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André Robert Raimbourg (; 27 July 1917 – 23 September 1970), better known as André Bourvil (), and mononymously as Bourvil, was a French actor and singer best known for his roles in comedy films, most notably in his collaboration with Louis de Funès in the films '' Le Corniaud'' (1965) and ''La Grande Vadrouille'' (1966). For his performance in ''Le Corniaud'', he won a Special Diploma at the 4th Moscow International Film Festival.

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, from which he took his stage name. He married Jeanne Lefrique on 23 January 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.

Career

In his comic performances Bourvil principally played roles of gentle and well-meaning characters who were often a bit obtuse or naïve, such as his roles opposite the hyperactive, dishonest and bossy ones played by Louis de Funès. Bourvil's characters not only managed to make viewers laugh, but also to save themselves, often unwittingly, from the Machiavellian designs of his adversaries.

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 Monsieur Thénardier in the film adaptation of ''Les Misérables'' (1958), and his penultimate 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

*1942: '' Croisières sidérales'' as Extra (uncredited)
*1943: '' Une étoile au soleil''
*1945: '' La Ferme du pendu'' as Saddler
*1946: '' Not So Stupid'' as Léon Ménard
*1947: '' Le Studio en folie'' as himself
*1947: '' Par la fenêtre'' as Pilou
*1947: '' Blanc comme neige'' as Léon Ménard
*1948: '' The Heart on the Sleeve'' as Léon Ménard
*1949: '' Le Roi Pandore'' as Léon Ménard
*1950: '' Miquette'' as Urbain de la Tour-Mirande
*1950: '' Le Rosier de Madame Husson'' as Isidore Pastouret
*1951: '' Mr. Peek-a-Boo'' as Léon Dutilleul
*1951: ''Alone in Paris'' as Henri Milliard
*1952: '' Le Trou normand'' as Hippolyte Lemoine
*1953: ''A Hundred Francs a Second'' as Himself
*1953: ''The Three Musketeers'' as Planchet
*1954: '' Royal Affairs in Versailles'' (directed by Sacha Guitry) as Versailles Museum Guide
*1954: '' Poisson d'avril'' as Émile Dupuy
*1954: '' Cadet Rousselle'' as Jérôme Baguindet
*1954: '' Le Fil à la patte'' as Bouzin
*1955: ''Les Hussards'' as Flicot
*1956: '' La Traversée de Paris'' as Marcel Martin
*1956: '' The Singer from Mexico'' as Bilou
*1958: ''Les Misérables'' (directed by Jean-Paul Le Chanois) as Thénardier
*1958: '' Le Miroir à deux faces'' as Pierre Tardivet
*1958: '' Un drôle de dimanche'' as Jean Brévent
*1958: ' as Me Jérôme Quilleboeuf
*1959: '' Le chemin des écoliers'' as Charles Michaud
*1959: ''The Green Mare'' (''La Jument verte'') as Honoré Haudouin
*1959: '' Le Bossu'' as Passepoil
*1960: '' Le Capitan'' as Cogolin
*1960: '' Fortunat'' as Noël Fortunat
*1961: '' Dans la gueule du loup'' as Drugged Man
*1961: '' All the Gold in the World'' as Dumont and his sons: Mathieu, 'Toine, Martial
*1961: ''Le Tracassin ou les plaisirs de la ville'' ("The Busybody", Alex Joffé) as André Loriot
*1962: '' The Longest Day'' as Alphonse Lenaux, Mayor of Colleville-sur-Orne
*1962: '' Tartarin de Tarascon'' as Priest
*1962: ''Un clair de lune à Maubeuge'' as Television Singer
*1962: '' Les Culottes rouges'' as Fendard
*1963: '' Les Bonnes Causes'' as Albert Gaudet
*1963: ''Un drôle de paroissien'' as Georges Lachaunaye
*1963: '' Le Magot de Josepha'' as Pierre Corneille
*1963: ' as André Colombey
*1964: '' La Grande Frousse'' as Inspector Simon Triquet
*1965: '' Le Corniaud'' (The Sucker) (directed by Gérard Oury) as Antoine Maréchal
*1965: '' Le Majordome'' as True Groom (uncredited)
*1965: '' Guerre secrète'' as Lalande
*1965: '' La Grosse Caisse'' as Louis Bourdin
*1965: ''The Wise Guys'' as Hector Valentin
*1966: '' Trois enfants dans le désordre'' as Eugène Laporte
*1966: ''La Grande Vadrouille'' (directed by Gérard Oury) as Augustin Bouvet
*1967: '' Les Arnaud'' as Le juge Henri Arnaud
*1968: '' Les Cracks'' as Jules Auguste Duroc
*1968: '' La Grande Lessive'' as Armand Saint-Just
*1969: '' Le Cerveau'' (directed by Gérard Oury) as Anatole
*1969: '' Monte Carlo or Bust'' (''Gonflés à bloc'') (directed by Ken Annakin) as Monsieur Dupont
*1969: '' The Christmas Tree'' (L'Arbre de Noël), (directed by Terence Young) as Verdun
*1970: '' L'Étalon'' (directed by Jean-Pierre Mocky) as William Chaminade
*1970: ''Le Mur de l'Atlantique'' (Atlantic Wall) directed by Marcel Camus as Léon Duchemin
*1970: ''Le Cercle rouge'' directed by Jean-Pierre Melville as Le Commissaire Mattei
*1971: '' Clodo'' as Gaston (final film role)

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)
* "Ma p'tite chanson"

References

External links

*

French links

Biography SiteBourvil on Encinematheque

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bourvil
1917 births
1970 deaths
Deaths from multiple myeloma
People from Seine-Maritime
Volpi Cup for Best Actor winners
French comedians
French comedy musicians
French male film actors
French male stage actors
French male radio actors
20th-century French male actors
Légion d'honneur refusals
20th-century French comedians
20th-century French male singers
Deaths from cancer in France