From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
André Bourvil, born André Robert
Raimbourg (July 27, 1917, Prétot-Vicquemare, France – September 23, 1970, Paris) was a French actor
and singer
best known for his roles in comedy, most notably in his collaboration with
Louis de
Funès in La Grande Vadrouille
(1966).
Biography
His father was killed in the First World War
before Bourvil was born. As a result, he spent his entire childhood
in the village of Bourville, the name of which inspired his
stage name. He married Jeanne Lefrique on January 23, 1943. After a
battle with Kahler's syndrome, which attacks the
bone marrow, he died
at the age of 53. He is buried in Montainville, Yvelines.
His roles
In his comic performances Bourvil principally played roles of
gentle and well-meaning characters who were often a bit obtuse or
naive, such as his roles opposite the energetic Louis de
Funès. Bourvil's well-meaning characters not only managed to
make us laugh but also to save themselves from the Machiavellian
designs of adversaries played by de Funès.
Bourvil was, however, also capable of more dramatic roles such
as the handyman in L'Arbre de Noël (1969). In this role he
observes the relationship between a man he works for and the young
son who has fallen ill. The audience can identify with the
character played by Bourvil, just as they can in his comic roles,
so often as a simple man. One can also note his role of Thénardier
in the film adaptation of Les Misérables (1958), and his last
role as the policeman Mattei in Jean-Pierre Melville's Le Cercle
rouge (1970).
In March 1948 Bourvil took part in the complete recording of Offenbach's
The Tales of Hoffmann with
artists of the Paris Opéra-Comique conducted by André
Cluytens, playing the four 'servant' roles.
Filmography
- 1941 : Croisières sidérales
- 1945 : La Ferme du pendu
- 1946 : Pas si bête
- 1947 : Le Studio en folie
- 1947 : Par la fenêtre
- 1947 : Blanc comme neige
- 1948 : Le Cœur sur la main
- 1949 : Le Roi Pandore
- 1949 : Miquette et sa mère
- 1950 : Le Rosier de madame Husson
- 1950 : Le Passe-Muraille
- 1951 : Seul dans Paris
- 1952 : Le Trou normand
- 1952 : Cent francs par seconde
- 1953 : Les Trois Mousquetaires
- 1954 : Si
Versailles m'était conté ... directed by Sacha Guitry
- 1954 : Poisson
d'avril
- 1954 : Cadet-Rousselle
- 1954 : Le Fil à la patte
- 1955 : Les Hussards
- 1956 : La Traversée de Paris
- 1956 : Le Chanteur de Mexico
- 1958 : Les Misérables directed
by Jean-Paul Le Chanois
- 1958 : Le Miroir à deux faces
- 1958 : Sérénade au Texas
- 1958 : Un drôle de dimanche
- 1959 : Le Chemin des écoliers
- 1959 : Le Bossu
- 1959 : La Jument verte
- 1960 : Le Capitan
- 1960 : Fortunat
- 1961 : Tout l'or du monde
- 1961 : Le Tracassin ou les plaisirs de la ville
("The Busybody", Alex Joffé)
- 1962 : Les Culottes rouges
- 1962 : Les Bonnes Causes
- 1962 : The Longest Day
- 1962 : Tartarin de
Tarascon
- 1963 : Le Magot de Josepha
- 1963 : Un drôle de paroissien
- 1963 : La Cuisine au beurre
- 1964 : La Grande Frousse
- 1964 : Le
Corniaud (The Sucker) directed by Gérard Oury
- 1965 : Guerre
secrète
- 1965 : La Grosse Caisse
- 1965 : Les Grandes Gueules
- 1966 : La Grande Vadrouille directed
by Gérard
Oury
- 1966 : Trois enfants dans le désordre
- 1967 : Les Arnaud
- 1967 : Les Cracks
- 1968 : La Grande Lessive
- 1968 : Le
Cerveau directed by Gérard Oury
- 1969 : Monte Carlo or Bust
(Gonflés à bloc) directed by Ken Annakin
- 1969 : The Christmas Tree
(L'Arbre de Noël), directed by Terence Young
- 1969 : L'Étalon directed by Jean-Pierre
Mocky
- 1970 : Le Cercle rouge directed by Jean-Pierre Melville
- 1970 : Le Mur de l'Atlantique (Atlantic Wall)
directed by Marcel
Camus
Songs
Nearly 300, among which the best known are:
- "La tendresse"
- "Salade de fruits"
- "Les crayons"
- "La Tactique du gendarme" (from the film Le roi
Pandore)
- "Ballade irlandaise"
- "Un clair de lune à Maubeuge"
- "Petit bal perdu" (C'était bien)
External
links
French
links