[4] His father, André Bénichou, a philosophy professor, opened a private school after he was dismissed from his job for being Jewish in 1941, in the midst of World War II.

[4] He became the editor-in-chief of Le Nouvel Observateur, another magazine, in 1966, at a time when it was the most sold weekly newspaper in Europe[4] He subsequently joined Les Grosses Têtes, a cult radio programme on RTL that made him a staple name in France for decades.

[4] He was also a contributor to Vivement Dimanche, a television programme hosted by Michel Drucker.

A much loved figure, he was widely considered as a "monument historique" of French Media.

[9] Bénichou was married to Alix Dufaure, journalist for Marie Claire; she died May 2, 2012.