Coluche

Known for ActingBorn 1944-10-28Died 1986-06-19Paris, France

Michel Gérard Joseph Colucci (28 October 1944 – 19 June 1986), better known under his stage name Coluche, was a French stand-up comedian, film actor, activist and philanthropist. He adopted Coluche as a stage name at age 26, as he began his entertainment career. He became known for his irreverent attitude towards politics and the establishment, and he incorporated this into much of his material. Coluche was one of the first major comedians to regularly use profanities as a source of humor on French television. Having become a bankable star of comedy films, he also proved himself a capable dramatic performer by winning the César Award for Best Actor for his performance in So Long, Stooge (1983). Coluche also founded in 1985 the charity "Les Restaurants du Cœur" which still provides free meals and other products to people in need. Early life Colucci was born on 28 October 1944 in a hospital in the 14th arrondissement of Paris. His mother, Simone Bouyer (called "Monette"), worked as a florist in the Boulevard du Montparnasse. His father, Honorio Colucci, an Italian immigrant from Casalvieri, Lazio, was a painter and decorator. His father died in 1947 at age 31 from poliomyelitis; his wife struggled thereafter to raise the young Michel and his sister (Danièle, 18 months older than Michel) on a meagre salary. Coluche showed little promise at school, and left after completing his primary studies (June 1958). He tried various temporary jobs, and had several run-ins with authorities. During this time his mother bought him a guitar, which he taught himself to play. In 1964 he joined the 60th Infantry Regiment de Lons-le-Saunier, but was imprisoned for insubordination. On his return to civilian life, he worked in his mother's florist shop which she had been able to open on rue d'Aligre, and later in a larger shop which she opened near la Gare de Lyon. He found this work dull, and suddenly quit, which caused a long-lasting breach with his mother. At the end of the 1960s he tried his luck as a singer in cafes, then turned to comedy. In 1969, Coluche took part with Romain Bouteille to the founding of the Café de la Gare, a Parisian café-théâtre that would become the meeting place of a group of young comedic actors practically all of whom were to become famous: Patrick Dewaere, Henri Guybet, Miou-Miou, Martin Lamotte, etc. Among the patrons of the Café de la Gare were Georges Moustaki, Raymond Devos, Jean Ferrat, Jacques Brel, Leny Escudero, Pierre Perret and Jean Yanne. Other actors who performed the Café de la Gare early in their careers include Gérard Lanvin, Renaud, Rufus, Diane Kurys, Coline Serreau, Anémone, Gérard Depardieu, Thierry Lhermitte, Josiane Balasko and Gérard Jugnot. Coluche's first sketch C'est l'histoire d'un mec (It's the story of a guy) was about the difficulties of telling a funny story. He quickly found success but his alcohol issues led to scuffles with Dewaere and Bouteille and eventually forced him to leave the Café de la Gare, though he later returned to perform there. ... Source: Article "Coluche" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA.Read more

Movies & web series

Spécial cinéma

Mosaïque

Midi Première

10 mai 1981 : Changer la vie ?

Coluche, une époque formidable

Droit de Réponse

Les Enfoirés - Les Enfoirés en chœur de 1985 à aujourd'hui

Coluche - Quand je serai grand je serai con - Vol 1

Coluche - Quand je serai grand je serai con - Vol 2

Coluche 1 faux

Le Grand Échiquier

À bout portant

La Cloche tibétaine

La TV des 70's : Quand Giscard était président

Coluche - Ses plus grands sketches

Vos 40 chansons préférées des Enfoirés

Numéro un

So Long, Stooge

Coluche : le bouffon devenu roi

Coluche : Un Clown ennemi d'État

Coluche, la France a besoin de toi

Coluche - Le jeu de la vérité

The Wing or the Thigh?

Donkey Skin

Reporters

Il était une fois Champs-Élysées

Cavanna, jusqu'à l'ultime seconde j'écrirai

L'Âge d'or de la pub

Renaud, le Rouge et le Noir

Champs-Elysées

Restos du Cœur, 40 ans de solidarité en France

Themroc

Fous rires sur les ondes

Feet in the Mayonnaise: The Irreverent Ones of the 70s

Coluche, les plus grands sketchs

The Year 01

Du Schmilblick aux Restos du Cœur, la folle histoire de Coluche

Coluche, l'ami public numéro un

Troubleshooters

Inspector Blunder

Stars 90

Comiques de toujours (Vol. 1 à 4)

Banzaï

The Big Store

Quarter to Two Before Jesus Christ

The School Teacher

Coluche : C'est pour rire

Les Rendez-vous du dimanche