Johnny Hallyday

MICKEY ROURKE DOESN’T FORGET HIS DEPARTED FRIENDS

We didn’t realize that Mickey Rourke and French singer Johnny Hallyday (he was credited with bringing rock & roll to France) were such good friends. Johnny died a few years ago and Mickey never forgets to post a Tribute to him on Instagram on his birthday, June 15. This year his wife Laeticia Hallyday held a memorial ceremony for what would have been Johnny’s 77th birthday on the beach in Santa Monica for family and friends. They played Johnny’s music, told stories about him, and tossed flowers into the ocean.

Photo Credit: BACKGRID-USA

JOHNNY HALLYDAY : NOBODY LOVED AMERICA MORE

The original French rock n roller Johnny Hallyday just died and it’s a huge deal in France but should be noteworthy here too. As successful as he was, Johnny was mostly unknown outside of France, but he was always madly in love with American culture. As a teen he was inspired by Elvis Presley and went on to record many American hits by Elvis, Carl Perkins, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Eddie Cochran, Chubby Checker, Fats Domino etc. – translated into French – and he made a fortune. He loved all things American – Harley Davidson motorcycles, fast cars, leather pants, hamburgers etc. He died in Los Angeles.

JOHNNY HALLYDAY AND MICKEY ROURKE : TWO OF A KIND?

French singer Johnny Hallyday and Mickey Rourke hung out in front of Mr Chow having a smoke before they went inside for dinner. They almost costarred with Christopher Walken in an untitled gangster movie in 2010. Johnny always wanted to be an actor and admired Mickey’s career. The film was about a New Jersey crime family seeking to expand internationally. For some reason, the movie never got made, but Johnny and Mickey became friends and frequently see each other both in Paris and LA.

Photo Credit: AKM-GSI

THE FRENCH ELVIS, JOHNNY HALLYDAY, PARTIES AT COACHELLA



Photo Credit: Pacific Coast News

Johnny Hallyday, 68, was always described as “The French Elvis Presley and he admits he was heavily influenced by Elvis’s style. Johnny’s first album “Here’s Johnny” came out in 1960 and he was an immediate hit everywhere in Europe except the UK. He’s still a huge star in France. Johnny has a house in LA and he enjoys walking around in relative anonymity when he comes here. Maybe if Elvis had lived, HE would have turned up at the Coachella music festival with a much younger wife. Who knows?

JOHNNY HALLYDAY SHOPS THE FLEA MARKET

Legendary French singer Johnny Hallyday took his beautiful young wife Laeticia shopping at Maxfield this week and was surprised when paparazzi spotted him in the parking lot. A few days later he and Laeticia, their two daughters, and several friends from France were seen at the Rose Bowl flea market in Pasadena having fun picking out vintage clothing and memorabilia. A French vendor remarked “He could never walk down the street unrecognized in France.”