Louis de Funes is a world-famous comic actor, as well as a talented screenwriter and film director of the twentieth century. On the screen, he personified avarice, craftiness, eccentricity and grumpiness.
Childhood and youth
Louis Germain David de Funes de Galares was born on July 31, 1914 in the small town of Courbevoie near Paris. He was the third child in a family of emigrants who left Spain in 1904. The boy received a brilliant education. In addition to native French, he mastered Spanish and English, learned to play the piano. From an early age, he surprised relatives with his ability to imitate the walks, accents, facial expressions and gestures of others. For mimicking teachers at Culomier boarding college, his parents have been called to the director more than once.
Quitting college shortly before graduation, the young man did not immediately choose the path of the actor. At first he had to work as a furrier, accountant, window dresser, milkman, draftsman and even a messenger. He achieved the greatest success in the profession of a pianist. Visitors to the bars fell in love with him not only for his masterful performance of jazz, but also for his cheerful grimacing. In between, he graduated from the drama courses of Rene Simon.
With a height of only 164 cm, the young man weighed only 55 kg. Due to painful thinness, a month after being drafted into the army, he was sent back. During the Second World War, he had to work as a solfeggio teacher at a music school.
Career
After the war ended in 1945, Louis decided to try his hand at acting. So began his acting career in cinema. At first, these were secondary roles that did not bring him fame, but allowed to put their knowledge into practice, further develop their talent and diversify their game with new skills. And only 13 years later in 1958, after his debut in the acting field, Louis woke up famous. He was widely known for the film "Not Caught - Not a Thief", where he played the poacher Blair. After this momentous event, he was often invited to the main comic roles.
The peak of fame comedian came in the 60s. Several films were released with his participation each year, each of which brought him an ever new wave of spectator love and recognition. After the release of two comedies, “Razinya” and “Big Walk”, the actor was idolized all over the world. Now he preferred to star mainly with his unchanged cast of actors, cameramen and directors. His favorite director was Jean Giraud, a partner on the set - Bourville, and the adored role - the gendarme Cruchet. In 1973, Louis de Funes was awarded the country's highest award: the Order of the Legion of Honor of France. With a short break for health reasons (in 1975 the actor suffered 2 heart attacks), Louis continued his career until 1982, starring in the latest film “The Gendarme and Gendarmes”. The great comedian passed away in 1983 from a heart attack.
Personal life
Despite the plain appearance, Louis has always been a favorite among women. His first wife in 1936 was Germaine Louise Elodie Carruaye, who gave him the firstborn, Daniel. Their marriage was short-lived and broke up in 1942, when Louis met the love of his life - Jeanne Augustine de Barthelemy de Maupassant, a relative of the famous writer. She became his wife in 1943 for many years until the death of the famous actor. She bore him two sons - Patrick and Olivier.
