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Urbanus

{{Short description|Belgian comedian}}

{{About|the Belgian artist}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Urbain Servranckx

| image = Urbanus door Dirk Annemans in 2023.jpg

| imagesize = 200px

| alt = Urbain Servranckx signing an Urbanus comic (2004)

| caption = Urbanus in 2023

| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1949|6|7}}

| birth_place = Dilbeek, Belgium

| death_date =

| death_place =

| othername = Urbain, Urbanus van Anus

| occupation = Actor, comedian, singer

| yearsactive =

| spouse =

| domesticpartner =

| website =

}}

Urbain Servranckx (born 7 June 1949), better known as Urbanus, is a Belgian comedian, actor, singer and comic book writer.{{Cite web|url=https://www.lambiek.net/artists/u/urbanus.htm|title=Urbanus|website=Lambiek.net|access-date=7 January 2022}} Although he is most famous as comedian, some of his songs became hits, such as Bakske vol met stro (1979), Madammen met een bontjas (1980) and Hittentit (1982). He is one of the most popular and famous entertainers in Flanders and the Netherlands.

Career

Urbanus, artist's name of Urbain Joseph Servranckx (Dilbeek, 7 June 1949) is a Belgian comedian, singer, guitarist, author of comic books and actor. Originally he used the artist name: Urbanus van Anus. Anus was the name of his former backing group. In 1973 he began performing cabaret and comedy. He became popular in Flanders and managed to duplicate his success in the Netherlands, building a steady career since. He has appeared in TV shows, some which he wrote himself. Urbanus released several musical singles, some of which entered the hit parade. Urbain went solo in 1974 under the name Urbanus van Anus. After the then BRT (Belgian Radio and Television) asked him for a comic act, he dropped the name "van Anus" and since then it has been simply Urbanus. The first cover of Urbanus live was also drawn by Daniël Geirnaert. His Christmas song Bakske Vol Met Stro (1979) was controversial for lampooning the biblical story of the birth of Jesus, but also became his signature song and best-selling record for the very same reasons. Urbanus considers himself an atheist, although he wed in the Roman Catholic Church and had his children baptized. In 2008, he was awarded the Prize for Liberty by the Flemish think tank Nova Civitas.

Film career

Urbanus starred in three films: Hector (1987), Koko Flanel (1990) and Seventh Heaven (1993). The two first films were the leaders in the Flemish box offices for many years. His first movie, Hector, directed by Stijn Coninx, won the 1988 international comedy film festival in Chamrousse, France. He also was named best actor by Radio France and Dauphiné Libéré. Seventh Heaven was a box office bomb. In Flanders and the Netherlands Urbanus is well-known and very popular since 1974. Although he is most famous as a comedian, some of his songs became hits, such as Bakske vol met stro (1979), Madammen met een bontjas (1980) and Hittentit (1982). Urbanus lent his voice to the Flemish versions of the Pixar movies, Cars and Cars 2, where he was the voice of the character Mater.

Comics career

File:Luc Cauwenberghs - Urbanus - Stripstandbeelden Middelkerke 21-4-2018 11-51-54.jpg of Urbanus' comics version]]

Urbanus is script writer of a comics series about a childlike version of himself, Urbanus, which debuted in 1982. The series is drawn by Willy Linthout and from the third story on, Urbanus started providing the scenarios. The comic strip managed to become the longest-running series in the celebrity-inspired genre and new albums are still published to this day. The comics also sell well in the Netherlands.

In 2022, after 40 years and 201 albums, it was decided to stop the comic series.{{Cite web |date=17 May 2022 |title=Na 40 jaar stopt Urbanus met strips: eind oktober verschijnt het laatste album |url=https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/nl/2022/05/17/geen-strips-meer-van-urbanus-op-26-oktober-laatste-strip/ |website=vrt.be |language=nl}}

Urbanus also writes the gags for the satirical comic De Geverniste Vernepelingskes (1998), which pokes fun at several Flemish celebrities. It was first drawn by Jan Bosschaert, then Dirk Stallaert and finally Steven Dupré. Urbanus also writes gags for the children's comics Plankgas en Plastronneke (2004–2008) and Mieleke Melleke Mol (since 2003), both drawn by Dirk Stallaert.

Urbanus has also drawn some gag comics himself. He also illustrated many of his own album covers.

Discography

=Albums=

Image:, Bestanddeelnr 930-5752.jpg

class="wikitable"

!align="center" rowspan="2" width="10"|Year

!align="center" rowspan="2" width="180"|Album

!align="center" colspan="2" width="20"|Peak positions

!align="center" rowspan="2" width="90"|Note

scope="col" style="width:5em;font-size:90%;" | BEL
(FL)
{{cite web | url=http://www.ultratop.be/nl/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Urbanus | title=Urbanus discography | website=Ultratop.be/nl |access-date=2 June 2024}}

! scope="col" style="width:5em;font-size:90%;" | NLD

style="text-align:center;"|1974

|Urbanus van Anus leevend

| style="text-align:center;"|{{spaced ndash}}

| style="text-align:center;"|{{spaced ndash}}

| style="text-align:center;"|

style="text-align:center;"|1975

|Urbanus van anus in de weide / op de vijver

| style="text-align:center;"|{{spaced ndash}}

| style="text-align:center;"|{{spaced ndash}}

| style="text-align:center;"|

style="text-align:center;"|1977

|Drie sprookjes

| style="text-align:center;"|{{spaced ndash}}

| style="text-align:center;"|{{spaced ndash}}

| style="text-align:center;"|

style="text-align:center;"|1978

|Volle maan

| style="text-align:center;"|{{spaced ndash}}

| style="text-align:center;"|{{spaced ndash}}

| style="text-align:center;"|

style="text-align:center;"|1979

|Is er toevallig een Urbanus in de zaal?

| style="text-align:center;"|{{spaced ndash}}

| style="text-align:center;"|24

| style="text-align:center;"|Live album

style="text-align:center;"|1982

|Urbanus VI

| style="text-align:center;"|{{spaced ndash}}

| style="text-align:center;"|20

| style="text-align:center;"|Live album

style="text-align:center;"|1983

|Tien jaar live

| style="text-align:center;"|{{spaced ndash}}

| style="text-align:center;"|26

| style="text-align:center;"|Live album /
Compilation album

style="text-align:center;" rowspan=2|1985

|Urbanus' plezantste

| style="text-align:center;"|{{spaced ndash}}

| style="text-align:center;"|10

| style="text-align:center;"|Live album /
Compilation album

Donders en bliksems

| style="text-align:center;"|{{spaced ndash}}

| style="text-align:center;"|{{spaced ndash}}

| style="text-align:center;"|

style="text-align:center;"|1986

|In 't echt!

| style="text-align:center;"|{{spaced ndash}}

| style="text-align:center;"|31

| style="text-align:center;"|Live album

style="text-align:center;"|1995

|Iedereen beroemd

| style="text-align:center;"|{{spaced ndash}}

| style="text-align:center;"|{{spaced ndash}}

| style="text-align:center;"|

style="text-align:center;"|2007

|Urbanus Vobiscum

| style="text-align:center;"|{{spaced ndash}}

| style="text-align:center;"|{{spaced ndash}}

| style="text-align:center;"|Tribute album

style="text-align:center;"|2010

|Wie dit leest is zot!

| style="text-align:center;"|7

| style="text-align:center;"|{{spaced ndash}}

| style="text-align:center;"|

style="text-align:center;"|2011

|Goe poeier!

| style="text-align:center;"|2

| style="text-align:center;"|{{spaced ndash}}

| style="text-align:center;"|

style="text-align:center;"|2013

|Wan troe tie!

| style="text-align:center;"|4

| style="text-align:center;"|{{spaced ndash}}

| style="text-align:center;"|

style="text-align:center;"|2016

|Urbanus zelf! – Theatertoer 2013–2015

| style="text-align:center;"|54

| style="text-align:center;"|{{spaced ndash}}

| style="text-align:center;"|

style="text-align:center;"|2017

|De Legende

| style="text-align:center;"|16

| style="text-align:center;"|{{spaced ndash}}

| style="text-align:center;"|

style="text-align:center;"|2019

|Trecto Pnix

| style="text-align:center;"|53

| style="text-align:center;"|{{spaced ndash}}

| style="text-align:center;"|

style="text-align:center;"|2022

|In roer en rep

| style="text-align:center;"|23

| style="text-align:center;"|{{spaced ndash}}

| style="text-align:center;"|

style="text-align:center;"|2024

|Eigen favoliedjes

| style="text-align:center;"|14

| style="text-align:center;"|{{spaced ndash}}

| style="text-align:center;"|

=Singles=

Image:Portret van Urbanus, Bestanddeelnr 933-5242.jpg

class="wikitable"

!align="center" rowspan="2" width="10"|Year

!align="center" rowspan="2" width="180"|Album

!align="center" colspan="4" width="20"|Peak positions

!align="center" rowspan="2" width="100"|Notes

scope="col" style="width:5em;font-size:90%;" | BEL (FL)
Ultratop 50

! scope="col" style="width:5em;font-size:90%;" | BEL (FL)
Ultratip

! scope="col" style="width:5em;font-size:90%;" | NLD
Dutch Top 40

! scope="col" style="width:5em;font-size:90%;" | NLD
Single Top 100

style="text-align:center;"|1979

|"Een Bakske vol met stro"

| style="text-align:center;"|1

| style="text-align:center;"|{{spaced ndash}}

| style="text-align:center;"|{{spaced ndash}}

| style="text-align:center;"|{{spaced ndash}}

|

style="text-align:center;"|1980

|"Quand les zosiaux chantent dans le bois"

| style="text-align:center;"|3

| style="text-align:center;"|{{spaced ndash}}

| style="text-align:center;"|{{spaced ndash}}

| style="text-align:center;"|{{spaced ndash}}

|

style="text-align:center;"|1982

|"Kodazuur"

| style="text-align:center;"|39

| style="text-align:center;"|{{spaced ndash}}

| style="text-align:center;"|{{spaced ndash}}

| style="text-align:center;"|50

|

style="text-align:center;"|1982

|"Hittentit"

| style="text-align:center;"|24

| style="text-align:center;"|{{spaced ndash}}

| style="text-align:center;"|{{spaced ndash}}

| style="text-align:center;"|50

|

style="text-align:center;"|1983

|"Awel Mercie"

| style="text-align:center;"|27

| style="text-align:center;"|{{spaced ndash}}

| style="text-align:center;"|{{spaced ndash}}

| style="text-align:center;"|{{spaced ndash}}

|

style="text-align:center;"|1984

|"Scratchin' zwaantjes"

| style="text-align:center;"|10

| style="text-align:center;"|{{spaced ndash}}

| style="text-align:center;"|{{spaced ndash}}

| style="text-align:center;"|{{spaced ndash}}

|

style="text-align:center;"|1994

|"Poesje stoei"

| style="text-align:center;"|8

| style="text-align:center;"|{{spaced ndash}}

| style="text-align:center;"|15

| style="text-align:center;"|12

|

style="text-align:center;"|1995

|"De paashaas"

| style="text-align:center;"|12

| style="text-align:center;"|{{spaced ndash}}

| style="text-align:center;"|{{spaced ndash}}

| style="text-align:center;"|{{spaced ndash}}

|

style="text-align:center;"|2007

|"CO2 prostituee"

| style="text-align:center;"|{{spaced ndash}}

| style="text-align:center;"|16

| style="text-align:center;"|{{spaced ndash}}

| style="text-align:center;"|{{spaced ndash}}

|

style="text-align:center;"|2013

|"Zetpilcar"

| style="text-align:center;"|{{spaced ndash}}

| style="text-align:center;"|2

| style="text-align:center;"|{{spaced ndash}}

| style="text-align:center;"|{{spaced ndash}}

| with Isolde Lasoen

Films

Urbanus produced and appeared in several movies:

Urbanus did voices for the following movies:

References

{{reflist}}

External links

{{commons category|Urbain Servranckx}}

  • {{Official website|http://urbanus.be/}}
  • [https://www.lambiek.net/artists/u/urbanus.htm Lambiek Comiclopedia article about his entire life and career]

{{Authority control (arts)}}

Category:1949 births

Category:Living people

Category:20th-century Flemish male actors

Category:21st-century Flemish male actors

Category:20th-century Belgian male singers

Category:20th-century Belgian singers

Category:21st-century Belgian male singers

Category:21st-century Belgian singers

Category:Belgian atheists

Category:Belgian stand-up comedians

Category:Belgian comedy musicians

Category:Belgian pop singers

Category:Belgian rock singers

Category:Belgian singer-songwriters

Category:Belgian male guitarists

Category:Belgian satirists

Category:Belgian satirical musicians

Category:Belgian surrealist artists

Category:Belgian comics writers

Category:Belgian satirical comics writers

Category:Belgian comics artists

Category:Belgian critics of Christianity

Category:Critics of the Catholic Church

Category:Belgian album-cover and concert-poster artists

Category:Flemish male film actors

Category:Flemish male voice actors

Category:Flemish television writers

Category:People from Dilbeek

Category:Dutch-language singers of Belgium

Category:Surreal comedy

Category:Belgian television show creators

Category:Belgian male television writers

Category:Religious controversies in music

Category:Religious controversies in Belgium

Category:Obscenity controversies in music

Category:Television controversies in Belgium