:Fernandel
{{short description|French actor (1903-1971)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2015}}
{{Expand French|topic=bio|Fernandel|date=May 2012}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Fernandel
| image = Fernandel-Toulouse-1970.png
| imagesize =
| caption = Fernandel in 1970
| birth_name = Fernand Joseph Désiré Contandin
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1903|5|8|df=y}}
| birth_place = Marseille, France
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1971|2|26|1903|5|8|df=y}}
| death_place = Paris, France
| occupation = Actor, director, singer, comedian
| years_active = 1908–1970
| spouse = {{marriage|Henriette-Félicie Manse|1925}}
}}
Fernand Joseph Désiré Contandin (8 May 1903 – 26 February 1971),{{Cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=kDUyAQAAIAAJ&q=%22Contandin%22 |title=Daily Mail Year Book |date=1963 |publisher=Associated Newspapers Groups, Limited |page=84 |language=en}} better known as Fernandel, was a French comic actor. Born in Marseille, France, to Désirée Bedouin and Denis Contandin, originating in Perosa Argentina, a town located in the province of Turin, Italy,{{cite web |language=it|title=Le borgate|url= http://www.comune.perosaargentina.to.it/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=88:le-borgate&catid=45:territorio&Itemid=90 |date= 28 December 2009|website= comune.perosaargentina.to.it/|publisher= Comune di Perosa Argentina|access-date= 11 June 2015 }} he became a comedy star, first gaining 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").[http://frenchfilmguide.com/biogs/FFG_Fernandel_bio.html Fernandel 1903–1971 (biography)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141103001602/http://frenchfilmguide.com/biogs/FFG_Fernandel_bio.html |date=3 November 2014 }}. French Film Guide.{{failed verification|date=July 2023}}{{cite book|author1=Dayna Oscherwitz|author2=MaryEllen Higgins|title= The A to Z of French Cinema|url= https://archive.org/details/atozoffrenchcine0000osch|url-access= registration|date= 2009|publisher=Scarecrow Press|isbn=978-0-8108-7038-3|pages=[https://archive.org/details/atozoffrenchcine0000osch/page/162 162]–}} {{dead link|date=July 2023}}
Biography
File:Laleggeèlegge.JPG in The Law Is the Law (1958)]]
Appearing as Fernandel since 1922, in 1930, Fernandel appeared in his first motion picture and for more than forty years he would be one of France's top comic actors. 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{{Cite book |last=Palacio |first=Manuel |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VsT7AgAAQBAJ&pg=PA72 |title=Transnational Cinema in Europe |last2=Türschmann |first2=Jörg |date=2013 |publisher=LIT Verlag Münster |page=72 |isbn=978-3-643-90478-2 |language=en}} 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{{Cite web |title=Fernandel Death - Vanderbilt University
|url=https://catalog.library.vanderbilt.edu/discovery/fulldisplay/alma991043357599903276/01VAN_INST:vanui |access-date=2023-02-20 |website=catalog.library.vanderbilt.edu |language=en}} and is buried in the Cimetière de Passy, Paris, France.
Family
He had two daughters, Josette (1926) and Janine (1930), and a 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.{{cite web|url=http://www.purepeople.com/article/deces-de-franck-fernandel-une-vie-dans-l-ombre-gigantesque-de-son-pere_a81385/1|title=Décès de Franck Fernandel : Une vie dans l'ombre gigantesque de son père...|publisher=Purepeople|date=2011-06-08|access-date=2017-03-06|language=fr}}
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 Meursault, "The movie was funny in parts, but otherwise it was just too stupid."https://bxscience.edu/ourpages/auto/2019/2/28/69275970/The%20Stranger%20-%20Albert%20Camus.pdf {{Bare URL PDF|date=March 2022}}
Filmography
{{see also|:fr:Filmographie de Fernandel|l1=:fr:Filmographie de Fernandel (Filmography of Fernandel)}}
| class="wikitable"
! style="background: #CCCCCC;" | Year ! style="background: #CCCCCC;" | Title ! style="background: #CCCCCC;" | Role ! style="background: #CCCCCC;" | Director ! style="background: #CCCCCC;" | Notes |
| rowspan=4|1931
|Le groom vierge |Marc Allégret and Robert Florey | |
| On purge bébé
|Horace Truchet | |
| The Darling of Paris
|Ficelle | |
| Bric-à-brac et compagnie
|Fernand |André E. Chotin | |
| rowspan=10|1932
| |Carmine Gallone | |
| Lilac
|Le garçon d'honneur |Anatole Litvak | |
| Le rosier de Madame Husson
|Isidore |Dominique Bernard-Deschamps | |
| Vive la classe
|Moussin |Maurice Cammage | |
| No Women
|Casimir |Mario Bonnard | |
| Fun in the Barracks
|Vanderague | |
| 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 | |
| rowspan=6|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 | |
| rowspan=10|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 | |
| Skylark
|Méchelet |Jean Tarride | |
| Hotel Free Exchange
|Boulot |Marc Allégret | |
| Le cavalier Lafleur
|Fernand Lafleur |Pierre-Jean Ducis | |
| The Darling of His Concierge
|Eugene Crochard |Giuseppe Guarino | |
| rowspan=2|1935
|Ferdinand Piat |René Sti | |
| Jim la houlette
|Moluchet |André Berthomieu | |
| rowspan=2|1936
|Les gaîtés de la finance |Marivol Lambinet |Jack Forrester | |
| A Legionnaire
|Fernand Espitalion |Christian-Jacque | |
| rowspan=7|1937
|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 | |
| rowspan=5|1938
|Hercule Maffre | |
| Heartbeat
|Irénée Fabre, 'le Schpountz' |Marcel Pagnol | |
| Barnabé
|Barnabé |Alexander Esway | |
| Tricoche and Cacolet
|Tricoche |Pierre Colombier | |
| Ernest the Rebel
|Ernest Pic | |
| rowspan=4|1939
|Raphaël le tatoué |Modeste Manosque, alias Raphaël |Christian-Jaque | |
| The Five Cents of Lavarede
|Armand Lavarède |Maurice Cammage | |
| Berlingot and Company
|François Arnaud | |
| Fric-Frac
|Marcel |Claude Autant-Lara and Maurice Lehmann | |
| rowspan=4|1940
|Bienaimé de Mondésir, le baron de Mondésir & ses aïeux |Albert Valentin | |
| Monsieur Hector
|Hector |Maurice Cammage | |
| La Fille du Puisatier
|Félipe Rambert | |
| The Marvelous Night
|Le berger |Jean-Paul Paulin | |
| rowspan=3|1941
|Ernest Sauce |Jean Boyer | |
| The Suitors Club
|Antoine Valoisir |Maurice Gleize | |
| The Italian Straw Hat
|Fadinard |Maurice Cammage | |
| rowspan=2|1942
|Simplet |Simplet |Fernandel and Carlo Rim | |
| Les petits riens
|Astier |Raymond Leboursier | |
| rowspan=5|1943
|Auguste |Jean Boyer | |
| A Dog's Life
|Gustave Bourdillon |Maurice Cammage | |
| Don't Shout It from the Rooftops
|Vincent Fleuret |Jacques Daniel-Norman | |
| La cavalcade des heures
|Antonin |Yvan Noé | |
| Adrien
|Adrien Moulinet |Fernandel | |
| rowspan=2|1945
|Le détective Désiré, Henri Le Sec |René Le Hénaff | |
| Nais
|Toine | |
| rowspan=4|1946
|Pons | |
| The Adventure of Cabassou
|Cabassou | |
| Pétrus
|Pétrus | |
| Rooster Heart
|Tulipe | |
| rowspan=3|1948
|Émile Boulard |Robert Vernay | |
| If It Makes You Happy
|Martial Gonfaron |Jacques Daniel-Norman | |
| The Cupboard Was Bare
|Alfred Puc |Carlo Rim | |
| rowspan=2|1949
|Boniface |Maurice Labro | |
| On demande un assassin
|Bob |Ernst Neubach | |
| rowspan=5|1950
|Philippe - le peintre dévot | |
| Casimir
|Casimir |Richard Pottier | |
| Tu m'as sauvé la vie
|Fortuné Richard |Sacha Guitry | |
| Murders
|Noël Annequin |Richard Pottier | |
| Uniformes et grandes manœuvres
|Luc |René Le Hénaff | |
| rowspan=5|1951
|Albert Topaze | |
| The Sleepwalker
|Victor Boniface | |
| The Red Inn
|The Monk | |
| Adhémar
|Adhémar Pomme |Fernandel | |
| Village Feud
|Urbain Coindet |Henri Verneuil | |
| rowspan=3|1952
|Don Camillo |Julien Duvivier | |
| An Artist with Ladies
|Marius, dit Mario |Jean Boyer | |
| Forbidden Fruit
|Doctor Charles Pellegrin | |
| rowspan=4|1953
|Félicien Hébrard - le boulanger |Henri Verneuil | |
| Carnival
|Dardamelle |Henri Verneuil | |
| The Return of Don Camillo
|Don Camillo | |
| The Most Wanted Man
|Joe Calvet | |
| rowspan=3|1954
|Célestin Floridor | |
| The Sheep Has Five Legs
|Alain / Désiré / Étienne / Bernard / Charles / Édouard (their father) | |
| Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves
|Ali Baba |Jacques Becker | |
| rowspan=2|1955
|Fernand 'Noël' Sarrazin |Gilles Grangier | |
| Don Camillo's Last Round
|Don Camillo |Carmine Gallone | |
| rowspan=5|1956
|''Don Juan |Sganarelle | |
| Fernandel the Dressmaker
|Fernand Vignard |Jean Boyer | |
| Around the World in 80 Days
|a coachman in Paris |
| The Virtuous Bigamist
|Paul Verdier | |
| Honoré de Marseille
|Honoré | |
| rowspan=3|1957
|Albert Constantin | |
| Sénéchal the Magnificent
|François, Lucien Sénéchal |Jean Boyer | |
| Easiest Profession
|Baptistin Lachaud dit Tistin |Jean Boyer | |
| rowspan=4|1958
|Fernydel | |
| The Law Is the Law
|Ferdinand Pastorelli |Christian-Jaque | |
| Life Together
|Marcel Gaboufigue (Marguerite's husband) | |
| The Lord's Vineyard
|Henri Lévrier |Jean Boyer | |
| rowspan=3|1959
|Antoine Venturen |Henri Verneuil | |
| Le Confident de ces dames
|Giuliano Goberti |Jean Boyer | |
| La Vache et le Prisonnier
|Charles Bailly | |
| rowspan=2|1960
|Jules |Jean Giono | |
| Le caïd
|Justin Migonet |Bernard Borderie | |
| rowspan=4|1961
|Marc-Antoine |Maurice Cloche | |
| The Last Judgement
|the widower | |
| Don Camillo: Monsignor
|Don Camillo |Carmine Gallone | |
| Dynamite Jack
| Dynamite Jack / Antoine Espérandieu |Jean Bastia | |
| rowspan=3|1962
|L'assassin est dans l'annuaire |Albert Rimond |Léo Joannon | |
| Le Diable et les Dix Commandements
|Father Gilbert | |
| The Changing of the Guard
|Attilio Cappelaro |Giorgio Bianchi | |
| rowspan=4|1963
|Guillaume Dodut |Gilles Grangier | |
| Blague dans le coin
|Jeff Burlington |Maurice Labro | |
| Le bon roi Dagobert
|Monsieur Pelletan / Le roi Dagobert |Pierre Chevalier | |
| {{Interlanguage link|La Cuisine au beurre|fr}}
|Fernand Jouvin | |
| rowspan=2|1964
|François Faustin |Jean Boyer | |
| That Tender Age
|Adolphe Lartigue |Gilles Grangier | |
| 1965
|Don Camillo | |
| rowspan=2|1966
|Charles Migue |Jean-Pierre Mocky | |
| Le voyage du père
|Quantin |Denys de La Patellière | |
| 1968
|L'Homme à la Buick |Armand Favrot |Gilles Grangier | |
| 1969
|Nuit de Terreur |Fernando |Camillo Mastrocinque | |
| 1970
|Heureux qui comme Ulysse... |Antonin |Henri Colpi | |
Selected discography
- "Félicie aussi" (1939)
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- {{IMDb name|id=0272794}}
- [http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4a2i5_fernandel-les-gens-riaient_music Fernandel singing 'Les gens riaient']
- [http://fernandel.online.fr Fernandel by Diggi]
{{Authority control}}
Category:French male comedians
Category:French comedy musicians
Category:Deaths from lung cancer in France
Category:Burials at Passy Cemetery
Category:Knights of the Ordre national du Mérite
Category:Nastro d'Argento winners
Category:Male actors from Marseille
Category:People of Piedmontese descent
Category:French male stage actors
Category:French male film actors
Category:French male television actors
Category:20th-century French male actors
Category:20th-century French musicians