Yvon Deschamps, CQ (born July 31, 1935 in Montreal, Quebec) is a
Quebec author, actor, comedian and producer best known for his
monologues. His social-commentary-tinged humour propelled him to
prominence in Quebec popular culture in the 1970s and 1980s. A long
time comedian and still active, Deschamps is now perceived as one of
the greatest in Quebec history.Yvon Deschamps was born in Montreal's
working-class Saint-Henri district. He left school in 1951, after
Grade 11, and in 1953 found work in the record library at
Radio-Canada's new television service. It was at Radio-Canada that
Deschamps discovered the performing arts; after attending a boulevard
theatre piece starring Georges Groulx and Denise Pelletier, he added a
taste for the theatre, and enrolled in acting classes with François
Rozet and Paul Buissonneau. He took the stage for the first time in
1957 at the Théâtre universitaire canadien, playing Pylade in a
production of Jean Racine'sAndromaque.In 1959, Deschamps was part of
La Roulotte, Paul Buissonneau's travelling children's theatre. The
following year he married Mireille Lachance (the two would divorce in
1967). In 1961 he became friends with Claude Léveillée, becoming his
drummer, even though the man had actually never played the drums
before. In 1963 he formed a company with Léveillée and several other
artists at Buissonneau's Théâtre de Quat'Sous. In 1965 he played his
first film role in Jean-Claude Lord's Deliver Us from Evil
(Délivrez-nous du mal), although the film was not released
theatrically until 1969.That same year Deschamps left his short career
as a musician behind and opened Le Fournil, a restaurant in Old
Montreal, followed by Saint-Amable in 1966. Both would end up bankrupt
a few years later, but while they were open Deschamps hosted his
Boîte à Clémence, a boîte à chanson hosted by Clémence
DesRochers, participating in the Le monde sont drôles (People are
Funny) and Sois toi-même(Be Yourself) shows which opened there in
1967. The latter played a special role in his career, because that is
where the Yvon Deschamps "character" and his "good boss" role appeared
for the first time.
Quebec author, actor, comedian and producer best known for his
monologues. His social-commentary-tinged humour propelled him to
prominence in Quebec popular culture in the 1970s and 1980s. A long
time comedian and still active, Deschamps is now perceived as one of
the greatest in Quebec history.Yvon Deschamps was born in Montreal's
working-class Saint-Henri district. He left school in 1951, after
Grade 11, and in 1953 found work in the record library at
Radio-Canada's new television service. It was at Radio-Canada that
Deschamps discovered the performing arts; after attending a boulevard
theatre piece starring Georges Groulx and Denise Pelletier, he added a
taste for the theatre, and enrolled in acting classes with François
Rozet and Paul Buissonneau. He took the stage for the first time in
1957 at the Théâtre universitaire canadien, playing Pylade in a
production of Jean Racine'sAndromaque.In 1959, Deschamps was part of
La Roulotte, Paul Buissonneau's travelling children's theatre. The
following year he married Mireille Lachance (the two would divorce in
1967). In 1961 he became friends with Claude Léveillée, becoming his
drummer, even though the man had actually never played the drums
before. In 1963 he formed a company with Léveillée and several other
artists at Buissonneau's Théâtre de Quat'Sous. In 1965 he played his
first film role in Jean-Claude Lord's Deliver Us from Evil
(Délivrez-nous du mal), although the film was not released
theatrically until 1969.That same year Deschamps left his short career
as a musician behind and opened Le Fournil, a restaurant in Old
Montreal, followed by Saint-Amable in 1966. Both would end up bankrupt
a few years later, but while they were open Deschamps hosted his
Boîte à Clémence, a boîte à chanson hosted by Clémence
DesRochers, participating in the Le monde sont drôles (People are
Funny) and Sois toi-même(Be Yourself) shows which opened there in
1967. The latter played a special role in his career, because that is
where the Yvon Deschamps "character" and his "good boss" role appeared
for the first time.
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