Michel Paulin has died at the age of 92. The French actor will forever be linked to a voice that marked an entire generation: the one that opened every episode of The Mysterious Cities of Gold . Born in Nantes on September 24, 1933, he had a long career in theater, television, and especially in dubbing. His passing is another blow to the world of French dubbing, less than a year after the death of Jackie Berger, who notably voiced Esteban in The Mysterious Cities of Gold.
The voice that opened each episode of "The Mysterious Cities of Gold"
First broadcast in France in 1983 on Antenne 2, the series comprised 39 episodes in its first season. All began with Michel Paulin's famous and instantly recognizable narration: "The 16th century. From the four corners of Europe, gigantic sailing ships set off to conquer the New World."
A few seconds were all it took to establish the world of Esteban, Zia, Tao, Mendoza, and the Great Condor. More than forty years after the cartoon's first broadcast, this introduction remains one of the series' most memorable moments. Michel Paulin also contributed to the dubbing of the series, notably lending his voice to the character of Ketcha.
From the Conservatory to the Theatre before dubbing
Michel Paulin trained at the Conservatoire national supérieur d'art dramatique in Paris, graduating in 1961. He then acted in numerous plays, particularly in the classical repertoire, before also working as a director. He appeared on television in the program " Les Cinq Dernières Minutes" and in films such as "Dany la ravageuse" and "Nuits rouges ." But it was his voice that would gradually become his primary instrument and make him a familiar figure to millions of viewers.
Jack Nicholson, Donald Sutherland, Harvey Keitel…
In film, Michel Paulin dubbed several major American actors. He was notably one of the French voices of Jack Nicholson, whom he dubbed in Chinatown , released in 1974. He also lent his voice to Donald Sutherland and Harvey Keitel. This career places him among those actors whose name and face sometimes remain unfamiliar to the general public, even though their voices have accompanied the biggest international stars for decades.
French dubbing has lost several important figures in recent years, including Emmanuel Karsen, the famous French voice of Sean Penn , and Benoît Allemane, the iconic French voice of Morgan Freeman.
A familiar voice from "Dallas" and "Law & Order"
Michel Paulin also worked extensively in television series. He was notably the French voice of Ted Shackelford, who played Gary Ewing in Dallas and Knots Landing . Most notably, he dubbed Sam Waterston for many years, particularly in the role of District Attorney Jack McCoy in Law & Order . His voice could also be heard behind Mike Farrell in Desperate Housewives . This considerable work in dubbing allowed Michel Paulin to work across generations, from 1980s cartoons to major American series broadcast several decades later.
Another major figure in dubbing disappears
Michel Paulin would have celebrated his 93rd birthday on September 24th. His death, three weeks before his birthday, marks the loss of another iconic voice of French cinema and television. The cultural world has been particularly saddened in recent days, notably by the death of Jean-Paul Rappeneau at the age of 94. But for an entire generation, Michel Paulin will remain above all the man who, in each episode of The Mysterious Cities of Gold , transported viewers with just a few words to the New World, the Andes Mountains, and the legend of the mysterious cities of gold.
