Fernandel

Fernand Joseph Désiré Contandin (8 May 1903 – 26 February 1971), better known as Fernandel, was a French actor and singer. Born in Marseille, France, to Désirée Bedouin and Denis Contandin, originating in Perosa Argentina, an Occitan town located in the province of Turin.[1] He was a comedy star who first gained popularity in French vaudeville, operettas, and music-hall revues. His stage name originated from his marriage to Henriette Manse, the sister of his best friend and frequent cinematic collaborator Jean Manse. So attentive was he to his wife that his mother-in-law amusingly referred to him as Fernand d'elle ("Fernand of her").[2][3]

Fernandel
Fernandel (left) and Totò in The Law Is the Law (1958)
Born
Fernand Joseph Désiré Contandin

(1903-05-08)8 May 1903
Marseille, France
Died26 February 1971(1971-02-26) (aged 67)
Paris, France
OccupationActor, Film director, singer, comedian
Years active1908–1970
Spouse(s)
Henriette-Félicie Manse
​
​
(m. 1925)​

Biography
Fernandel giving an interview in March 1970.

In 1930, Fernandel appeared in his first motion picture and for more than forty years he would be France's top comic actor. He was perhaps best loved for his portrayal of the irascible Italian village priest at war with the town's Communist mayor in the Don Camillo series of motion pictures. His horse-like teeth became part of his trademark.

He also appeared in Italian and American films. His first Hollywood motion picture was 1956's Around the World in 80 Days in which he played David Niven's coachman. His popular performance in that film led to his starring with Bob Hope and Anita Ekberg in the 1958 comedy Paris Holiday.

In addition to acting, Fernandel also directed or co-produced several of his own films. His profile was raised in Britain by the 60s TV advertisements for Dubonnet in which he would say "Do 'Ave A Dubonnet"

Fernandel died from lung cancer and is buried in the Cimetière de Passy, Paris, France.

Family

He had two daughters, Josette (1926) and Janine (1930), and son Franck (1935). His son, known as Franck Fernandel, became an actor and a singer. Franck acted alongside his father in two films, Gilles Grangier's L'Âge ingrat and Georges Bianchi's En avant la musique.[4]

Literature

In The Stranger by Albert Camus, Meursault and his female friend Marie Cordona watch a movie starring Fernandel on the day after the funeral of Meursault's mother. According to Mersault, "The movie was funny in parts, but otherwise it was just too stupid."[5]

Filmography
See also: :fr:Filmographie de Fernandel (Filmography of Fernandel)
Year Title Role Director Notes
1931 Black and White Le groom vierge Marc Allégret and Robert Florey
On purge bébé Horace Truchet Jean Renoir
The Darling of Paris Ficelle Augusto Genina
Bric-à-brac et compagnie Fernand André E. Chotin
1932 Sailor's Song Carmine Gallone
Coeur de lilas Le garçon d'honneur Anatole Litvak
Le rosier de Madame Husson Isidore Dominique Bernard-Deschamps
Vive la classe Moussin Maurice Cammage
Pas de femmes Casimir Mario Bonnard
Fun in the Barracks Vanderague Maurice Tourneur
Man Without a Name Julot Roger Le Bon and Gustav Ucicky
Un beau jour de noces Gustave Dupied Maurice Cammage
Par habitude Valentin Bourgeasse Maurice Cammage
L'Ordonnance malgré lui Alfred Leveneux Maurice Cammage
1933 Le jugement de minuit Sam Hackitt Alexander Esway and André Charlot
The Orderly Étienne Viktor Tourjansky
D'amour et d'eau fraîche Eloi Félix Gandéra
Le coq du régiment Médard Maurice Cammage
Le gros lot Maurice Cammage
Ça colle Christian-Jaque
1934 La garnison amoureuse Frédéric, un cavalier Max de Vaucorbeil
The Bread Peddler Billenbuis René Sti
Une nuit de folies Fernand Maurice Cammage
Le train de huit heures quarante-sept Croquebol Henry Wulschleger
Les bleus de la marine Lafraise Maurice Cammage
Angèle Saturnin Marcel Pagnol
Adémaï aviateur Méchelet Jean Tarride
L'hôtel du libre échange Boulot Marc Allégret
Le cavalier Lafleur Fernand Lafleur Pierre-Jean Ducis
Le chéri de sa concierge Eugene Crochard Giuseppe Guarino
1935 Ferdinand le noceur Ferdinand Piat René Sti
Jim la houlette Moluchet André Berthomieu
1936 Les gaîtés de la finance Marivol Lambinet Jack Forrester
A Legionnaire Fernand Espitalion Christian-Jacque
1937 Josette Albert Durandal aka Albertal Christian-Jacque
Francis the First Honorin Christian-Jacque
Les dégourdis de la 11ème L'ordonnance Patard Christian-Jacque
Ignace Le soldat Ignace Boitaclou Pierre Colombier
Life Dances On Fabien Coutissol Julien Duvivier
The Kings of Sport Fernand Pierre Colombier
Harvest Urbain Gédémus Marcel Pagnol
1938 Hercule Hercule Maffre Alexander Esway
Heartbeat Irénée Fabre, 'le Schpountz' Marcel Pagnol
Barnabé Barnabé Alexander Esway
Tricoche and Cacolet Tricoche Pierre Colombier
Ernest the Rebel Ernest Pic Christian-Jaque
1939 Raphaël le tatoué Modeste Manosque, alias Raphaël Christian-Jaque
The Five Cents of Lavarede Armand Lavarède Maurice Cammage
Berlingot and Company François Arnaud Fernand Rivers
Fric-Frac Marcel Claude Autant-Lara and Maurice Lehmann
1940 The Mondesir Heir Bienaimé de Mondésir, le baron de Mondésir & ses aïeux Albert Valentin
Monsieur Hector Hector Maurice Cammage
La Fille du Puisatier Félipe Rambert Marcel Pagnol
The Marvelous Night Le berger Jean-Paul Paulin
1941 The Acrobat Ernest Sauce Jean Boyer
Le club des soupirants Antoine Valoisir Maurice Gleize
Un chapeau de paille d'Italie Fadinard Maurice Cammage
1942 Simplet Simplet Fernandel and Carlo Rim
Les petits riens Astier Raymond Leboursier
1943 La bonne étoile Auguste Jean Boyer
Une vie de chien Gustave Bourdillon Maurice Cammage
Ne le criez pas sur les toits Vincent Fleuret Jacques Daniel-Norman
La cavalcade des heures Antonin Yvan Noé
Adrien Adrien Moulinet Fernandel
1945 St. Val's Mystery Le détective Désiré, Henri Le Sec René Le Hénaff
Nais Toine Raymond Leboursier
1946 Les gueux au paradis Pons René Le Hénaff
L'aventure de Cabassou Cabassou Gilles Grangier
Pétrus Pétrus Marc Allégret
Coeur de coq Tulipe Maurice Cloche
1948 Emile the African Émile Boulard Robert Vernay
Si ça peut vous faire plaisir Martial Gonfaron Jacques Daniel-Norman
L'Armoire volante Alfred Puc Carlo Rim
1949 L'héroïque Mr Boniface Boniface Maurice Labro
On demande un assassin Bob Ernst Neubach
1950 I'm in the Revue Philippe - le peintre dévot Mario Soldati
Casimir Casimir Richard Pottier
Tu m'as sauvé la vie Fortuné Richard Sacha Guitry
Meurtres Noël Annequin Richard Pottier
Uniformes et grandes manœuvres Luc René Le Hénaff
1951 Topaze Albert Topaze Marcel Pagnol
The Sleepwalker Victor Boniface Maurice Labro
The Red Inn The Monk Claude Autant-Lara
Adhémar ou le Jouet de la fatalité Adhémar Pomme Fernandel
La Table-aux-Crevés Urbain Coindet Henri Verneuil
1952 Little World of Don Camillo Don Camillo Julien Duvivier
An Artist with Ladies Marius, dit Mario Jean Boyer
Forbidden Fruit Doctor Charles Pellegrin Henri Verneuil
1953 Le Boulanger de Valorgue Félicien Hébrard - le boulanger Henri Verneuil
Carnaval Dardamelle Henri Verneuil
The Return of Don Camillo Don Camillo Julien Duvivier
The Most Wanted Man Joe Calvet Henri Verneuil
1954 Mam'zelle Nitouche Célestin Floridor Yves Allégret
The Sheep Has Five Legs Alain / Désiré / Étienne / Bernard / Charles / Édouard (their father) Henri Verneuil
Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves Ali Baba Jacques Becker
1955 Spring, Autumn and Love Fernand 'Noël' Sarrazin Gilles Grangier
Don Camillo e l'on. Peppone Don Camillo Carmine Gallone
1956 Le Couturier de ces dames Fernand Vignard Jean Boyer
Around the World in 80 Days a coachman in Paris Michael Anderson cameo appearance
The Virtuous Bigamist Paul Verdier Mario Soldati
Honoré de Marseille Honoré Maurice Régamey
1957 The Man in the Raincoat Albert Constantin Julien Duvivier
His Greatest Role François, Lucien Sénéchal Jean Boyer
Le Chômeur de Clochemerle Baptistin Lachaud dit Tistin Jean Boyer
1958 Paris Holiday Fernydel Gerd Oswald
The Law Is the Law Ferdinand Pastorelli Christian-Jaque
La Vie à deux Marcel Gaboufigue (Marguerite's husband) Clément Duhour
Les Vignes du Seigneur Henri Lévrier Jean Boyer
1959 Gangster Boss Antoine Venturen Henri Verneuil
Le Confident de ces dames Giuliano Goberti Jean Boyer
La Vache et le Prisonnier Charles Bailly Henri Verneuil
1960 Croesus Jules Jean Giono
Le caïd Justin Migonet Bernard Borderie
1961 Cocagne Marc-Antoine Maurice Cloche
The Last Judgement the widower Vittorio De Sica
Don Camillo: Monsignor Don Camillo Carmine Gallone
Dynamite Jack Dynamite Jack / Antoine Espérandieu Jean Bastia
1962 L'assassin est dans l'annuaire Albert Rimond Léo Joannon
Le Diable et les Dix Commandements Father Gilbert Julien Duvivier
The Changing of the Guard Attilio Cappelaro Giorgio Bianchi
1963 The Trip to Biarritz Guillaume Dodut Gilles Grangier
Blague dans le coin Jeff Burlington Maurice Labro
Le bon roi Dagobert Monsieur Pelletan / Le roi Dagobert Pierre Chevalier
La Cuisine au beurre Fernand Jouvin Gilles Grangier
1964 Relaxe-toi chérie François Faustin Jean Boyer
L'âge ingrat Adolphe Lartigue Gilles Grangier
1965 Don Camillo in Moscow Don Camillo Luigi Comencini
1966 Your Money or Your Life Charles Migue Jean-Pierre Mocky
Le voyage du père Quantin Denys de La Patellière
1968 L'Homme à la Buick Armand Favrot Gilles Grangier
1970 Heureux qui comme Ulysse... Antonin Henri Colpi

Selected discography

References
  1. "Le borgate". http://www.comune.perosaargentina.to.it/ (in Italian). Comune di Perosa Argentina. 28 December 2009. Retrieved 11 June 2015. External link in |website= (help)
  2. Fernandel 1903–1971 (biography) Archived 3 November 2014 at the Wayback Machine. French Film Guide.
  3. Dayna Oscherwitz; MaryEllen Higgins (2009). The A to Z of French Cinema. Scarecrow Press. pp. 162–. ISBN 978-0-8108-7038-3.
  4. "Décès de Franck Fernandel : Une vie dans l'ombre gigantesque de son père..." (in French). Purepeople. 8 June 2011. Retrieved 6 March 2017.


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