René Angélil - Wikipedia

Canadian musical producer, talent manager, and singer (1942–2016)

René AngélilCM OQ
Angélil in 2009
Born	(1942-01-16)16 January 1942Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Died	14 January 2016(2016-01-14) (aged 73)Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
Resting place	Notre Dame des Neiges Cemetery, Montréal
Occupations	Talent manager record producer singer songwriter businessman
Years active	1961–2016
Spouses	Denyse Duquette ​ ​(m. 1966; div. 1972)​ Anne Renée ​ ​(m. 1973; div. 1985)​ Celine Dion ​(m. 1994)​
Children	6

René Angélil CM OQ (French pronunciation: [ʁəneɑ̃ʒelil]; (1942-01-16)16 January 1942 – (2016-01-14)14 January 2016) was a Canadian musical producer, talent manager and singer. He was the husband and manager of singer Celine Dion.[1]

Early life

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Angélil was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, to a father of Syrian descent and a mother of Lebanese origin.[2] His father, Joseph Angélil, was born in Montreal to parents from Damascus, Syria, and his mother, Alice Sara, was born in Montreal to Lebanese parents.[3][4] He was the older of two children; he had a brother. Both of his parents were members of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church.[citation needed] Angélil studied at Collège Saint-Viateur (high school), in Outremont and at Collège André-Grasset (post secondary), in Montreal.

Career

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Angélil started out in 1961 as a pop singer in Montreal. He formed a pop rock group, Les Baronets [fr], with childhood friends Pierre Labelle and Jean Beaulne. Les Baronets had some hits during the 1960s, mostly translations of English-language pop hits from the United Kingdom or the United States, such as 'C'est fou, mais c'est tout' in 1964 (a translation of The Beatles' song Hold Me Tight). After the dissolution of the group in 1972, Angélil and best friend Guy Cloutier began managing artists.[5]

Together they managed the career of two successful Québec entertainers René Simard and Ginette Reno, among many other pop stars at the time. They parted ways in 1981 to each become solo managers. In 1981 (not long after being terminated as Ginette's manager and considering leaving the music business to pursue law school), René heard Celine Dion's demo tape when he was considered as a potential producer for her album. He soon took over as her agent.[6] He continued as her manager until June 2014, when he stepped down because he had cancer.[7]

Angélil became one of several co-owners of Montreal's iconic Schwartz's Deli in 2012.[5]

He has also had occasional acting roles in film and television, notably a supporting role in Sex in the Snow (Après-ski) and a leading role in The Apparition (L'Apparition).

Personal life

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In 1966, Angélil married his first wife, Denyse Duquette. Their son Patrick was born in 1968, and they divorced in 1972. He married singer Anne Renée[citation needed] in 1974; they had two children, then divorced in 1986. Their daughter, Anne-Marie, married singer Marc Dupré in 2000.[8]

Angélil was sent a tape of then 12-year-old singer Céline Dion and invited her to audition in Quebec. He began managing her career, taking the teen and her mother on tour in Canada, Japan and Europe. He mortgaged his house to finance her first album in 1981.

Angélil and Dion began a personal relationship in 1988 when she was twenty years old. Their first date took place the night Celine won the Eurovision Song Contest on 30 April 1988. Her mother was vehemently opposed to the union due to their 26-year age gap and his previous failed marriages. However, she eventually relented, as most of the family was supportive. The couple married on 17 December 1994. The lavish wedding ceremony at Montreal's Notre-Dame Basilica was broadcast live on Canadian television.[9]

After Angélil was diagnosed with throat cancer in 1999, and before beginning radiation treatment, the couple turned to in-vitro fertilisation. Their efforts were extensively publicised. Their son René-Charles Angélil was born on 25 January 2001. Dion suffered a miscarriage in 2009, then gave birth to twin boys on 23 October 2010. The boys were named Eddy after Eddy Marnay, who produced Dion's first five albums, and Nelson Angélil after former South African president Nelson Mandela.[10]

Angélil and Dion were huge fans of the Montreal Canadiens NHL hockey team, and were good friends of former Quebec Nordiques / Colorado Avalanche president and general manager Pierre Lacroix.[11]

Montreal Jubilation Choir founder Trevor Payne has said that "backstage, out of the eye of the general public, they were the kindest, most down-to-earth superstars that I've ever known in my entire career."[5]

Defamation suit

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In 2001, Angélil and Dion filed a $5 million defamation lawsuit against the Quebec tabloid Allô Vedettes, which claimed that the couple paid $5,001 to rent the swimming pool of Caesars Palace in Las Vegas so that Dion could sunbathe topless and Angélil could go skinny dipping. The couple strenuously denied the claim.[12]

Gambling

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Angélil was an avid poker player, having qualified for the 2005 World Series of Poker Tournament of Champions, and finishing in the money at the 2007 Mirage Poker Showdown event on the World Poker Tour, a series of high-stakes tournaments. Angélil was also rumoured to be a dedicated gambler away from the poker table. He reportedly gambled upwards of $1 million a week at Caesars Palace, and kept a line of credit for the same amount at Bellagio.[13][14] In 2007, Jan Jones, a casino executive and the former mayor of Las Vegas, claimed that Angélil gambled $1 million a week, but later retracted the statement. Caesars Palace later released a statement of Angélil's gambling losses and wins with his permission.[15]

Later life, illness and death

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Angélil suffered a heart attack in 1991 at age 49.[16] In 1999, he was diagnosed with throat cancer, and made a full recovery after treatment.[17] He appeared in the video for Simple Plan's song "Save You" as a survivor of cancer.[18] In 2009, Angélil reportedly underwent a planned, heart-related medical procedure to deal with arterial blockage.[19]

Angélil had surgery in December 2013 for throat cancer.[20] In June 2014, Angélil stepped down as Dion's manager to focus on his health, but was still involved in business decisions related to her career.[21] In September 2015, Dion announced that Angélil's cancer had progressed and that he had only "months to live".[22] Angélil died on 14 January 2016, of throat cancer, two days before his 74th birthday.[23][24][25] He received a "national funeral" service at Notre-Dame Basilica from the government of Quebec on 22 January, and was buried at the Notre Dame des Neiges Cemetery.[26][27]

Following Angélil's death, Dion became the sole owner and president of her management and production companies, including CDA Productions and Les Productions Feeling.[28][29]

Legacy and honours

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• 1987 and 1988: Félix Award for Manager of the Year.
• June 2009: awarded the National Order of Quebec, as Chevalier
• July 2013: awarded the Order of Canada.[30]
• 22 January 2016: flags flew at half-mast on Quebec and Montreal government buildings in his memoriam and an official national funeral of the Quebec government was held in Notre-Dame Basilica[26][31]
• 15 February 2016: honoured by Grammy Award during its annual 'In Memoriam' tribute.[32]
• 14 May 2021: asteroid 241364 Reneangelil, discovered by amateur astronomer Michel Ory at his observatory in Switzerland in 2008, was named by the Working Group for Small Bodies Nomenclature in his memory.[33]

Representation in other media

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• In July 2008, Angélil was named the fictional principal for the reality television show Star Académie's fourth season in 2009.[34] He filled the principal role in the show's two separate runs in 2009 and 2012.
• Angélil was portrayed by actor Enrico Colantoni in a 2008 television biopic of Dion, Céline.
• In the 2021 film Aline, directed by and starring Valérie Lemercier and loosely based on Dion's life, the character representing Angélil was portrayed by Sylvain Marcel, an actor from Dion's hometown of Charlemagne.

References

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1. ^ Shepherd, Harvey (21 July 2001). "Celine's son a Greek Melkite like any other: Rene-Charles to receive a combined baptism, first communion, confirmation in Catholic ceremony". The Gazette (Montreal, Quebec). pp. A6.
2. ^ Kelly, Brendan (15 January 2016). "René Angélil, Céline Dion's husband, dies after long battle with cancer". Montreal Gazette. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
3. ^ Kappler, Maija (6 September 2020). "Céline Dion makes emotional plea for Beirut victims". HuffPost Canada.
4. ^ Baaklini, Suzanne (15 February 2016). ""Le jour où j'ai su que René Angélil était mon cousin..."". L'Orient-Le Jour (in Canadian French) (published 2016).
5. ^ a b c "René Angélil: Not just a manager of Céline Dion – Montreal – CBC News". cbc.ca. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
6. ^ Ha, Tu Thanh (14 January 2016). "René Angélil: The man behind Céline Dion". The Globe and Mail. theglobeandmail.com. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
7. ^ "Celine Dion's husband Rene Angelil quits as her manager". HuffPost Canada. 11 June 2014. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
8. ^ Roy, Marie-Josée (23 April 2018). "Le départ de René Angélil, un deuil "encore à faire" pour Marc Dupré et sa famille". HuffPost Quebec (in Canadian French). Retrieved 15 November 2021.
9. ^ Fogle, Asher (14 January 2016). "A beautiful love: Celine Dion and René Angélil through the years". Good Housekeeping. Retrieved 14 January 2016.
10. ^ Derschowitz, Jessica (29 October 2010). "Celine Dion's twins named Nelson and Eddy". CBS News. Retrieved 14 January 2016.
11. ^ Fleury, Theo; Kirstie McLellan Day (2009). Playing With Fire. HarperCollins. p. 217. ISBN 978-1-55468-239-3.
12. ^ Ha, Tu Thanh (21 August 2001). "Dion sues paper over 'outrageous' topless story". theglobeandmail.com.
13. ^ Nick Mathiason (28 January 2007). "Queen of Las Vegas brings her winning streak to Britain | Business | The Observer". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 5 May 2011.
14. ^ "Ramblin' gamblin' man: Rene Angélil". Los Angeles Times. 8 February 2007. Archived from the original on 19 February 2009. Retrieved 5 May 2011.
15. ^ "Casino denies Dion husband losses". BBC News. 2 February 2007. Retrieved 14 January 2016.
16. ^ MacNeil, Jason (13 August 2014). "Celine Dion's husband Rene Angelil has been fighting cancer, heart problems for over 20 years". HuffPost Canada. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
17. ^ "Celine Dion's 'spirituality' has helped her be strong for her husband". The Record. 4 August 2010. Retrieved 14 January 2016.
18. ^ Video on YouTube
19. ^ "Dion's husband OK after heart work |". Las Vegas Review-Journal. 15 May 2009. Retrieved 27 December 2015.
20. ^ Duke, Alan (14 August 2014). "Celine Dion cancels shows as husband fights cancer". CNN. Retrieved 27 December 2015.
21. ^ Vlessing, Etan (6 December 2014). "Celine Dion has new manager as Rene Angelil steps down". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 27 December 2015.
22. ^ "Celine Dion: husband Rene Angelil has only weeks to live". Realty Today. 7 September 2015. Retrieved 27 December 2015.
23. ^ "Celine Dion shares heartbreaking details about husband Rene Angelil's death in new interview". MSN. 18 February 2018. Retrieved 19 February 2018.
24. ^ "Celine Dion's husband has lost a 'courageous' battle with cancer". Smooth Radio. 14 January 2016. Archived from the original on 16 October 2017. Retrieved 15 January 2016.
25. ^ Barnes, Mike (14 January 2016). "Rene Angelil". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 14 January 2016.
26. ^ a b "René Angélil remembered at national funeral in Montreal". cbc.ca. Montreal: CBC News. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
27. ^ "René Angélil 'protected me,' Céline Dion says at Las Vegas memorial". cbc.ca. Montreal: CBC News. Associated Press. 4 February 2016. Retrieved 5 March 2019.
28. ^ "Federal Corporation Information – 397656-4 – Online Filing Centre – Corporations Canada – Corporations – Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada". ic.gc.ca. Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada.
29. ^ "Nevada Secretary of State: Nevada Entity Search". esos.nv.gov.
30. ^ Barnes, Mike (14 January 2016). "Rene Angelil, Celine Dion's husband and former manager, dies at 73". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
31. ^ Nelson, Jeff (22 January 2016). "Céline Dion bids farewell to husband René Angélil at Montreal funeral". People. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
32. ^ Nelson, Jeff (16 February 2016). "Céline Dion's late husband René Angélil honored during Grammys 'In Memoriam' reel as 'My Heart Will Go On' plays". People. Archived from the original on 17 February 2016. Retrieved 16 February 2016.
33. ^ "WGSBN Bulletin Archive". Working Group Small Body Nomenclature. 14 May 2021. Retrieved 16 May 2021. (Bulletin #1)
34. ^ "René Angélil prend la tête de l'académie" (in Canadian French). LCN. 29 July 2008. Archived from the original on 10 July 2012.

External links

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• René Angélil at IMDb
• Media related to René Angélil at Wikimedia Commons

v t e Celine Dion
Albums Singles Songs Videography Concerts Awards and nominations Records and achievements Cultural impact
Studio albums	French La voix du bon Dieu Céline Dion chante Noël Tellement j'ai d'amour... Les chemins de ma maison Chants et contes de Noël Mélanie C'est pour toi Incognito Dion chante Plamondon D'eux S'il suffisait d'aimer 1 fille & 4 types D'elles Sans attendre Encore un soir English Unison Celine Dion The Colour of My Love Falling into You Let's Talk About Love These Are Special Times A New Day Has Come One Heart Miracle Taking Chances Loved Me Back to Life Courage
Live albums	Céline Dion en concert À l'Olympia Live à Paris Au cœur du stade A New Day... Live in Las Vegas Taking Chances World Tour: The Concert Céline une seule fois / Live 2013
Compilations	French Du soleil au cœur Les plus grands succès de Céline Dion Les oiseaux du bonheur Les chansons en or The Best of Celine Dion Les premières années Gold Vol. 1 Gold Vol. 2 C'est pour vivre The Collection 1982–1988 The Early Singles On ne change pas Un peu de nous English All the Way... A Decade of Song The Collector's Series, Volume One Let's Talk About Love / Falling into You / A New Day Has Come Complete Best Ultimate Box My Love: Essential Collection The Best of Celine Dion & David Foster The Best So Far... 2018 Tour Edition
Soundtrack albums	Love Again I Am: Celine Dion
Videography	Unison The Colour of My Love Concert Live à Paris ...Live in Memphis 1997 Au cœur du stade All the Way... A Decade of Song & Video On ne change pas Live in Las Vegas: A New Day... Céline sur les Plaines Celine: Through the Eyes of the World Taking Chances World Tour: The Concert Céline une seule fois / Live 2013 I Am: Celine Dion
Concert tours	Incognito Tour Unison Tour Celine Dion in Concert The Colour of My Love Tour D'eux Tour Falling into You: Around the World Let's Talk About Love World Tour Taking Chances World Tour Tournée Européenne 2013 Asia Tour Summer Tour 2016 Celine Dion Live 2017 Celine Dion Live 2018 Courage World Tour
Concert residencies	A New Day... Celine
TV specials	These Are Special Times All the Way... A Decade of Song A New Day Has Come Celine in Las Vegas, Opening Night Live That's Just the Woman in Me
Related articles	René Angélil Thérèse Dion Nickels Grill & Bar Schwartz's Celine Dion Parfums Miracle: A Celebration of New Life Céline Titanique
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