received international recognition for his role in Visconti's Rocco and His Brothers; 1961 - stage role in Tis Pity She's a Whore, directed by Visconti, Paris; 1964 - formed film company Delbeau Productions; produced short film directed by Guy Gilles; 1968 - involved in murder, drug, sex scandal that indirectly implicated major politicians and show business personalities, eventually cleared of all charges; late 60s - formed film company Adel Film; 1970 - began producing feature films; 1981 - directed film Pour la peau d'un flic.

Without previous professional preparation, Alain Delon came to embody the young, energetic, often morally corrupted man. With his breathtaking good-looks, he was also predestined to play tender lovers and romantic heroes, and he was in the beginning a French embodiment of the type created in America by James Dean. His first outstanding success came with the role of the parasite Tom Ripley in Clement's sun-drenched thriller Purple Noon. Delon presented a psychological portrait of a murderous young cynic who attempts to take on the identity of his victim. A totally different role was offered to him by Visconti in "Rocco e i suoi fratelli". In this film, Delon plays the devoted Rocco, who accepts the greatest sacrifices to save his characterless brot her Simon. After several other films in Italy, he returned to the criminal genre with Jean Gabin in Any Number Can Win. This work, a classic example of the genre, was distinguished not only by a soundly worked-out screenplay, but also by the careful producti on and the excellent performances of both Delon and Gabin. It was only in the late sixties that the sleek and lethal Delon came to epitomise the calm, psychopathic hoodlum, staring into the camera like a cat assessing a mouse. His tough, ruthless side was firs t used to real effect by Jean-Pierre Melville in The Godson. In 1969, he had a huge success in the bloodstained Borsalino, which he also produced, playing a small-time gangster who, with Jean-Paul Belmondo becomes king of the Marseilles thirties underwo rld. Delon later won critical acclaim for his roles, against type, in Joseph Losey's Mr. Klein in which Delon played (brilliantly) the icily sinister title role, and the art-movie Un amour de Swann. Today Alain Delon is married to Rosalie, he has an older son Anthony Delon (who has also acted in a number of movies) from his first marriage to Nathalie Delon, and has a young son and daughter, Alain-Fabien and Anouchka with his wife Rosalie.
Featured on the cover of the music album "The Queen is Dead" by the Smiths (1986) Father of Christian Aaron Boulogne Worked together with Claude Jade and Curd Jürgens in Russia Has two children with his current wife, a daughter, Anouchka Delon (born in 1990) and a son Alain Fabien (born in 1994). Father of Anthony Delon Was engaged to actress Romy Schneider (1959-1964). Father of Alain Delon Jr. Has his look-alike puppet in the French show Guignols de l'info, Les. He is a friend of French actress Brigitte Bardot. Third wife Rosalie Van Breemen is a former model and a Dutch aristocrat. She became Miss Holland in 1986. Sang in hit song "Parole, Parole, Parole" with late singer Dalida. Sang in hit song "Paroles, Paroles" with late singer Dalida. Owns a restaurant called "Camargue" in Nice, France. Has partially Corsican ancestry. Has been expelled six times from different schools, as a child. Is long time friends with actor Jean-Claude Brialy. Father was named Fabien and mother was named Edith. Has dual citizenship: French and Swiss. Aquired Swiss citizenship in 1999. Received the "Legion d'Honneur", the highest French decoration for his career. Participated to the war of Indochina, when he was a soldier in the French army. Originally wanted to be a butcher. His stepfather Paul Boulogne was a butcher. Is a Gaullist (an admirer of Charles De Gaulle, and consequently, a center rightist). Has his own perfume, it's called "AD". Has his own brand "Alain Delon Diffusion SA", which sells perfumes, champaign, clothes, watches, Cognac, glasses. Has a horse named "Equileo". Sang song "Comme Au Cinéma" in 1987. Accepted starring role in Zorro to please his son Anthony Delon, who was a child at the time. Has two grand-daughters: Lou and Liv, by his son Anthony Delon. Longtime companion of actress Mireille Darc from 1969 to 1984. Created a horse racing team with which he won the World Champion title for trotter with his horse "Equileo". Lives on his estate in Douchy, France (Departement Loiret). Italian rock group "Baustelle" wrote a song entitled "La canzone di Alain Delon" ("The song of Alain Delon"). One of the most favourite western stars in Japan His childhood favourite star was John Garfield