Louis de Funès mini-bio: Louis de Funès de Galarza (July 31, 1914 – January 27, 1983) was a French actor who is considered by many to be one of the giants of French comedy. His acting style is remembered for its high energy performance, a wide range of facial expressions and an engaging, snappy impatience.
He was enormously successful in several countries for many years, but remained almost unknown in the English-speaking world. He was only noted in the United States in 1974 with the release of The Mad Adventures of Rabbi Jacob. In a 1968 poll, he was voted France's favorite actor. Many of his most successful films were pure slapstick.
Born to a Spanish family, de Funès was not a success in his early life, always being fired from his modest jobs. He became a pianist and played in bars. De Funès began his show-business career in the theatre, where he enjoyed moderate success. He became better known as a comedian in films, however, becoming a star with such films as Ah! Les belles bacchantes and Le Mouton à cinq pattes. In a number of these films he co-starred with the major French actors of the time, including Bourvil (in La Grande Vadrouille and Le Corniaud) and Jean Gabin (in Le Tatoué and Le Gentleman d'Epsom). At the age of 49, he unexpectedly became a major star with the success of Le Gendarme de Saint-Tropez. For many years, La Grande Vadrouille was the largest grossing film in French history. Even during his career as a movie star, de Funès continued to play theatre. In de Funès' successful lead role in a cinematic version of Molière's The Miser (L'Avare), his characteristics are greatly muted but are visible nevertheless percolating just beneath the surface.
In his later years, De Funès suffered from a heart condition after having suffered a heart attack for straining himself too much with his stage antics. He eventually died of a massive stroke.
De Funès was said to be a very shy person in real life, unlike the characters he played.
One of his sons, Olivier de Funès, pursued an acting career alongside him before giving up and becoming an Air France pilot.
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