← Back
Bourvil

Bourvil

Known for: Acting

Born 27/07/1917
Died 1970-09-23
Place of birth Prétot-Vicquemare, Seine-Inférieure [now Seine-Maritime], France

André Robert Raimbourg (27 July 1917 – 23 September 1970), better known as André Bourvil, and mononymously as Bourvil, was a French actor and singer best known for his roles in comedy films, most notably in his collaboration with Louis de Funès in the films Le Corniaud (1965) and La Grande Vadrouille (1966). For his performance in Le Corniaud, he won a Special Diploma at the 4th Moscow International Film Festival. Bourvil's father was killed in the First World War before he was born. As a result, he spent his entire childhood in the village of Bourville, from which he took his stage name. He married Jeanne Lefrique on 23 January 1943. After a battle with Kahler's syndrome, which attacks the bone marrow, he died at the age of 53. He is buried in Montainville, Yvelines. In his comic performances Bourvil principally played roles of gentle and well-meaning characters who were often a bit obtuse or naïve, such as his roles opposite the hyperactive, dishonest and bossy ones played by Louis de Funès. Bourvil's characters not only managed to make viewers laugh, but also to save themselves, often unwittingly, from the Machiavellian designs of his adversaries. Bourvil was, however, also capable of more dramatic roles such as the handyman in L'Arbre de Noël (1969). In this role he observes the relationship between a man he works for and the young son who has fallen ill. The audience can identify with the character played by Bourvil, just as they can in his comic roles, so often as a simple man. One can also note his role of Monsieur Thénardier in the film adaptation of Les Misérables (1958), and his penultimate role as the policeman Mattei in Jean-Pierre Melville's Le Cercle rouge (1970). In March 1948, Bourvil took part in the complete recording of Offenbach's The Tales of Hoffmann with artists of the Paris Opéra-Comique conducted by André Cluytens, playing the four 'servant' roles. Description above from the Wikipedia article Bourvil, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Filmography

Champs-Elysées Series ★ 6,8

Champs-Elysées

Self (archive footage)

1982

Spécial cinéma Series ★ 9,5

Spécial cinéma

Self (archive footage)

1974

Series ★ 6,0

Midi trente

Self (archive footage)

1972

Cinépanorama Series ★ 8,7

Cinépanorama

Self

1956

The Longest Day Film ★ 7,6

The Longest Day

Mayor of Colleville

1962

Don't Look Now... We're Being Shot At! Film ★ 7,9

Don't Look Now... We're Being Shot At!

Augustin Bouvet

1966

The Sucker Film ★ 7,4

The Sucker

Antoine Maréchal

1965

Le Cercle Rouge Film ★ 7,6

Le Cercle Rouge

Commissioner François Mattei

1970

The Brain Film ★ 7,3

The Brain

Anatole

1969

Les Misérables Film ★ 7,2

Les Misérables

Thénardier

1958

The Hussars Film ★ 6,0

The Hussars

le trompette Flicot Jean-Louis

1955

White as Snow Film ★ 6,5

White as Snow

Léon Ménard

1948

The Three Musketeers Film ★ 6,4

The Three Musketeers

Planchet

1953

Monte Carlo or Bust! Film ★ 5,9

Monte Carlo or Bust!

Monsieur Dupont

1969

The Wise Guys Film ★ 7,9

The Wise Guys

Hector Valentin

1965

The Hunchback of Paris Film ★ 6,7

The Hunchback of Paris

Passepoil

1959

The Green Mare Film ★ 5,6

The Green Mare

Honoré Haudouin

1959

Captain Blood Film ★ 6,4

Captain Blood

Baladin Cogolin

1960

La Traversée de Paris Film ★ 7,3

La Traversée de Paris

Marcel Martin, unemployed taxi driver

1956

The Hotshots Film ★ 5,6

The Hotshots

Jules Auguste Duroc

1968

The Christmas Tree Film ★ 6,2

The Christmas Tree

Verdun

1969

Jean Gabin, le dernier des géants Film ★ 6,0

Jean Gabin, le dernier des géants

Self (archive footage)

2015

Fortunate Film ★ 7,4

Fortunate

Noël Fortunat

1960

Belmondo: The Incorrigible Film ★ 8,2

Belmondo: The Incorrigible

2022

Royal Affairs in Versailles Film ★ 6,7

Royal Affairs in Versailles

Museum guard

1953

The Stud Film ★ 4,9

The Stud

William Chaminade

1970

The Mirror Has Two Faces Film ★ 6,3

The Mirror Has Two Faces

Pierre Tardivet

1958

Comiques de toujours (Vol. 1 à 4) Film ★ 6,0

Comiques de toujours (Vol. 1 à 4)

Self (archive footage)

2009

The Dirty Game Film ★ 6,0

The Dirty Game

Lalande

1965

Atlantic Wall Film ★ 6,2

Atlantic Wall

Léon Duchemin, Norman restaurateur

1970

Un clair de Lune à Maubeuge Film ★ 5,9

Un clair de Lune à Maubeuge

Le chanteur à la télévision

1962

Sideral Cruises Film ★ 7,3

Sideral Cruises

Scientist

1942

Miquette Film ★ 5,4

Miquette

Urbain de la Tour-Mirande

1950

Crazy for Love Film ★ 6,3

Crazy for Love

Hippolyte Lemoine, neveu d'Augustine

1952

Tartarin de Tarascon Film ★ 5,3

Tartarin de Tarascon

Priest who reinflates the tire of his moped

1962

Don't Tempt the Devil Film ★ 6,2

Don't Tempt the Devil

Albert Gaudet, investigating judge

1963

Mr. Peek-a-Boo Film ★ 6,2

Mr. Peek-a-Boo

Léon Dutilleul

1951

Way of Youth Film ★ 6,2

Way of Youth

Charles Michaud, père

1959

Thank Heaven for Small Favors Film ★ 6,6

Thank Heaven for Small Favors

Georges Lachaunaye

1963

The Busybody Film ★ 6,4

The Busybody

André Loriot

1961

Serenade of Texas Film ★ 5,2

Serenade of Texas

Me Jérôme Quilleboeuf

1958

The Singer from Mexico Film ★ 6,5

The Singer from Mexico

Bilou

1957

My Wife's Husband Film ★ 6,6

My Wife's Husband

André Colombey

1963

By the Window Film ★ 6,5

By the Window

Gaston 'Pilou'

1948

All the Gold in the World Film ★ 6,5

All the Gold in the World

Mathieu Dumont / Antoine Dumont / Martial Dumont

1961

Sunday Encounter Film ★ 6,3

Sunday Encounter

Jean Brévent

1958

Les Arnaud Film ★ 5,0

Les Arnaud

Judge Henri Arnaud

1967

April Fools' Day Film ★ 5,9

April Fools' Day

Émile Dupuy

1954

Alone in Paris Film ★ 5,4

Alone in Paris

Henri Milliard, le jeune marié campagnard

1951

A Night at the Opera Film ★ 6,4

A Night at the Opera

2020

Les Rois de la comédie Film ★ 6,3

Les Rois de la comédie

Self (archive footage)

2023

Josefa's Loot Film ★ 5,4

Josefa's Loot

Pierre Corneille

1963

Cadet Rousselle Film ★ 4,9

Cadet Rousselle

Jérôme Baguindet

1954

Les Culottes rouges Film ★ 6,6

Les Culottes rouges

Fendard

1962

The Big Swag Film ★ 6,6

The Big Swag

Louis Bourdin, metro ticket puncher and writer

1965

Clodo Film ★ 4,2

Clodo

Gaston (uncredited)

1971

Bourvil, un homme vrai Film ★ 6,0

Bourvil, un homme vrai

Self (archive footage)

2016

Le Tournage du Corniaud… Tout sauf un long fleuve tranquille Film ★ 5,5

Le Tournage du Corniaud… Tout sauf un long fleuve tranquille

Self (archive footage)

2015

The Big Wash Film ★ 5,9

The Big Wash

Armand Saint-Just

1968

Not So Stupid Film ★ 5,4

Not So Stupid

Léon Ménard

1947

Film ★ 9,0

Grrr....

Lui-même

1952

Le Fil à la patte Film ★ 5,2

Le Fil à la patte

Camille Bouzin, clerc de notaire et auteur de chansonnettes lestes

1954

La Bonne Planque Film ★ 7,8

La Bonne Planque

Antoine Perrin

1964

Bourvil : le rire et la tendresse Film

Bourvil : le rire et la tendresse

Self (Footage Archives)

2025

The Big Scare Film ★ 5,8

The Big Scare

1964

Le Roi Pandore Film ★ 5,8

Le Roi Pandore

Léon Ménard, le gendarme

1950

Foutraque (!) Film

Foutraque (!)

himself

A Star to the Sun Film ★ 7,0

A Star to the Sun

(uncredited)

1943

Lino Ventura, la part intime Film ★ 7,9

Lino Ventura, la part intime

Self (archive footage)

2018

La Traversée de Bourvil Film ★ 9,0

La Traversée de Bourvil

Self (archive footage)

2022

Wear His Heart on His Sleeve Film ★ 6,4

Wear His Heart on His Sleeve

Leon Ménard

1949

Three Disordered Children Film ★ 5,3

Three Disordered Children

Eugène Laporte, entrepreneur de travaux publics

1966

Hanged Man's Farm Film ★ 5,8

Hanged Man's Farm

Le bourrelier, le chanteur à la noce

1945

Film ★ 8,5

Studio en folies

Self

1947

The Prize Film ★ 6,6

The Prize

Isidore Pastouret

1950

One Hundred Francs Per Second Film ★ 6,0

One Hundred Francs Per Second

Self

1953

Bourvil : Bien... si bien Film

Bourvil : Bien... si bien

Self (archive footage)

2009

Bourvil, du comique paysan au génie de l'acteur Film ★ 7,0

Bourvil, du comique paysan au génie de l'acteur

Self (archive footage)

2015