Bourvil
Biography
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. Description above from the Wikipedia article Bourvil, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Personal Details
Also Known As
Movies (47)
Bourvil : le rire et la tendresse
as Self (Footage Archives)
2025
Les Magnifiques sauvages
Music (Sound)
2023
Les Rois de la comédie
as Self (archive footage)
2023
La Traversée de Bourvil
as Self (archive footage)
2022
Lino Ventura, la part intime
as Self (archive footage)
2018
Bourvil, un homme vrai
as Self (archive footage)
2016
Le Tournage du Corniaud… Tout sauf un long fleuve tranquille
as Self (archive footage)
2015
Bourvil, du comique paysan au génie de l'acteur
as Self (archive footage)
2015
Jean Gabin, le dernier des géants
as Self (archive footage)
2015
Bourvil : Bien... si bien
as Self (archive footage)
2009
Comiques de toujours (Vol. 1 à 4)
as Self (archive footage)
2009
Comiques de toujours (Vol. 3 & 4)
as Self (archive footage)
2008
Comiques de toujours, coffret Vol. 1 & 2
as Self (archive footage)
2007
Clodo
as Gaston (uncredited)
1971
Le Cercle Rouge
as Commissioner François Mattei
1970
Atlantic Wall
as Léon Duchemin, Norman restaurateur
1970
The Stud
as William Chaminade
1970
The Christmas Tree
as Verdun
1969
Monte Carlo or Bust!
as Monsieur Dupont
1969
The Brain
as Anatole
1969
The Big Wash
as Armand Saint-Just
1968
The Hotshots
as Jules Auguste Duroc
1968
Les Arnaud
as Judge Henri Arnaud
1967
Don't Look Now... We're Being Shot At!
as Augustin Bouvet
1966
Three Disordered Children
as Eugène Laporte, entrepreneur de travaux publics
1966
The Wise Guys
as Hector Valentin
1965
The Big Swag
as Louis Bourdin, metro ticket puncher and writer
1965
The Dirty Game
as Lalande
1965
The Sucker
as Antoine Maréchal
1965
The Big Scare
1964
La Bonne Planque
as Antoine Perrin
1964
My Wife's Husband
as André Colombey
1963
Thank Heaven for Small Favors
as Georges Lachaunaye
1963
Josefa's Loot
as Pierre Corneille
1963
Don't Tempt the Devil
as Albert Gaudet, investigating judge
1963
Un clair de Lune à Maubeuge
as Le chanteur à la télévision
1962
Les Culottes rouges
as Fendard
1962
Tartarin de Tarascon
as Priest who reinflates the tire of his moped
1962
The Longest Day
as Mayor of Colleville
1962
The Busybody
as André Loriot
1961
All the Gold in the World
as Mathieu Dumont / Antoine Dumont / Martial Dumont
1961
Fortunate
as Noël Fortunat
1960
Captain Blood
as Baladin Cogolin
1960
The Hunchback of Paris
as Passepoil
1959
The Green Mare
as Honoré Haudouin
1959
Way of Youth
as Charles Michaud
1959
Serenade of Texas
as Me Jérôme Quilleboeuf
1958
