Coluche

(Michel Colucci / October 28, 1944, Paris, France - June 19, 1986, Opio, Alpes-Maritimes, France)

   The son of an Italian house painter who died when Coluche was three years old, he began working at age fifteen. He successively was telegraphist, gravure plate engraver, barman, waiter, deliveryman, photographer, ceramist, newspaper seller, packer, and electric guitar maker before doing his military service. Then he be­came an itinerant singer and made his acting debut in the café theaters Chez Bernadette and La Méth­ode, where he met Romain Bouteille, with whom he founded the Café de la Gare in 1968. He progres­sively established himself as the most popular French comedian of his generation. From 1969 (Le Pistonné / UK and USA: The Man with Connections, Claude Berri) to 1985 (Il scemmo di Guerra / Le Fou de Guerre, Dino Risi, Italy / France), he played in twenty-two mov­ies, including the one he co-directed. He died at age forty-one in a motorcycle crash.

 Filmography

1977 ◘ Vous n'aurez pas l'Alsace et la Lorraine (co-director with Marc Monnet, also screenwriter, dialogist, actor; France / Belgium)