| Michel Serrault | |
| Birth Name: | Michel Lucien Serrault |
| Birth Date: | 1928 1, df=yes |
| Birth Place: | Brunoy, France |
| Death Place: | Honfleur, Calvados, France |
| Occupation: | actor |
| Spouse: | Juanita Saint-Peyron |
Michel Serrault (24 January 1928 – 29 July 2007)[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] was a French stage and film actor who appeared from 1954 until 2007 in more than 130 films.[4]
His first professional job was in a touring production in Germany of Molière's Les Fourberies de Scapin.[3]
In 1948, he began his career in the theatre with Robert Dhéry in Les Branquignols. His first film was Ah! Les belles bacchantes, starring Robert Dhéry, Colette Brosset (Dhéry's then-wife), and Louis de Funès; directed by Jean Loubignac in 1954. Serrault played in the 1955 suspense thriller Les diaboliques, starring Simone Signoret and directed by Henri-Georges Clouzot.
From February 1973 through 1978, he portrayed the role of Albin/Zaza opposite Jean Poiret in the play La cage aux folles, written by Poiret.[3] He recreated the role for the film version of the play, which was released in 1978.[3] [4] [2] In 1977-1978 he played the composer Jacques Offenbach in a six-part series of one-hour episodes about the musician's life, each one focusing on a specific aspect or work.[6]
Serrault died from relapsing polychondritis at his home in Équemauville on 29 July 2007 at age 79. He was buried in Sainte-Catherine's cemetery in Honfleur and was transferred in 2009 to the cemetery of Neuilly-sur-Seine near his wife Juanita Saint-Peyron and daughter Caroline, who died in 1977. He had another daughter, actress Nathalie Serrault.[7]
| Year | Title | Role | Director | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1954 | Ah ! les belles bacchantes | Michel Serrault, le trompettiste | Robert Dhéry | ||
| 1955 | Les diaboliques ("Diabolique") | Monsieur Raymond, the teacher | Henri-Georges Clouzot | ||
| 1956 | Cette sacrée gamine ("Mademoiselle Pigalle") | the second inspector | Michel Boisrond | ||
| La vie est belle | Le démarcheur | Roger Pierre | |||
| The Terror with Women | Un gendarme | Jean Boyer | |||
| [8] ("Murderers and Thieves") | Albert Le Cagneux, the burglar | Sacha Guitry | |||
| 1957 | Adorables démons | Jacques Willis Senior | Maurice Cloche | ||
| [9] ("The Innocent with Forty Children") | Jean-François Robignac, the new French teacher | Philippe Agostini | |||
| 1958 | Clara et les Méchants | La Parole | Raoul André | ||
| 1959 | Nina[10] | Gérard Blonville | Jean Boyer | ||
| [11] | Inspecteur Sapin | John Berry | |||
| Messieurs les ronds-de-cuir | Le conservateur du Musée / Son petit-fils | Henri Diamant-Berger | |||
| Vous n'avez rien à déclarer ? | Dr. Couzan | Clément Duhour | |||
| 1960 | Love and the Frenchwoman | Danielle's lawyer | Various directors | (segment "Divorce, Le") | |
| Candide ou l'optimisme au XXe siècle ("Candide, or the Optimist of the Twentieth Century") | the second policeman | Norbert Carbonnaux | |||
| 1961 | Ma femme est une panthère | Butcher | Raymond Bailly | ||
| La Belle Américaine ("The American Beauty") | Chauveau | Robert Dhéry | |||
| 1962 | La gamberge[12] ("The Dance") | Pétrarque | Norbert Carbonnaux | ||
| Le repos du guerrier[13] ("Warrior's Rest") | Maître Varange | Roger Vadim | |||
| How to Succeed in Love | Le commissaire | Michel Boisrond | |||
| Un clair de lune à Maubeuge ("Moonlight in Maubeuge") | Monsieur Charpentier, the lecturer | Jean Chérasse | |||
| Les quatre vérités ("Three Fables of Love") | the Raven | Hervé Bromberger | (segment "Le corbeau et le renard") | ||
| Nous irons à Deauville ("We Will Go to Deauville") | Lucien Moreau | ||||
| 1963 | Carambolages ("Carom Shots") | Baudu, the investigating police inspector | Marcel Bluwal | ||
| Bebert das Arábias | Barthoin - l'inspecteur des transports | Yves Robert | |||
| 1964 | How Do You Like My Sister? | Varangeot | Michel Boisrond | ||
| Des pissenlits par la racine ("Salad by the Roots") | Jérôme | Georges Lautner | |||
| [14] | Rossignol, private detective | Jack Pinoteau | |||
| Clémentine chérie | L'huissier | Pierre Chevalier | |||
| La chasse à l'homme [15] | Gaston Lartois | Édouard Molinaro | |||
| Jealous as a Tiger | M. Lurot | Darry Cowl | |||
| 1965 | Les baratineurs | Henri | Francis Rigaud | ||
| La bonne occase | Hutin | Michel Drach | |||
| Me and the Forty Year Old Man | Bénéchol | Jack Pinoteau | |||
| Cent briques et des tuiles ("How Not to Rob a Department Store")[16] | Méloune | ||||
| Le lit à deux places ("The Double Bed", episode "Un monsieur de passage") | Albert | ||||
| [17] | Gaston Bérrien, alias "Monsieur Max" | Jacques Poitrenaud | |||
| Quand passent les faisans | Ribero | Édouard Molinaro | |||
| Le Petit Monstre | Valet | Jean-Paul Sassy | |||
| 1966 | Les Combinards | Le père de Lucile | Jean-Claude Roy | ||
| [18] | Hector | Jean Bastia | |||
| Le roi de cœur ("King of Hearts") | Marcel, the hairdresser | Philippe de Broca | |||
| King of Hearts | Monsieur Marcel | Philipe de Broca | |||
| 1967 | Inspector Papin | Jean-Pierre Mocky | |||
| Pounet | Raoul André | ||||
| Du mou dans la gâchette | L'armurier | Louis Grospierre | |||
| Le fou du labo IV | Granger | Bernard Gérard | |||
| 1968 | [19] | Gabriel Pelletier | Raoul André | ||
| À tout casser[20] | Aldo Morelli | John Berry | |||
| 1969 | Un merveilleux parfum d'oseille | Commissaire Le Gac | Rinaldo Bassi | ||
| François | Pierre Mondy | ||||
| 1970 | Gabriel Pelletier | Raoul André | |||
| [21] | Paul Cérès | Édouard Molinaro | |||
| 1971 | [22] | Alfred Mullanet | Michel Audiard | ||
| [23] | Achille | Jacques Poitrenaud | |||
| 1972 | Le Viager[24] | Louis Martinet | Pierre Tchernia | ||
| Marcel Jolin | Jean Yanne | ||||
| Plouvier | Étienne Périer | ||||
| 1973 | Léon | Jean Yanne | |||
| [25] | Paul | Jacques Besnard | |||
| Le grand bazar ("The Big Store") | Félix Boucan | Claude Zidi | |||
| 1974 | Les Gaspards[26] ("The Holes") | Jean-Paul Rondin | Pierre Tchernia | ||
| Les Chinois à Paris ("Chinese in Paris") | Grégoire Montclair | Jean Yanne | |||
| Edouard Henricot | Étienne Périer | ||||
| La Gueule de l'emploi | La dame au chapeau vert / L'antiquaire / L'aveugle / Le taxi moustachu / Inspecteur Robillon | Jacques Rouland | |||
| Un linceul n'a pas de poches ("No Pockets in a Shroud") | Justin Blesch | Jean-Pierre Mocky | |||
| 1975 | Max | Jacques Besnard | |||
| ("The Red Ibis"[27]) | Jérémie | Jean-Pierre Mocky | |||
| Paulo | Robert Lamoureux | ||||
| 1976 | Jean-Pierre Mazard | Jacques Besnard | |||
| 1977 | Bordin | Jean-Pierre Mocky | |||
| 1978 | Préparez vos mouchoirs ("Get Out Your Handkerchiefs") | the neighbour | Bertrand Blier | ||
| L'argent des autres | Monsieur Miremont | Christian de Chalonge | |||
| La cage aux folles | Albin Mougeotte, alias "Zaza Napoli" | Édouard Molinaro | |||
| 1979 | [28] | Doctor Charles Moreau | Jean-Pierre Blanc | ||
| L'Associé ("The Associate") | Julien Pardot | René Gainville | |||
| La gueule de l'autre | Martial Perrin / Gilbert Brossard | Pierre Tchernia | |||
| Buffet froid | Le quidam / Man in the first scene | Bertrand Blier | cameo appearance | ||
| 1980 | Il lupo e l'agnello[29] ("Le coucou") | Léon | Francesco Massaro | ||
| [30] ("Heads or Tails") | Édouard Morlaix | Robert Enrico | |||
| La cage aux folles II | Albin Mougeotte, alias "Zaza Napoli" | Edouard Molinaro | |||
| 1981 | Malevil | Count Charles-Emile Emmanuel | Christian de Chalonge | ||
| Garde à vue | Jerome / Charles / Emile Martinaud | Claude Miller | |||
| 1982 | Nestor Burma | ||||
| Les fantômes du chapelier ("The Hatter's Ghost") | Léon Labbé, the "chapelier" | Claude Chabrol | |||
| Les quarantièmes rugissants ("The Roaring Forties") | Sébastien Barral | Christian de Chalonge | |||
| Deux heures moins le quart avant Jésus-Christ ("Quarter to Two Before Jesus Christ"[31]) | Julius Caesar | Jean Yanne | |||
| 1983 | Mortelle randonnée ("Deadly Circuit") | privat detective "the eye" Beauvoir | Claude Miller | ||
| 1984 | Le bon plaisir | Minister | Francis Girod | ||
| A mort l'arbitre ("Kill the Referee") | Rico | Jean-Pierre Mocky | |||
| Le bon roi Dagobert ("Good King Dagobert") | Otarius | Dino Risi | |||
| 1985 | Les rois du gag | Gaëtan / Robert Wellson | Claude Zidi | ||
| Louis XVI of France | Jean Yanne | ||||
| On ne meurt que deux fois[32] | Robert Staniland | Jacques Deray | |||
| Albin Mougeotte, alias "Zaza Napoli" | Georges Lautner | ||||
| 1986 | Mon beau-frère a tué ma sœur ("My Brother-in-Law Killed My Sister") | Octave Clapoteau | Jacques Rouffio | ||
| 1987 | Le miraculé ("The Miracle") | Ronald Fox Terrier | Jean-Pierre Mocky | ||
| Baudin | |||||
| 1988 | Paul Duchêne | Alain Jessua | |||
| Michaud | Pierre Tchernia | ||||
| Ne réveillez pas un flic qui dort[33] ("Let Sleeping Cops Lie") | Roger Scatti | José Pinheiro | |||
| 1989 | Paul Léautaud | ||||
| Buon natale, buonanno Luigi ("Merry Christmas... Happy New Year") | Gino | Luigi Comencini | |||
| 1990 | [34] | Doctor Marcel Petiot | Christian de Chalonge | ||
| 1991 | La vieille qui marchait dans la mer ("The Old Lady Who Walked in the Sea") | Pompilius | |||
| 1992 | Rousselot | Jean-Pierre Mocky | |||
| Monsieur Luc | Georges Lautner | ||||
| Darius Caunes | |||||
| 1994 | Bonsoir | Alex Ponttin | Jean-Pierre Mocky | ||
| 1995 | Nelly et Monsieur Arnaud ("Nelly and Mr. Arnaud") | Monsieur Pierre Arnaud | Claude Sautet | ||
| Le bonheur est dans le pré ("Happiness Is in the Field") | Francis Bergeade | Étienne Chatiliez | |||
| 1996 | Beaumarchais, l’insolent ("Beaumarchais") | Louis XV of France | Edouard Molinaro | ||
| 1997 | Assassin(s) | Mr Wagner | Mathieu Kassovitz | ||
| Artemisia | Orazio Gentileschi | Agnès Merlet | |||
| Rien ne va plus ("The Swindle") | Victor | Claude Chabrol | |||
| ("The Comedian") | The Comedian | Christian de Chalonge | |||
| 1999 | Les enfants du marais ("The Children of the Marshland") | Pépé la Rainette | Jean Becker | ||
| 2000 | Le monde de Marty | Antoine Berrant | Denis Bardiau | ||
| Le Libertin ("The Libertine") | the Cardinal | Gabriel Aghion | |||
| Les acteurs ("The Actors") | Himself | Bertrand Blier | |||
| 2001 | Belphégor, le fantôme du Louvre ("Belphegor, Phantom of the Louvre") | Verlac | Jean-Paul Salomé | ||
| Une hirondelle a fait le printemps ("The Girl From Paris") | Adrien | Christian Carion | |||
| Vajont - La diga del disonore ("Vajont") | Carlo Semenza | Renzo Martinelli | |||
| 2002 | 24 heures de la vie d’une femme ("24 Hours in the Life of a Woman") | Louis | Laurent Bouhnik | ||
| Le papillon ("The Butterfly") | Julien | ||||
| 2003 | Anzio | Jean-Pierre Mocky | |||
| 2004 | [35] | Albert Moulineau | |||
| Ne quittez pas! | Lucien Mandel | Arthur Joffé | Voice | ||
| 2005 | Joyeux Noël ("Merry Christmas") | the Lord of the castle | Christian Carion | ||
| [36] | Inspector Lancret | Jean-Pierre Mocky | |||
| 2006 | [37] | Gustave | Pierre Javaux[38] | ||
| [39] | Max Birgos | Jean-Pierre Mocky[40] | |||
| [41] ("Grandpa's Secret", TV) | Monsieur Léon | Pierre Boutron | TV movie | ||
| the Doge of Venice | Jean-Louis Guillermou | ||||
| 2007 | Pars vite et reviens tard ("Have Mercy on Us All") | Hervé Decambrais / Hervé Ducouëdic | Régis Wargnier |
| Year | Award | Category | Film | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | César Award | Best Supporting Actor | L'argent des autres | ||
| César Award | Best Actor | La Cage aux Folles | |||
| Best Foreign Actor (Migliore attore straniero)[42] | La Cage aux Folles | ||||
| 1981 | César Award | Best Actor | La Cage aux Folles II | ||
| 1982 | César Award | Best Actor | Garde à Vue | ||
| 1984 | César Award | Best Actor | Mortelle Randonnée | ||
| 1986 | César Award | Best Actor | On ne meurt que deux fois | ||
| 1987 | Molière Award | Best Actor | L'Avare | ||
| 1991 | César Award | Best Actor | |||
| 1993 | Molière Award | Best Actor | Knock | ||
| 1996 | Lumières Award | Best Actor | Nelly et Monsieur Arnaud | ||
| César Award | Best Actor | Nelly et Monsieur Arnaud | |||
| 1998 | Lumières Award | Best Actor | Rien ne va plus | ||
| 2006 | Prix du public des palmarès du Festival de la fiction TV de Saint-Tropez | Best actor | |||
| 2008 | Prix du public des palmarès du Festival de la fiction TV de La Rochelle 2008 | Best actor |