Fernandel


Fernand Joseph Désiré Contandin, 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. 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.

Biography

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 and Janine, and son Franck. 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.

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.

Filmography

YearTitleRoleDirectorNotes
1931Black and WhiteLe groom viergeMarc Allégret and Robert Florey
1931On purge bébéHorace TruchetJean Renoir
1931The Darling of ParisFicelleAugusto Genina
1931Bric-à-brac et compagnieFernandAndré E. Chotin
1932Sailor's SongCarmine Gallone
1932Coeur de lilasLe garçon d'honneurAnatole Litvak
1932Le rosier de Madame HussonIsidoreDominique Bernard-Deschamps
1932Vive la classeMoussinMaurice Cammage
1932Pas de femmesCasimirMario Bonnard
1932Fun in the BarracksVanderagueMaurice Tourneur
1932Man Without a NameJulotRoger Le Bon and Gustav Ucicky
1932Un beau jour de nocesGustave DupiedMaurice Cammage
1932Par habitudeValentin BourgeasseMaurice Cammage
1932L'Ordonnance malgré luiAlfred LeveneuxMaurice Cammage
1933Le jugement de minuitSam HackittAlexander Esway and André Charlot
1933The OrderlyÉtienneViktor Tourjansky
1933D'amour et d'eau fraîcheEloiFélix Gandéra
1933Le coq du régimentMédardMaurice Cammage
1933Le gros lotMaurice Cammage
1933Ça colleChristian-Jaque
1934La garnison amoureuseFrédéric, un cavalierMax de Vaucorbeil
1934The Bread PeddlerBillenbuisRené Sti
1934Une nuit de foliesFernandMaurice Cammage
1934Le train de huit heures quarante-septCroquebolHenry Wulschleger
1934Les bleus de la marineLafraiseMaurice Cammage
1934AngèleSaturninMarcel Pagnol
1934Adémaï aviateurMécheletJean Tarride
1934L'hôtel du libre échangeBoulotMarc Allégret
1934Le cavalier LafleurFernand LafleurPierre-Jean Ducis
1934Le chéri de sa conciergeEugene CrochardGiuseppe Guarino
1935Ferdinand le noceurFerdinand PiatRené Sti
1935Jim la houletteMoluchetAndré Berthomieu
1936Les gaîtés de la financeMarivol LambinetJack Forrester
1936A LegionnaireFernand EspitalionChristian-Jacque
1937JosetteAlbert Durandal aka AlbertalChristian-Jacque
1937Francis the FirstHonorinChristian-Jacque
1937Les dégourdis de la 11èmeL'ordonnance PatardChristian-Jacque
1937IgnaceLe soldat Ignace BoitaclouPierre Colombier
1937Life Dances OnFabien CoutissolJulien Duvivier
1937The Kings of SportFernandPierre Colombier
1937HarvestUrbain GédémusMarcel Pagnol
1938HerculeHercule MaffreAlexander Esway
1938HeartbeatIrénée Fabre, 'le Schpountz'Marcel Pagnol
1938BarnabéBarnabéAlexander Esway
1938Tricoche and CacoletTricochePierre Colombier
1938Ernest the RebelErnest PicChristian-Jaque
1939Raphaël le tatouéModeste Manosque, alias RaphaëlChristian-Jaque
1939The Five Cents of LavaredeArmand LavarèdeMaurice Cammage
1939Berlingot and CompanyFrançois ArnaudFernand Rivers
1939Fric-FracMarcelClaude Autant-Lara and Maurice Lehmann
1940The Mondesir HeirBienaimé de Mondésir, le baron de Mondésir & ses aïeuxAlbert Valentin
1940Monsieur HectorHectorMaurice Cammage
1940La Fille du PuisatierFélipe RambertMarcel Pagnol
1940The Marvelous NightLe bergerJean-Paul Paulin
1941The AcrobatErnest SauceJean Boyer
1941Le club des soupirantsAntoine ValoisirMaurice Gleize
1941Un chapeau de paille d'ItalieFadinardMaurice Cammage
1942SimpletSimpletFernandel and Carlo Rim
1942Les petits riensAstierRaymond Leboursier
1943La bonne étoileAugusteJean Boyer
1943Une vie de chienGustave BourdillonMaurice Cammage
1943Ne le criez pas sur les toitsVincent FleuretJacques Daniel-Norman
1943La cavalcade des heuresAntoninYvan Noé
1943AdrienAdrien MoulinetFernandel
1945St. Val's MysteryLe détective Désiré, Henri Le SecRené Le Hénaff
1945NaisToineRaymond Leboursier
1946Les gueux au paradisPonsRené Le Hénaff
1946L'aventure de CabassouCabassouGilles Grangier
1946PétrusPétrusMarc Allégret
1946Coeur de coqTulipeMaurice Cloche
1948Emile the AfricanÉmile BoulardRobert Vernay
1948Si ça peut vous faire plaisirMartial GonfaronJacques Daniel-Norman
1948L'Armoire volanteAlfred PucCarlo Rim
1949L'héroïque Mr BonifaceBonifaceMaurice Labro
1949On demande un assassinBobErnst Neubach
1950I'm in the RevuePhilippe - le peintre dévotMario Soldati
1950CasimirCasimirRichard Pottier
1950Tu m'as sauvé la vieFortuné RichardSacha Guitry
1950MeurtresNoël AnnequinRichard Pottier
1950Uniformes et grandes manœuvresLucRené Le Hénaff
1951TopazeAlbert TopazeMarcel Pagnol
1951The SleepwalkerVictor BonifaceMaurice Labro
1951The Red InnThe MonkClaude Autant-Lara
1951Adhémar ou le Jouet de la fatalitéAdhémar PommeFernandel
1951La Table-aux-CrevésUrbain CoindetHenri Verneuil
1952Little World of Don CamilloDon CamilloJulien Duvivier
1952An Artist with LadiesMarius, dit MarioJean Boyer
1952Forbidden FruitDoctor Charles PellegrinHenri Verneuil
1953Le Boulanger de ValorgueFélicien Hébrard - le boulangerHenri Verneuil
1953CarnavalDardamelleHenri Verneuil
1953The Return of Don CamilloDon CamilloJulien Duvivier
1953The Most Wanted ManJoe CalvetHenri Verneuil
1954Mam'zelle NitoucheCélestin FloridorYves Allégret
1954The Sheep Has Five LegsAlain / Désiré / Étienne / Bernard / Charles / Édouard Henri Verneuil
1954Ali Baba and the Forty ThievesAli BabaJacques Becker
1955Spring, Autumn and LoveFernand 'Noël' SarrazinGilles Grangier
1955Don Camillo e l'on. PepponeDon CamilloCarmine Gallone
1956Le Couturier de ces damesFernand VignardJean Boyer
1956Around the World in 80 Daysa coachman in ParisMichael Andersoncameo appearance
1956The Virtuous BigamistPaul VerdierMario Soldati
1956Honoré de MarseilleHonoréMaurice Régamey
1957The Man in the RaincoatAlbert ConstantinJulien Duvivier
1957His Greatest RoleFrançois, Lucien SénéchalJean Boyer
1957Le Chômeur de ClochemerleBaptistin Lachaud dit TistinJean Boyer
1958Paris HolidayFernydelGerd Oswald
1958The Law Is the LawFerdinand PastorelliChristian-Jaque
1958La Vie à deuxMarcel Gaboufigue Clément Duhour
1958Les Vignes du SeigneurHenri LévrierJean Boyer
1959Gangster BossAntoine VenturenHenri Verneuil
1959Le Confident de ces damesGiuliano GobertiJean Boyer
1959La Vache et le PrisonnierCharles BaillyHenri Verneuil
1960CroesusJulesJean Giono
1960Le caïdJustin MigonetBernard Borderie
1961CocagneMarc-AntoineMaurice Cloche
1961The Last Judgementthe widowerVittorio De Sica
1961'Don CamilloCarmine Gallone
1961Dynamite JackDynamite Jack / Antoine EspérandieuJean Bastia
1962L'assassin est dans l'annuaireAlbert RimondLéo Joannon
1962Le Diable et les Dix CommandementsFather GilbertJulien Duvivier
1962The Changing of the GuardAttilio CappelaroGiorgio Bianchi
1963The Trip to BiarritzGuillaume DodutGilles Grangier
1963Blague dans le coinJeff BurlingtonMaurice Labro
1963Le bon roi DagobertMonsieur Pelletan / Le roi DagobertPierre Chevalier
1963'Fernand JouvinGilles Grangier
1964Relaxe-toi chérieFrançois FaustinJean Boyer
1964L'âge ingratAdolphe LartigueGilles Grangier
1965Don Camillo in MoscowDon CamilloLuigi Comencini
1966Your Money or Your LifeCharles MigueJean-Pierre Mocky
1966Le voyage du pèreQuantinDenys de La Patellière
1968L'Homme à la BuickArmand FavrotGilles Grangier
1970Heureux qui comme Ulysse...AntoninHenri Colpi

Selected discography