Philippe Clair (born 14 September 1930) is a French actor, director,
producer, screenwriter, and popular humorist. Along with fellow French
directors Max Pécas and Richard Balducci, his name is synonymous with
the golden age of camp and low comedy in French cinema.Philippe Clair
moved to Paris in 1950 to study acting at the National Conservatory of
Dramatic Arts of Paris. He won the Bernstein and College Stars awards,
honors given to the best young Parisian actors. He performed on stage
and television with major directors and writers in shows such as
L'Affaire des poisons [Affair of the Poisons] directed by Raymond
Rouleau, Une femme libre [A free woman] by Armand Salacrou, and Les
Îles fortunées [The Prosperous Islands] by Simon Gantillon.
Eventually he got a show of his own and became an important French
humorist, mounting such works as the Judeo-Arabic Purée de nous
z'otres [Mashed we z'otres], and Le Cid in Oued Bel [Parody of El Cid]
based on the book by Edmond Brua. He specialized in improvisation and
in writing comedy sketches.In 1965 Clair directed his first film,
Déclic et des claques [Clicks and Slaps] with Annie Girardot, the
comic misadventures of a young pied-noir [French Algerian] in Paris.
He continued his work as a singer: in 1967, his sketch Rien Nasser de
courir which satirized the Six-Day War was banned because of its
political overtones.In 1970, Philippe Clair became the leading
director of popular comedy. His humor usually had a French Algerian
flavor. Most of his films were commercial successes, although
sometimes they were panned by critics who called them vulgar or
overacted. His films were often plagiarized by other directors with
typical French disrespect orâ€"as the French call
itâ€"franchouillards.
producer, screenwriter, and popular humorist. Along with fellow French
directors Max Pécas and Richard Balducci, his name is synonymous with
the golden age of camp and low comedy in French cinema.Philippe Clair
moved to Paris in 1950 to study acting at the National Conservatory of
Dramatic Arts of Paris. He won the Bernstein and College Stars awards,
honors given to the best young Parisian actors. He performed on stage
and television with major directors and writers in shows such as
L'Affaire des poisons [Affair of the Poisons] directed by Raymond
Rouleau, Une femme libre [A free woman] by Armand Salacrou, and Les
Îles fortunées [The Prosperous Islands] by Simon Gantillon.
Eventually he got a show of his own and became an important French
humorist, mounting such works as the Judeo-Arabic Purée de nous
z'otres [Mashed we z'otres], and Le Cid in Oued Bel [Parody of El Cid]
based on the book by Edmond Brua. He specialized in improvisation and
in writing comedy sketches.In 1965 Clair directed his first film,
Déclic et des claques [Clicks and Slaps] with Annie Girardot, the
comic misadventures of a young pied-noir [French Algerian] in Paris.
He continued his work as a singer: in 1967, his sketch Rien Nasser de
courir which satirized the Six-Day War was banned because of its
political overtones.In 1970, Philippe Clair became the leading
director of popular comedy. His humor usually had a French Algerian
flavor. Most of his films were commercial successes, although
sometimes they were panned by critics who called them vulgar or
overacted. His films were often plagiarized by other directors with
typical French disrespect orâ€"as the French call
itâ€"franchouillards.
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