Undisputed king of French Rock'n'roll since the 60s, Johnny Hallyday, whose real name was Jean-Philippe Smet, left an indelible mark on the French-speaking scene and the world. With a 57-year career, he was one of the most prominent figures in the French media landscape. Let's answer 10 questions we've all surely asked ourselves about this iconic personality!
1. Why did Jean-Philippe Smet choose the stage name Johnny Hallyday?
Born on June 15, 1943, in Paris, Jean-Philippe Smet was the son of Léon Smet, a Belgian actor, and Huguette Clerc, a fitting model for major fashion designers. Shortly after his birth, his parents divorced, and the future Johnny was entrusted to his paternal aunt, Hélène Marr, who took him to live in London with her and her daughters when he was about 3 years old. As time passed, Jean-Philippe Smet met his cousin Desta's boyfriend. This friend was named Lee Lemoine Ketcham, an American dancer whose stage name was... Lee Halliday! The two immediately formed a very strong friendship, so much so that Johnny would perform as an opening act for his friend's shows when he was only 13 years old. Over the years, Lee Halliday became a true mentor for the one he used to ironically call "Johnny". He helped Johnny start his musical career, discover the United States, and was his mentor for many years as an artistic director: that's why Jean-Philippe Smet adopted the name Johnny Hallyday (with a 'y' to differentiate himself from his friend) as his stage name.
2. What is Johnny Hallyday's first song?
Johnny Hallyday's career began in 1958. Aged 15 at the time, he performed on the stage of Golf-Druot, singing covers and French adaptations of American repertoire. On this occasion, he met two of his most loyal friends: Jacques Dutronc and Eddy Mitchell. However, Johnny Hallyday's first true composition was unveiled the following year, in 1959, and was titled "Laisse les filles". This was Johnny Hallyday's first television appearance in the show "L'école des Vedettes," which aimed to discover new talents to perform a song written by them. Johnny's godmother for this show was none other than Line Renaud!
3. How did Johnny Hallyday meet Laeticia?
The meeting between Johnny Hallyday and Laeticia Boudou dates back to 1995. While in Miami, Johnny Hallyday was scheduled to have dinner with Jean Roch, a very close friend of all influential nightlife personalities. The latter suggested that one of his friends, André Boudou, join them for dinner. However, André Boudou did not come to dinner alone, as he brought his daughter, Laeticia Boudou, with him. The two future spouses fell madly in love with each other despite their age difference and never left each other's side. They married in March 1996, a year after they met, and remained together until the singer's death.
4. How many times did Johnny Hallyday get married?
A true heartthrob, Johnny Hallyday was married no less than 4 times! First, he married singer Sylvie Vartan in 1965. Then, he met Babeth Étienne, whom he married in 1981. This was his shortest marriage, as he divorced after two months and two days. Next, Adeline Blondeau became his wife for the first time in 1990, but the couple divorced in 1992. However, the couple gave themselves another chance and remarried a second time in 1994! Finally, it was with Laetitia Boudou that Johnny Hallyday married in 1996 and for the rest of his life, as she was his last wife.
5. Who are Johnny Hallyday's children?
Johnny Hallyday's first child is his eldest son David Hallyday, now 51 years old, whose mother is Sylvie Vartan. Father and son sang the hit "Sang pour Sang" together, which sold over a million copies worldwide. Then, Laura Smet was the singer's second child, from his relationship with Nathalie Baye from 1983 to 1986. Finally, Laeticia and Johnny Hallyday adopted two children, Jade and Joy, in 2004 and 2008, in Vietnam, following Laeticia's numerous miscarriages.
6. What are Johnny Hallyday's biggest hits?
According to the ranking of the 20 favorite songs of the French among Johnny Hallyday's titles, the biggest hits are:
- Retiens la nuit, in 1961
- Noir c'est noir, in 1966
- J'ai un problème, in 1973 and in duo with Sylvie Vartan
- La Musique que j'aime, in 1973
- Ma Gueule, in 1979
- Quelque chose de Tenneesse, in 1985
- L'envie, in 1986
- Allumer le feu, in 1998
- Sang pour sang, in 1999 and in duo with his son David
Of course, the singer's career was punctuated by many other successes like Diego or Que je t'aime, to name just a few!
7. At what age and where did Johnny Hallyday die?
Johnny Hallyday sadly passed away on December 5, 2017, at the age of 74, at his home in Marnes-la-Coquette, located in the Hauts-de-Seine department.
8. How did Johnny Hallyday die?
Johnny Hallyday died of lung cancer. Very weakened during his last days of life, he was lying in bed and wished to get up to go to his wheelchair to join guests in the living room. It was when he got out of bed that he fell to the floor and never woke up again, despite a 30-minute resuscitation attempt by the caregivers present at his home...
9. Where is Johnny Hallyday buried?
In accordance with his last wishes, Johnny Hallyday was buried in the cemetery of the Lorient Church in Saint-Barthélémy, on the island of the same name, where he owned a villa named "Jade," in tribute to his daughter. The ceremony took place in strict family privacy and with close friends, on December 11, 2017. In addition, a popular tribute was paid to the singer in Paris, during his funeral at the Madeleine Church, on December 9, 2017. This tribute gathered between 800,000 and 1 million people and was followed by nearly 15 million viewers. Finally, a memorial mass for the singer is celebrated on the 9th of every month, at the Madeleine Church.
10. Why are Laura and David Smet not mentioned in Johnny's will?
This news made headlines for many weeks, causing controversy since Johnny's death. Indeed, Laura and David Smet were "disinherited" from their father's last will. The reason is simple: Johnny Hallyday believed he had already helped his first two children a lot throughout his life and that they were largely well-off. Thus, according to him, they didn't need more money. Johnny Hallyday therefore chose to bequeath his entire fortune to Laeticia Hallyday and his two younger daughters, Jade and Joy.
We hope you enjoyed this article about Johnny Hallyday! If you want to continue enriching your musical culture, you can also read our article on the life of Ariana Grande, the singer with an extraordinary career.
