Coluche
Michel Gérard Joseph Colucci (28 October 1944 – 19 June 1986), better known under his stage name Coluche, was a French stage comedian and cinema actor. He adopted Coluche as a stage name at age 26, when he began his entertainment career. He became known for his irreverent attitude towards politics and the establishment, and he incorporated this into much of his material. He was one of the first major comedians to regularly use profanities as a source of humor on French television. He also founded the charity "Les Restaurants du Coeur" which still provides free meals and other products to people in need.
Colucci was born on 28 October 1944, just weeks after the Liberation of Paris, in a hospital in the 14th arrondissement of the city. His mother, Simone Bouyer (called "Monette"), worked as a florist in the Boulevard du Montparnasse. His father, Honorio Colucci, from Casalvieri in Lazio, Italy, was a painter and decorator. His father died in 1947 at age 31 from poliomyelitis; his wife struggled thereafter to raise the young Michel and his sister (Danièle, 18 months older than Michel) on a meagre salary.
Coluche showed little promise at school, and left after completing his primary studies (June 1958). He tried various temporary jobs, and had several run-ins with authorities. During this time his mother bought him a guitar, which he taught himself to play. In 1964 he joined the 60th Infantry Regiment de Lons-le-Saunier, but was imprisoned for insubordination. On his return to civilian life, he worked in his mother's florist shop which she had been able to open on rue d'Aligre, and later in a larger shop which she opened near la Gare de Lyon. He found this work dull, and suddenly quit, which caused a long-lasting breach with his mother.
At the end of the 1960s he tried his luck as a singer in cafes, then turned to comedy.
In 1969, with Romain Bouteille he was present at the start of the Café de la Gare, meeting place of a group of young comedic actors practically all of whom were to become famous: Patrick Dewaere, Henri Guybet, Miou-Miou, Martin Lamotte, etc. Among the patrons of the Café de la Gare were Georges Moustaki, Raymond Devos, Jean Ferrat, Jacques Brel, Leni Escudero, Pierre Perret and Jean Yanne. Later they were joined by Gérard Lanvin, Renaud, Rufus, Diane Kurys, Coline Serreau, Anémone, Gérard Depardieu, Thierry Lhermitte, Josiane Balasko and Gérard Jugnot.
Coluche's first sketch C'est l'histoire d'un mec (It's the story of a guy) was about the difficulties of telling a funny story. He quickly found success, but alcohol problems forced him to leave the group.
He went on to found another group, Le vrai chic parisien (The true Parisian chic) and it was then that he met his future wife, Véronique Kantor. They married in 1975 and had two sons, Marius and Romain Colucci. His behaviour and addictions forced him to leave the new group and launch his solo career.
It was at this point that he began to dress in his well-known outfit of white tennis shoes, blue striped overalls, a bright yellow T-shirt and round glasses. He became famous with his parody of a TV game (Le Schmilblick). He was sacked by the radio stations Europe 1 and Radio Monte Carlo for vulgarity. ...
Source: Article "Coluche" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA 3.0.
Acted in
Restos du Cœur, 40 ans de solidarité en France
2024
as Himself
L'Âge d'or de la pub
2023
as Self (archive footage)
Il était une fois Champs-Élysées
2022
as Self (archive footage)
Drôles de familles
2022
as Self
Les Pieds dans la mayonnaise : Les Irrévérencieux des années 70
2022
as Self - actor (archive footage)
Fous rires sur les ondes
2022
as Self - actor (archive footage)
La TV des 70's : Quand Giscard était président
2022
as Self (archive footage)
Coluche, les plus grands sketchs
2021
as Self (archive footage)
Coluche, une époque formidable
2021
as Self (archive footage)
10 mai 1981 : Changer la vie ?
2021
as Self (archive footage)
Les 60 ans du one-man-show
2020
as Self (archive footage)
Coluche : le bouffon devenu roi
2016
as Self (archive footage)
Stupor Mundi: Livre 2, Les Hommes qui mangèrent la montagne
2016
as Self (archive footage)
Cavanna, jusqu'à l'ultime seconde j'écrirai
2015
as Self (archive footage)
Les Enfoirés - Les Enfoirés en chœur de 1985 à aujourd'hui
2014
Du Schmilblick aux Restos du Cœur, la folle histoire de Coluche
2014
as Self (archive footage)
Coluche - Quand je serai grand je serai con - Vol 1 & 2
2013
as Self (archive footage)
Coluche - Quand je serai grand je serai con - Vol 1
2013
as Self (archive footage)
Coluche - Quand je serai grand je serai con - Vol 2
2013
as Self (archive footage)
Coluche, l'ami public numéro un
2012
as Self (archive footage)
Coluche : Un Clown ennemi d'État
2011
as Self (archive footage)
Comiques de toujours (Vol. 1 à 4)
2009
as Self (archive footage)
Le mieux du mieux de Coluche
2007
as Self (archive footage)
Coluche, la France a besoin de toi
2006
as Self (archive footage)
Coluche - Ses plus grands sketches
2002
as Self (archive footage)
Renaud, le Rouge et le Noir
2002
as Self (archive footage)
Coluche - Le jeu de la vérité
2001
as Self (archive footage)
Stars 90
1990
as Self (archive footage)
Victoires de la musique
1985
as Self
Coluche 1 faux
1985
as Self - Host
Madman at War
1985
as Oscar Pilli
All Mixed Up
1985
as Coyotte
Les Rois du gag
1985
as Georges
The Vengeance of the Winged Serpent
1984
as Loulou Dupin
Good King Dagobert
1984
as Dagobert 1er
Journal Bête Et Méchant Presente: Hara-Kiri N°1
1984
as Self
So Long, Stooge
1983
as Lambert
My Best Friend's Girl
1983
as Micky
Banzaï
1983
as Michel Bernardin
Quarter to Two Before Jesus Christ
1982
as Ben-Hur Marcel / Aminemephet
Elle voit des nains partout !
1982
as Un hallebardier
Droit de Réponse
1981
as Self
Le Maître d'école
1981
as Gérard Barbier
Signé Furax
1981
as L'agent double 098 / 099
Inspector Blunder
1980
as Trainee inspector Michel Clément / Commissioner Jules Clément
You Won't Have Alsace-Lorraine
1977
as Le roi Gros Pif Ier
Drôles de zèbres
1977
as Chef
Mosaïque
1976
as Self
The Wing or the Thigh?
1976
as Gérard Duchemin
The Toilets Were Closed from the Inside
1976
as L'inspecteur Charbonnier
Coluche : C'est pour rire
1976
as Self
Numéro un
1975
as Self
Numéro un
1975
as Self (archive footage)
Système 2
1975
as Self
Système 2
1975
as Self - Co-Host
Midi Première
1975
as Self
La Cloche tibétaine
1974
as André Cécillon
La Ligne de démarcation
1973
as L'évadé
The Big Store
1973
as L'homme du couple visitant l'appartement
The Year 01
1973
as The office manager
Themroc
1973
as The young neighbor / A worker / A cop
Midi trente
1972
as Self
Le Grand Échiquier
1972
as Self
Cadet Rousselle
1971
as Self
Troubleshooters
1971
as le barman
Donkey Skin
1970
as Chanteur
The Man with Connections
1970
as Marquand
À bout portant
1968
as Self
