Johnny Hallyday: Life in pictures
- Published
He sold about 100 million records and starred in a number of films in a career that began in 1960. Here he performs in 1962 at the Olympia hall in Paris.
He was born Jean-Philippe Smet on 15 June 1943. He lived in London for a time as a child. He suffered from depression and was frank about his use of cocaine, which he said he needed to work. In 1966 he attempted suicide.
Hallyday decided he wanted to be a singer after seeing Elvis Presley on screen in 1957. He was heavily influenced by Elvis and he broke from France's classic "chanson" tradition in the 1950s, singing rock and roll in French.
Hallyday was married five times, twice to the same woman. He was first married to the famous Bulgarian-French singer Sylvie Vartan for 15 years and they were considered "the golden couple". Here they perform in 1967 at a concert to raise money for cancer research. Hallyday himself died after a battle with lung cancer.
Despite his success at home, headlining more than 50 major tours, Hallyday was virtually unknown outside the Francophone zone. The USA Today newspaper once described him as "the greatest rock star you never heard of". Here he performs in a concert in Paris with French singer Eddy Mitchell (R).
He was made a Chevalier of the Legion D'Honneur by President Jacques Chirac in 1997. The French simply called him "Our Johnny". Here, Hallyday (L) is photographed with French president Jacques Chirac (R) and his wife Bernadette.
Hallyday married his last wife Laeticia in 1996. Here they are seen with their adopted daughter Jade.
In a statement, Laeticia said: "Johnny Hallyday has left us. I write these words without believing them and yet it's true. My man is no longer with us."