Jump to content

Christian Clavier

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Christian Clavier
Born
Christian Jean-Marie Clavier

(1952-05-06) 6 May 1952 (age 72)
Paris, France
Occupation(s)Actor, screenwriter, film director, film producer
Years active1973–present

Christian Jean-Marie Clavier (French pronunciation: [kʁistjɑ̃ ʒɑ̃ maʁi klavje]; born 6 May 1952) is a French actor, screenwriter, film producer and director. A founder of Le Splendid in the 1970s, a Parisian café-théâtre company which soon garnered success, he became widely popular after starring in two hit comedy series: Patrice Leconte's Les Bronzés and Jean-Marie Poiré's Les Visiteurs.

Clavier later furthered his popularity by taking the role of Asterix in screen adaptations of the renowned comic books by Albert Uderzo and René Goscinny. In 2023, President Emmanuel Macron saluted Clavier's work, stating: "You have been all the faces of the families of France, the infatuated son-in-law, the bewildered uncle, the pretentious cousin, the jealous husband, the cantankerous father. We have grown and aged with you and our children will grow and age with you".[1]

He is the brother of director Stéphane Clavier.

Life and career

[edit]

After his high class studies at the Neuilly Lycée Pasteur—though asserted here and there, he never studied at Institut d'Études Politiques de Paris (Sciences Po) [2]—he started his actor career with the comedic theater troupe Splendid, which had hits with films like Les Bronzés font du ski and Le Père Noël est une ordure.

His most notable success without the Splendid group, and by far his biggest hit to date, was in the 1993 film les Visiteurs, where he played a character known as Jacquouille la Fripouille; the character's cry of "Okkkayyy!!" became a popular exclamation after the movie's success.

After les Visiteurs he was a star, participating in big-budget films like Astérix et Obélix contre César, Astérix & Obélix: Mission Cléopâtre, and the sequel and remake of Visiteurs. He also played several dramatic roles on television, including M. Thénardier in Les Misérables (2000 television version) and Napoléon in a biographical television film. In 2018, he returned to the character of Asterix, this time by providing the character's voice in the animated film Asterix: The Secret of the Magic Potion. Succeeding the character's original voice actor, Roger Carel, it was his first role in an animated movie.

Clavier has played in notable duos with:

He also runs a production company, Ouille Production.

He was made Chevalier (Knight) of the Ordre national du Mérite on 13 June 1998,[3] and promoted Officier (Officer) in 2005.[3] He was made Chevalier (Knight) of the Légion d'honneur in 2008.[4]

He is a friend of former French président Nicolas Sarkozy, and in 2012 emigrated to The United Kingdom. He denies this was as a result of Francois Hollande's punitive tax policy.[5]

Filmography

[edit]

Actor

[edit]
Year Title Role Director Notes
1973 L'An 01 Viewer Jacques Doillon
1974 Les suspects Photographer Michel Wyn
Bonne présentation exigée Heating Engineer Charles Nemes Short
1975 Let Joy Reign Supreme Valet Bertrand Tavernier
C'est pas parce qu'on a rien à dire qu'il faut fermer sa gueule... Gay Cop Jacques Besnard
Le bol d'air Christian Charles Nemes (2) Short
1976 F comme Fairbanks Waiter Maurice Dugowson
Attention les yeux! Cop Gérard Pirès
1977 This Sweet Sickness François Claude Miller
Spoiled Children TV director Bertrand Tavernier (2)
Vous n'aurez pas l'Alsace et la Lorraine Narrator Coluche
Le diable dans la boîte Renaud Pierre Lary
L'amour en herbe Christian's friend Roger Andrieux
1978 Les Bronzés Jerome Tarere Patrice Leconte
La tortue sur le dos Luc Béraud
1979 Les Bronzés font du ski Jerome Tarere Patrice Leconte (2)
Heroes Are Not Wet Behind the Ears 2CV Man Charles Nemes (3)
1980 Cocktail Molotov Beatnick Diane Kurys
Je vais craquer!!! Jérôme Ozendron François Leterrier
1981 Les Babas Cool Antoine Bonfils François Leterrier (2)
Clara et les Chics Types Charles Jacques Monnet
1982 Le Père Noël est une ordure Katia Jean-Marie Poiré
Elle voit des nains partout! The treacherous man Jean-Claude Sussfeld
1983 Papy fait de la résistance Michel Taupin Jean-Marie Poiré (2)
Rock 'n Torah Isaac Stern Marc-André Grynbaum
Merci Bernard TV series (1 Episode)
1985 Tranches de vie Charles-Henri François Leterrier (3)
Le père Noël est une ordure Katia Philippe Galland TV movie
1986 Twist again à Moscou Iouri Jean-Marie Poiré (3)
L'été 36 Alexis Yves Robert TV movie
1987 La vie dissolue de Gérard Floque Edouard Georges Lautner
1988 Palace Louis Jean-Michel Ribes TV series (1 Episode)
Sueurs froides Henri Descouet Josée Dayan TV series (1 Episode)
1989 My Best Pals Jean-Michel Tuilier Jean-Marie Poiré (4)
Les cigognes n'en font qu'à leur tête DDASS's chief Didier Kaminka
Fantômes sur l'oreiller Brice Pierre Mondy TV movie
Mieux vaut courir Simon Élisabeth Rappeneau TV movie
Double mixte Bob Smith Georges Folgoas TV movie
Si Guitry m'était conté Yves-André Hubert TV series (1 Episode)
1991 Les secrets professionnels du Dr Apfelglück Lawyer Thierry Lhermitte, Alessandro Capone, ...
L'Opération Corned-Beef Jean-Jacques Granianski Jean-Marie Poiré (5)
Les gens ne sont pas forcément ignobles Pierre Bernard Murat TV movie
1992 Un fil à la patte Fernand du Bois d'Enghien Marion Sarraut TV movie
1993 Les Visiteurs Jacquouille la Fripouille Jean-Marie Poiré (6) Nominated – César Award for Best Actor
Nominated – César Award for Best Writing
La Soif de l'or Urbain Donnadieu Gérard Oury
1994 La Vengeance d'une blonde Gérard Bréha Jeannot Szwarc
Grosse Fatigue Himself Michel Blanc
1995 Les Anges gardiens Father Hervé Tarain Jean-Marie Poiré (7)
1996 Panique au Plazza Jean-Marie Poiré (7) TV movie
1997 Les Soeurs Soleil Spectator Jeannot Szwarc (2)
1998 The Visitors II: The Corridors of Time Jacquouille la Fripouille Jean-Marie Poiré (8)
1999 Asterix & Obelix Take On Caesar Asterix Claude Zidi
2001 Just Visiting Andre Jean-Marie Poiré (9)
2002 Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra Asterix Alain Chabat
Napoléon Napoleon Yves Simoneau TV Mini-Series
Les Misérables Monsieur Thénardier Josée Dayan TV Mini-Series
2003 Lovely Rita, sainte patronne des cas désespérés Edgar Lamarck Stéphane Clavier
2004 The Corsican File Rémi François Alain Berbérian
Albert est méchant Patrick Lechat Hervé Palud
2005 L'antidote JAM Vincent De Brus
2006 Les Bronzés 3: Amis pour la vie Jerome Tarere Patrice Leconte (3)
L'entente cordiale François de La Conche Vincent De Brus (2)
Kronprinz Rudolfs letzte Liebe [de] Prime Minister Taaffe Robert Dornhelm TV movie
2007 L'Auberge rouge Pierre Martin Gérard Krawczyk
Le prix à payer Jean-Pierre Ménard Alexandra Leclère
Kaamelott The Jurisconsult Alexandre Astier TV series (7 Episodes)
2008 Le malade imaginaire Argan Christian de Chalonge TV movie
2009 La sainte Victoire Vincent Cluzel François Favrat
Le bourgeois gentilhomme Monsieur Jourdain Christian de Chalonge (2) TV movie
2011 On ne choisit pas sa famille César Borgnoli Christian Clavier
La cage aux folles Georges Dominique Thiel TV movie
Les affaires sont les affaires The Marquis de Porcellet Philippe Bérenger TV movie
2013 Serial Teachers Serge Cutiro Pierre-François Martin-Laval
Le Boeuf clandestin M. Berthaud Gérard Jourd'hui TV movie
2014 Serial (Bad) Weddings Claude Verneuil Philippe de Chauveron
Do Not Disturb Michel Leproux Patrice Leconte (4)
Le grimoire d'Arkandias Agénor Arkandias Alexandre Castagnetti & Julien Simonet
2015 Babysitting 2 Alain Nicolas Benamou & Philippe Lacheau
2016 Les Visiteurs: La Révolution Jacquouille la Fripouille Jean-Marie Poiré (10)
2017 Un sac de billes Doctor Rosen Christian Duguay
With Open Arms Jean-Étienne Fougerole
If I Were a Boy Audrey Dana
2018 Asterix: The Secret of the Magic Potion Asterix Louis Clichy & Alexandre Astier (2) Voice role, replacing Roger Carel
2019 Serial (Bad) Weddings 2 Claude Verneuil
Convoi exceptionnel Foster
2021 Kaamelott: The First Chapter The Jurisconsult Alexandre Astier

Producer

[edit]

Box-office

[edit]

Movies starring Christian Clavier with more than a million of admissions in France.

Films Director Year France (entries)
1 Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra Alain Chabat 2002 14,559,509
2 Les Visiteurs Jean-Marie Poiré 1993 13,782,991
3 Serial (Bad) Weddings Philippe de Chauveron 2014 12,353,181
4 Les Bronzés 3: Amis pour la vie Patrice Leconte 2006 10,355,930
5 Asterix & Obelix Take On Caesar Claude Zidi 1999 8,948,624
6 The Visitors II: The Corridors of Time Jean-Marie Poiré (2) 1998 8,043,129
7 Les Anges gardiens Jean-Marie Poiré (3) 1995 5,793,034
8 Papy fait de la résistance Jean-Marie Poiré (4) 1983 4,104,082
9 Les profs Pierre-François Martin-Laval 2013 3,957,176
10 L'Enquête Corse Alain Berbérian 2004 2,667,275
11 Les Bronzés Patrice Leconte (2) 1978 2,308,644
12 La Vengeance d'une blonde Jeannot Szwarc 1994 2,039,370
13 Grosse fatigue Michel Blanc 1994 2,015,230
14 Le Père Noël est une ordure Jean-Marie Poiré (5) 1982 1,582,732
15 Les Bronzés font du ski Patrice Leconte (3) 1979 1,535,781
16 La Soif de l'or Gérard Oury 1993 1,535,781
17 L'opération Corned Beef Jean-Marie Poiré (6) 1991 1,475,580
18 Le prix à payer Alexandra Leclère 2007 1,368,791
19 Twist again à Moscou Jean-Marie Poiré (7) 1986 1,361,683
20 Just Visiting Jean-Marie Poiré (8) 2001 1,217,623
21 Let Joy Reign Supreme Bertrand Tavernier 1975 1,124,845
22 Je vais craquer!!! François Leterrier 1980 1,053,217
23 Do Not Disturb Patrice Leconte (4) 2014 1,006,867

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Barraco, Florent (16 March 2024). "«Il est le vrai patron de la comédie populaire à la française»: Christian Clavier, faire rire est son métier" (in French). Le Figaro.
  2. ^ "Christian Clavier". Evene.fr. 6 May 1952.
  3. ^ a b "Décret du 14 novembre 2005 portant promotion et nomination". JORF. 2005 (265): 17793. 15 November 2005. PREX0508812D. Retrieved 17 March 2009.
  4. ^ "Décret du 21 mars 2008 portant promotion et nomination". JORF. 2008 (71): 5024. 23 March 2008. PREX0804596D. Retrieved 17 March 2009.
  5. ^ Willsher, Kim (24 December 2012). "Actor stirs up French tax exile row". New Zealand Herald. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
[edit]