Louis Bozon, known for being the voice of the Jeu des 1.000 francs and later the Jeu des 1.000 euros on France Inter, has passed away at the age of 90. France Inter announced his death this Thursday, July 11, confirmed by his entourage. Bozon, born in 1934 in La Tronche, hosted this popular game between 1995 and 2008, leaving a mark on many listeners with his warm voice and inimitable style.
Before becoming an indispensable figure in radio, Louis Bozon began his career in theater. Graduating from the Conservatory of Grenoble with a First Prize in dramatic arts, he continued his training at the Centre d’art dramatique de la rue Blanche in Paris. In 1957, he joined the RTF, the precursor of the ORTF, and joined France Inter in 1965. Among his notable contributions, he hosted the show 3-6-9, a radio game where listeners could win packs of cigarettes, as well as shows like Bonjour tout le monde and Réveillez-vous, on s’occupe du reste.
In 1995, Bozon succeeded Lucien Jeunesse as the host of the Jeu des 1.000 francs, a historic show created in 1958. Under his direction, the game was modernized and renamed Jeu des 1.000 euros with the introduction of the single European currency. Bozon also launched a youth version of the show, continuing his commitment to young listeners until his departure in 2008, when Nicolas Stoufflet succeeded him.
Louis Bozon had a special relationship with the great actress Marlène Dietrich, whom he considered "the woman of his life." They met at a dinner, and a deep and long-lasting friendship developed between them. Bozon was her confidant and helped her in her daily life, staying by her side until her death in 1992. He wrote about their relationship in several books, including Allo mon ange, c’est Marlène and Marlène, ma vie avec Dietrich, describing the moments shared with this absolute cinema legend. He often said: "There are beings that one can no longer abandon. If I had done so, I would have felt like a traitor."
After leaving regular hosting, Louis Bozon stepped away from the spotlight, although he occasionally returned to the media as a guest, notably participating in Nagui‘s La bande originale. The passing of Louis Bozon reminds us of a time when the French audiovisual landscape was animated by strong, irreplaceable personalities.
