Bourvil
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.
Bourvil's father was killed in the First World War before he 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.
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.
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Known for
The Busybody
André Loriot
The Mirror Has Two Faces
Pierre Tardivet
Midi trente
Self (archive footage)
Atlantic Wall
Léon Duchemin, Norman restaurateur
La Traversée de Paris
Marcel Martin, unemployed taxi driver
The Big Scare
Sunday Encounter
Jean Brévent
Lino Ventura, la part intime
Self (archive footage)
The Longest Day
Mayor of Colleville
The Three Musketeers
Planchet
The Big Wash
Armand Saint-Just
Crazy for Love
Hippolyte Lemoine, neveu d'Augustine
April Fools' Day
Émile Dupuy
Don't Look Now... We're Being Shot At!
Augustin Bouvet, peintre en bâtiment
The Big Swag
Louis Bourdin, metro ticket puncher and writer
The Singer from Mexico
Bilou
Mr. Peek-a-Boo
Léon Dutilleul
Le Roi Pandore
Léon Ménard, le gendarme
The Sucker
Antoine Maréchal
Les Rois de la comédie
Self (archive footage)
Un clair de Lune à Maubeuge
Le chanteur à la télévision
Comiques de toujours, coffret Vol. 1 & 2
Self (archive footage)
Hanged Man's Farm
Le bourrelier, le chanteur à la noce
Jean Gabin, le dernier des géants
Self (archive footage)
Le Cercle Rouge
Commissioner François Mattei
Les Misérables
Thénardier
A Star to the Sun
(uncredited)
By the Window
Gaston 'Pilou'
The Wise Guys
Hector Valentin
Royal Affairs in Versailles
Museum guard
The Green Mare
Honoré Haudouin
Alone in Paris
Henri Milliard, le jeune marié campagnard
The Prize
Isidore Pastouret
The Brain
Anatole
The Hunchback of Paris
Passepoil
Bourvil, du comique paysan au génie de l'acteur
Self (archive footage)
The Christmas Tree
Verdun
The Hotshots
Jules Auguste Duroc
One Hundred Francs Per Second
Self
Le Fil à la patte
Camille Bouzin
Captain Blood
Baladin Cogolin
The Dirty Game
Lalande
Bourvil, un homme vrai
Self (archive footage)
Tartarin de Tarascon
Priest who reinflates the tire of his moped
Josefa's Loot
Pierre Corneille
La Bonne Planque
Antoine Perrin
Way of Youth
Charles Michaud
White as Snow
Léon Ménard
Monte Carlo or Bust!
Monsieur Dupont
Les Culottes rouges
Fendard
My Wife's Husband
André Colombey
Thank Heaven for Small Favors
Georges Lachaunaye
The Hussars
le trompette Flicot Jean-Louis
Don't Tempt the Devil
Albert Gaudet, investigating judge
The Stud
William Chaminade
Le Tournage du Corniaud… Tout sauf un long fleuve tranquille
Self (archive footage)
Miquette
Urbain de la Tour-Mirande
Bourvil : le rire et la tendresse
Self (Footage Archives)
Serenade of Texas
Me Jérôme Quilleboeuf
La Traversée de Bourvil
Self (archive footage)
Les Arnaud
Judge Henri Arnaud
Three Disordered Children
Eugène Laporte, entrepreneur de travaux publics
Wear His Heart on His Sleeve
Leon Ménard
Sideral Cruises
Scientist
Fortunate
Noël Fortunat
All the Gold in the World
Mathieu Dumont / Antoine Dumont / Martial Dumont
Not So Stupid
Léon Ménard
Bourvil : Bien... si bien
Self (archive footage)
Comiques de toujours (Vol. 3 & 4)
Self (archive footage)
Cadet Rousselle
Jérôme Baguindet
Comiques de toujours (Vol. 1 à 4)
Self (archive footage)
Clodo
Gaston (uncredited)
Studio en folies
Self
Champs-Elysées
Self (archive footage)
Spécial cinéma
Self (archive footage)
Cinépanorama
Self