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Louis Germain David de Funès de Galarza, famously known as Louis de Funès, was a French actor and comedian whose extraordinary talents left an indelible mark on the world of entertainment. His remarkable career spanned over 150 film roles and more than 100 stage performances, making him a true legend of the silver screen. However, Louis de Funès died on January 27, 1983.
Who was Louis de Funès?
Louis de Funès was born on July 31, 1914, in Courbevoie, Hauts-de-Seine, France, to Spanish parents, de Funès. Louis de Funès’ early life was marked by his multicultural heritage, as his parents hailed from Seville, Spain, and had eloped to France in 1904 to marry against their families’ wishes. His father, Carlos Luis de Funès de Galarza, was a nobleman with a diamond-cutting profession, while his mother, Leonor Soto Reguera, was of Galician descent. De Funès grew up in a multilingual household, fluent in French, Spanish, and English.
During his youth, de Funès displayed talents in drawing and playing the piano. He attended the lycée Condorcet in Paris, and although he initially pursued his education, he eventually dropped out and undertook various menial jobs, often being fired. His journey into entertainment began when he worked as a bar pianist, specializing in jazz, in the Pigalle district of Paris. His unique ability to make his audience laugh through facial expressions and comical gestures set him apart.
De Funès’ professional training in acting came later when he studied at the Simon acting school for a year. During this period, he built valuable connections within the industry, including fellow actor Daniel Gélin. Louis de Funès began his show business journey in the theater, where he initially enjoyed moderate success. Even as he rose to fame in the world of cinema, he continued to perform on stage.
In 1945, at the age of 31, Louis de Funès made his film debut with a small role in Jean Stelli’s “La Tentation de Barbizon.” Despite his brief screen appearance, he quickly became known for his expressive face and comedic timing.
Over the next two decades, de Funès appeared in over 130 film roles, initially playing minor parts in over 80 movies. His breakthrough came in 1956 with his role as Jambier, the black-market pork butcher, in Claude Autant-Lara’s comedy “La Traversée de Paris.” However, it was in the early 1960s that de Funès attained superstar status in France with films like “Pouic-Pouic” (1963) and “Le gendarme de Saint-Tropez” (1964).
Louis de Funès’ exceptional talent transcended borders, earning him widespread international acclaim. He became not only a household name in French-speaking countries but also in regions as diverse as German-speaking countries, the former Soviet Union, the Eastern Bloc, Albania, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain, ex-Yugoslavia, Iran, Israel, Mauritius, and Turkey.
Remarkably, despite his immense popularity abroad, de Funès remained relatively unknown in the English-speaking world. His only notable exposure to a wider English-speaking audience came with the 1974 release of “The Mad Adventures of Rabbi Jacob,” a film remembered for its iconic dance scene and a Golden Globe Award nomination.
Throughout his career, de Funès collaborated with renowned directors and actors, leaving an enduring legacy in French cinema. His partnerships with Jean Girault in the ‘Gendarmes’ series and Gérard Oury in “Le Corniaud” (1965) and “La Grande Vadrouille” (1966) solidified his status as France’s leading comic actor. The latter film remains one of the highest-grossing French films ever.
Louis de Funès Personal Life
In 1936, he married Germaine Louise Elodie Carroyer, with whom he had one child, Daniel. Although their marriage ended in divorce in 1942, de Funès received continuous support and encouragement from his wife and friends throughout his career.
What was Louis de Funès’s Cause of Death?
Louis de Funès faced a challenging battle with a heart condition, which was exacerbated by two previous heart attacks attributed to the strenuous demands of his stage performances. Tragically, died of a third heart attack on January 27, 1983, just a few months after completing his last film. He was laid to rest in the Cimetière du Cellier, the cemetery located on the grounds of Château de Clermont, where he had resided.
References
https://www.upi.com/Archives/1983/01/28/French-comic-Louis-de-Funes-dies/3979412578000/
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