In 1952, he founded the Théâtre de la Comédie, located in the rue des Marronniers, in Lyon.
Roger Planchon transposed many works by Brecht, Molière, Shakespeare, and many works of contemporary authors, including Arthur Adamov and Michel Vinaver, but also opened the Théâtre National Populaire to Patrice Chéreau, then Georges Lavaudant.
As films, he directed George Dandin ou le Mari confondu by Molière, Louis, enfant roi, which was entered at Cannes,[1] and another one by Lautrec.
In 2002, Christian Schiaretti succeeded him as director of the TNP; he created his own company with which he continued to write and direct until his death.
He died on 12 May 2009 after a heart attack, he is buried in the Père Lachaise Cemetery (22nd division).