Fans of former Disney Parks attractions may be sad to hear that the French actor, Michel Piccoli has passed away today at age 94, according to the Hollywood Reporter. The actor was prominently featured playing the role of Jules Verne in the popular Circle-Vision 360 attraction, The Timekeeper/Le Visionarium which played at Walt Disney World, Disneyland Paris, and Tokyo Disneyland.
Courtesy: Central Florida Sights and Sounds
What’s Happening:
- Michel Piccoli, an actor whose career has spanned eight decades, passed away at the age of 94 on May 12th, according to a statement released by his family earlier today.
- His breakthrough role came in 1963 in Jean-Luc Godard’s Contempt, being featured on stage and in French cinema in mostly supporting roles, with his last being a vocal performance in 2015’s short film Our Lady of Hormones.
Courtesy: Central Florida Sights and Sounds
- Disney Parks fans will remember Piccoli as Jules Verne, appearing alongside Jeremy Irons as H.G. Wells in The Timekeeper, which appeared in Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, Disneyland Paris, and Tokyo Disneyland.
- Piccoli had a starring role as Verne, who was first spotted by time travelling robot 9-Eye making a sarcastic quip to H.G. Wells’ Time Machine idea at the Universal Exposition of Paris in 1900 and (as usually was the case with attractions in the era) plans go awry and Verne ends up travelling through time with 9-Eye, The Timekeeper, and (through the use of CircleVision 360 technology) the guests.
- Together we saw different decades and different technologies and transportation types, with Verne on the nose of a train, in planes, in submarines, and even a spaceship.
- Verne ends up seeing the future he previously could only imagine, and by the end of the film reminds us all that “What One Can Conceive, One Can Achieve.”
- The attraction operated at Disneyland Paris from 1992-2004, Tokyo Disneyland from 1993-2002 at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom from 1994-2006 (Though operating seasonally since 2001).