Actor, singer, humorist, philanthropist and even senator: few personalities have left their mark on Quebec in such different spheres as Jean Lapointe. An artist of rare versatility, an inspiring man with a sometimes disturbing outspokenness, he died Friday at the age of 86, leaving behind him an immense legacy, if only for the therapy center that bears his name.
“People already loved him. But by showing an imperfect side of him, by presenting himself as a man who was fighting against his demons, he sought even more public love, ”underlines his daughter Anne Elizabeth Lapointe, who today runs Maison Jean Lapointe. which his father founded in 1982.
Before becoming the standard-bearer in the fight against addiction, Jean Lapointe had a prolific career in the entertainment world. First in cabarets in the 1950s, then as a comedian in the comic duo Les Jérolas, alongside Jérôme Lemay, until 1974.
In the cinema, he will star in two of the greatest masterpieces of Quebec cinema: orders by Michel Brault in 1974, and Hot water, hot water by André Forcier. “He is an exquisite being. He is a being with a big heart who managed to establish a bond with the other actors, ”recalls actress Sophie Clément, who was his partner in Hot water, hot water. She never felt the slightest contempt for this comedian, a great star of variety, who tried his hand at dramatic roles in auteur films. “On the contrary, there was immense respect,” insists Sophie Clément.
His talents as an actor were no longer in doubt when he landed the role of Maurice Duplessis in the biographical series directed by a certain Denys Arcand, then at the very start of his career. Jean Lapointe is stunning in the skin of the strong man of the Great Darkness, sometimes presented as a vulnerable being. the 15-minute dialogue between Maurice Duplessis on his hospital bed and Adélard Godbout went down in history. Some, including the PQ Pascal Bérubé, went so far as to ask Radio-Canada on Friday to rebroadcast the Duplessis series to pay tribute to Jean Lapointe.
One thing is certain, the entire political class, Justin Trudeau at Francois Legault, wanted to salute the departure of this giant. “Jean Lapointe was a monument to Quebec culture and a source of inspiration for thousands of people. Above all, Maison Jean Lapointe is one of his most precious legacies,” wrote Valerie Plante on Twitter.
The fight of his life
A close friend of Félix Leclerc, Jean Lapointe also enjoyed immense success as a singer-songwriter in the 1970s and 1980s. sing your song.
“He described himself first and foremost as a fanciful. But I think his favorite thing was the stage. He loved acting, but he wouldn’t have had the patience to spend his life on film sets. It was on stage that he was happiest. When the kodaks lit, it lit too. He was really a beast of the stage, ”says his only son, host Jean-Marie Lapointe.
But while he shone on the boards and on the screen in the early 1970s, Jean Lapointe was devoured behind the scenes by his alcoholism problems. Following numerous therapies, he will eventually regain the upper hand over his demons, but it is only at the beginning of the 1980s that he will speak openly about his fight.
“He was one of the first known personalities to confess to having a drinking problem. It really helped to advance the cause and it broke down prejudices. At the end of the 1970s, an alcoholic was still a drunkard, a lazy person. That such a beloved personality exposes his flaws, it changed perceptions, ”recalls Anne Elizabeth Lapointe, whose boundless admiration for her father, who will have been sober for more than 40 years, we feel.
The anti-politician
His commitment against addictions had earned him the appointment of a senator in 2001 by John Christian, an experience he ultimately disliked. Especially since his work to better supervise the installation of lottery machines was in vain.
“Our grandfather was a federal deputy, so when he was appointed senator, it was an immense pride for him. The first years, he was very motivated. But he became disillusioned after his failure to better regulate gaming machines. Let’s say that in everything he accomplished in his life, politics, it really wasn’t what he was most proud of, “admits Jean-Marie Lapointe, who believes that his father was much too frank, too direct, for the political game.
“He was really honest. He said what he thought, and he did what he said. He didn’t care what people thought,” adds Jean-Marie Lapointe, who does not fail to point out that behind this strength of character lies a great vulnerability.
Jean Lapointe will sit in the upper house until 2010, the year of his 75 years, mandatory retirement age for senators. In one of his last interviews given to Radio-Canada last January, this former convinced federalist, son of a former Liberal MP, now confided that he hoped for the advent of a sovereign Quebec.
“Quebec’s independence will come one day or another, and I hope so,” he confided to Patrice Roy, speaking of the two irreconcilable solitudes he had observed during his years in Ottawa.
Reconnaissance
After politics, Jean Lapointe will reconnect full-time with his first love, which he had never really abandoned. However, the Jérolas’ return to the stage was cut short in 2011, when his accomplice, Jérôme Lemay, died a few weeks after fainting in the middle of a show.
The same year, he received the Jutra tribute for his entire film career, which was far from over, however. And for good reason, the same evening, he also received the Jutra for best supporting actor for his moving performance in Origin of a cry by Robin Aubert. An award he had already won in 2005 for the Last tunnel by Érik Canuel, for which he also won the Genie award for best supporting actor.
The director of the film has only good memories of this shoot, during which Jean Lapointe shared the poster with Michel Côté. “Jean Lapointe was a real one. If we can give him credit for anything, it’s for always being whole. He was a tormented man, but he knew, through his great humanity, how to turn that around to help people, ”sums up Érik Canuel.