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.
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.
External links
IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/nm0100186
Wikipedia: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2750
Facebook: No data
Instagram: No data
X: No data
Filmography (Movies)
Bourvil : le rire et la tendresse
Character:Self (Footage Archives)
Release Date:09/10/2025
Les Rois de la comédie
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:01/01/2023
La Traversée de Bourvil
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:23/09/2022
Lino Ventura, la part intime
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:04/02/2018
Bourvil, un homme vrai
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:11/12/2016
Le Tournage du Corniaud… Tout sauf un long fleuve tranquille
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:06/10/2015
Bourvil, du comique paysan au génie de l'acteur
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:01/06/2015
Jean Gabin, le dernier des géants
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:12/01/2015
Bourvil : Bien... si bien
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:23/12/2009
Comiques de toujours (Vol. 1 à 4)
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:13/10/2009
Comiques de toujours (Vol. 3 & 4)
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:04/11/2008
Comiques de toujours, coffret Vol. 1 & 2
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:06/11/2007
Clodo
Character:Gaston (uncredited)
Release Date:15/06/1971
Le Cercle Rouge
Character:Commissioner François Mattei
Release Date:19/10/1970
Atlantic Wall
Character:Léon Duchemin, Norman restaurateur
Release Date:14/10/1970
The Stud
Character:William Chaminade
Release Date:13/02/1970
The Christmas Tree
Character:Verdun
Release Date:25/09/1969
Monte Carlo or Bust!
Character:Monsieur Dupont
Release Date:28/04/1969
The Brain
Character:Anatole
Release Date:07/03/1969
The Big Wash
Character:Armand Saint-Just
Release Date:12/11/1968
The Hotshots
Character:Jules Auguste Duroc
Release Date:01/03/1968
Les Arnaud
Character:Judge Henri Arnaud
Release Date:12/10/1967
Don't Look Now... We're Being Shot At!
Character:Augustin Bouvet
Release Date:08/12/1966
Three Disordered Children
Character:Eugène Laporte, entrepreneur de travaux publics
Release Date:01/06/1966
The Wise Guys
Character:Hector Valentin
Release Date:22/10/1965
The Big Swag
Character:Louis Bourdin, metro ticket puncher and writer
Release Date:09/07/1965
The Dirty Game
Character:Lalande
Release Date:23/06/1965
The Sucker
Character:Antoine Maréchal
Release Date:24/03/1965
The Big Scare
Character:
Release Date:28/10/1964
La Bonne Planque
Character:Antoine Perrin
Release Date:30/04/1964
My Wife's Husband
Character:André Colombey
Release Date:20/12/1963
Thank Heaven for Small Favors
Character:Georges Lachaunaye
Release Date:28/08/1963
Josefa's Loot
Character:Pierre Corneille
Release Date:22/08/1963
Don't Tempt the Devil
Character:Albert Gaudet, investigating judge
Release Date:17/04/1963
Un clair de Lune à Maubeuge
Character:Le chanteur à la télévision
Release Date:19/12/1962
Les Culottes rouges
Character:Fendard
Release Date:19/12/1962
Tartarin de Tarascon
Character:Priest who reinflates the tire of his moped
Release Date:22/11/1962
The Longest Day
Character:Mayor of Colleville
Release Date:25/09/1962
The Busybody
Character:André Loriot
Release Date:20/12/1961
All the Gold in the World
Character:Mathieu Dumont / Antoine Dumont / Martial Dumont
Release Date:01/11/1961
Fortunate
Character:Noël Fortunat
Release Date:16/11/1960
Captain Blood
Character:Baladin Cogolin
Release Date:03/10/1960
The Hunchback of Paris
Character:Passepoil
Release Date:26/11/1959
The Green Mare
Character:Honoré Haudouin
Release Date:29/10/1959
Way of Youth
Character:Charles Michaud
Release Date:23/09/1959
Serenade of Texas
Character:Me Jérôme Quilleboeuf
Release Date:16/12/1958
Sunday Encounter
Character:Jean Brévent
Release Date:19/11/1958
The Mirror Has Two Faces
Character:Pierre Tardivet
Release Date:15/10/1958
Les Misérables
Character:Thénardier
Release Date:12/03/1958
The Singer from Mexico
Character:Bilou
Release Date:24/01/1957
La Traversée de Paris
Character:Marcel Martin, unemployed taxi driver
Release Date:26/10/1956
The Hussars
Character:le trompette Flicot Jean-Louis
Release Date:14/12/1955
Le Fil à la patte
Character:Camille Bouzin
Release Date:06/12/1954
Cadet Rousselle
Character:Jérôme Baguindet
Release Date:20/10/1954
April Fools' Day
Character:Émile Dupuy
Release Date:28/07/1954
Royal Affairs in Versailles
Character:Museum guard
Release Date:10/02/1954
The Three Musketeers
Character:Planchet
Release Date:07/10/1953
One Hundred Francs Per Second
Character:Self
Release Date:09/01/1953
Crazy for Love
Character:Hippolyte Lemoine, neveu d'Augustine
Release Date:07/11/1952
Alone in Paris
Character:Henri Milliard, le jeune marié campagnard
Release Date:28/11/1951
Mr. Peek-a-Boo
Character:Léon Dutilleul
Release Date:06/04/1951
The Prize
Character:Isidore Pastouret
Release Date:20/09/1950
Miquette
Character:Urbain de la Tour-Mirande
Release Date:14/04/1950
Le Roi Pandore
Character:Léon Ménard, le gendarme
Release Date:31/03/1950
Wear His Heart on His Sleeve
Character:Leon Ménard
Release Date:28/06/1949
White as Snow
Character:Léon Ménard
Release Date:28/04/1948
By the Window
Character:Gaston 'Pilou'
Release Date:22/01/1948
Not So Stupid
Character:Léon Ménard
Release Date:19/07/1947
Studio en folies
Character:Self
Release Date:31/03/1947
Hanged Man's Farm
Character:Le bourrelier, le chanteur à la noce
Release Date:05/12/1945
A Star to the Sun
Character:(uncredited)
Release Date:24/02/1943
Sideral Cruises
Character:Scientist
Release Date:19/04/1942
Television Appearances
Images
