Michel Serrault (24 January 1928 – 29 July 2007) was a French stage and film actor who appeared from 1954 until 2007 in more than 130 films.
Life and career His first professional job was in a touring production in Germany of Molière's Les Fourberies de Scapin.
In 1948, he began his career in the theatre with Robert Dhéry in Les Branquignols. His first film was Ah! Les belles bacchantes, starring Dhéry, Colette Brosset (Dhéry's then-wife), and Louis de Funès; directed by Jean Loubignac in 1954. Serrault appeared in the 1955 suspense thriller Les diaboliques, starring Simone Signoret and directed by Henri-Georges Clouzot. Throughout the 1950s, Serrault gained popularity in his comedy double act with Jean Poiret.
From February 1973 through 1978, he portrayed the role of Albin/Zaza opposite Poiret in the play La cage aux folles, written by Poiret. He recreated the role for the film version of the play, which was released in 1978. In 1977-1978 he played the composer Jacques Offenbach in a six-part series of one-hour episodes about the musician's life, each one focusing on a specific aspect or work.INA (Institut national de l'audiovisuel) web page for Les Folies Offenbach - Série Accessed 22 April 2024. The success of the film version of La Cage aux folles helped Serrault, who had been primarily known for his comedy roles, establish himself as a leading actor in French cinema, and eventually as a dramatic performer. He later appeared in sinister roles in Claude Miller's Garde à Vue (1981) and Deadly Circuit (1982), and Claude Chabrol's The Hatter's Ghost (1982).
Serrault died from relapsing polychondritis at his home in Équemauville on 29 July 2007 at age 79. He was buried in Sainte-Catherine's cemetery in Honfleur and was transferred in 2009 to the cemetery of Neuilly-sur-Seine near his wife Juanita Saint-Peyron and daughter Caroline, who died in 1977. He had another daughter, actress Nathalie Serrault.
Theatre (partial) Knock L'Avare La cage aux folles Le tombeur Gugusse Pour avoir Adrienne Quand épousez-vous ma femme On purge bébé
Filmography Year Title Role Director Notes1954Ah ! les belles bacchantesMichel Serrault, le trompettisteRobert Dhéry1955Les diaboliques ("Diabolique")Monsieur Raymond, the teacherHenri-Georges Clouzot1956Cette sacrée gamine ("Mademoiselle Pigalle")the second inspectorMichel BoisrondLa vie est belleLe démarcheurRoger Pierre The Terror with WomenUn gendarmeJean Boyer ("Murderers and Thieves")Albert Le Cagneux, the burglarSacha Guitry1957Adorables démonsJacques Willis SeniorMaurice Cloche ("The Innocent with Forty Children") Jean-François Robignac, the new French teacherPhilippe Agostini1958Clara et les MéchantsLa ParoleRaoul André1959 Nina Gérard BlonvilleJean Boyer Inspecteur SapinJohn BerryMessieurs les ronds-de-cuirLe conservateur du Musée / Son petit-filsHenri Diamant-BergerVous n'avez rien à déclarer ?Dr. CouzanClément Duhour1960Love and the FrenchwomanDanielle's lawyerVarious directors(segment "Divorce, Le")Candide ou l'optimisme au XXe siècle ("Candide, or the Optimist of the Twentieth Century")the second policemanNorbert Carbonnaux1961Ma femme est une panthèreButcherRaymond BaillyLa Belle Américaine ("The American Beauty")ChauveauRobert Dhéry1962La gamberge ("The Dance")PétrarqueNorbert CarbonnauxLe repos du guerrier ("Warrior's Rest")Maître VarangeRoger VadimHow to Succeed in LoveLe commissaireMichel BoisrondUn clair de lune à Maubeuge ("Moonlight in Maubeuge")Monsieur Charpentier, the lecturerJean ChérasseLes quatre vérités ("Three Fables of Love")the RavenHervé Bromberger(segment "Le corbeau et le renard")Nous irons à Deauville ("We Will Go to Deauville")Lucien MoreauFrancis Rigaud1963Carambolages ("Carom Shots")Baudu, the investigating police inspectorMarcel BluwalBebert das ArábiasBarthoin - l'inspecteur des transportsYves Robert1964 How Do You Like My Sister?VarangeotMichel BoisrondDes pissenlits par la racine ("Salad by the Roots")JérômeGeorges LautnerRossignol, private detectiveJack PinoteauClémentine chérieL'huissierPierre ChevalierLa chasse à l'homme Gaston LartoisÉdouard MolinaroJealous as a Tiger M. LurotDarry Cowl1965Les baratineursHenriFrancis RigaudLa bonne occaseHutinMichel DrachMe and the Forty Year Old ManBénécholJack PinoteauCent briques et des tuiles ("How Not to Rob a Department Store")MélouneLe lit à deux places ("The Double Bed", episode "Un monsieur de passage")AlbertGaston Bérrien, alias "Monsieur Max"Jacques Poitrenaud When the Pheasants PassRiberoÉdouard MolinaroLe Petit MonstreValetJean-Paul Sassy1966Les CombinardsLe père de LucileJean-Claude RoyHectorJean BastiaLe roi de cœur ("King of Hearts")Marcel, the hairdresserPhilippe de BrocaKing of HeartsMonsieur MarcelPhilipe de Broca1967Inspector PapinJean-Pierre MockyPounetRaoul AndréDu mou dans la gâchetteL'armurierLouis GrospierreLe fou du labo IVGrangerBernard Gérard1968Gabriel PelletierRaoul AndréÀ tout casserAldo MorelliJohn Berry1969Un merveilleux parfum d'oseilleCommissaire Le GacRinaldo BassiFrançoisPierre Mondy1970Ces messieurs de la gâchetteGabriel PelletierRaoul AndréPaul CérèsÉdouard Molinaro1971Alfred MullanetMichel AudiardAchilleJacques Poitrenaud1972Le ViagerLouis MartinetPierre TcherniaMarcel JolinJean YannePlouvierÉtienne Périer1973LéonJean YannePaulJacques BesnardLe grand bazar ("The Big Store")Félix BoucanClaude Zidi1974Les Gaspards ("The Holes")Jean-Paul RondinPierre TcherniaLes Chinois à Paris ("Chinese in Paris")Grégoire MontclairJean YanneEdouard HenricotÉtienne PérierLa Gueule de l'emploiLa dame au chapeau vert / L'antiquaire / L'aveugle / Le taxi moustachu / Inspecteur RobillonJacques RoulandUn linceul n'a pas de poches ("No Pockets in a Shroud")Justin BleschJean-Pierre Mocky1975MaxJacques Besnard ("The Red Ibis")JérémieJean-Pierre MockyPauloRobert Lamoureux1976Jean-Pierre MazardJacques Besnard1977BordinJean-Pierre Mocky1978Préparez vos mouchoirs ("Get Out Your Handkerchiefs")the neighbourBertrand BlierL'argent des autres Monsieur MiremontChristian de ChalongeLa cage aux follesAlbin Mougeotte, alias "Zaza Napoli"Édouard Molinaro1979Doctor Charles MoreauJean-Pierre BlancL'Associé ("The Associate")Julien PardotRené GainvilleLa gueule de l'autreMartial Perrin / Gilbert BrossardPierre TcherniaBuffet froidLe quidam / Man in the first sceneBertrand Bliercameo appearance1980Il lupo e l'agnello ("Le coucou")LéonFrancesco Massaro ("Heads or Tails")Édouard MorlaixRobert EnricoLa Cage aux Folles IIAlbin Mougeotte, alias "Zaza Napoli"Edouard Molinaro1981MalevilCount Charles-Emile EmmanuelChristian de ChalongeGarde à vueJerome / Charles / Emile MartinaudClaude Miller1982Nestor BurmaLes fantômes du chapelier ("The Hatter's Ghost")Léon Labbé, the "chapelier"Claude ChabrolLes quarantièmes rugissants ("The Roaring Forties")Sébastien BarralChristian de ChalongeDeux heures moins le quart avant Jésus-Christ ("Quarter to Two Before Jesus Christ")Julius CaesarJean Yanne1983Mortelle randonnée ("Deadly Circuit")privat detective "the eye" BeauvoirClaude Miller1984Le bon plaisirMinisterFrancis GirodA mort l'arbitre ("Kill the Referee")RicoJean-Pierre MockyLe bon roi Dagobert ("Good King Dagobert")OtariusDino Risi1985Les Rois du gagGaëtan / Robert WellsonClaude ZidiLouis XVIJean YanneOn ne meurt que deux foisRobert StanilandJacques DerayLa Cage aux Folles 3: The WeddingAlbin Mougeotte, alias "Zaza Napoli"Georges Lautner1986Mon beau-frère a tué ma sœur ("My Brother-in-Law Killed My Sister")Octave ClapoteauJacques Rouffio1987Le miraculé ("The Miracle")Ronald Fox TerrierJean-Pierre MockyBaudin1988Paul DuchêneAlain JessuaMichaudPierre TcherniaNe réveillez pas un flic qui dort ("Let Sleeping Cops Lie")Roger ScattiJosé Pinheiro1989Paul LéautaudBuon natale, buonanno Luigi ("Merry Christmas... Happy New Year")GinoLuigi Comencini1990Doctor Marcel PetiotChristian de Chalonge1991La vieille qui marchait dans la mer ("The Old Lady Who Walked in the Sea")PompiliusLaurent Heynemann1992RousselotJean-Pierre MockyMonsieur LucGeorges LautnerDarius Caunes1994BonsoirAlex PonttinJean-Pierre Mocky1995Nelly et Monsieur Arnaud ("Nelly and Mr. Arnaud")Monsieur Pierre ArnaudClaude SautetLe bonheur est dans le pré ("Happiness Is in the Field")Francis BergeadeÉtienne Chatiliez1996Beaumarchais, l’insolent ("Beaumarchais")Louis XVEdouard Molinaro1997Assassin(s)Mr WagnerMathieu KassovitzArtemisiaOrazio GentileschiAgnès MerletRien ne va plus ("The Swindle")VictorClaude Chabrol ("The Comedian")The ComedianChristian de Chalonge1999Les enfants du marais ("The Children of the Marshland")Pépé la RainetteJean Becker2000Le monde de MartyAntoine BerrantDenis BardiauLe Libertin ("The Libertine")the CardinalGabriel AghionLes acteurs ("The Actors")HimselfBertrand Blier2001Belphégor, le fantôme du Louvre ("Belphegor, Phantom of the Louvre")VerlacJean-Paul SaloméUne hirondelle a fait le printemps ("The Girl From Paris")AdrienChristian CarionVajont - La diga del disonore ("Vajont")Carlo SemenzaRenzo Martinelli200224 heures de la vie d’une femme ("24 Hours in the Life of a Woman")LouisLaurent BouhnikLe papillon ("The Butterfly")Julien2003AnzioJean-Pierre Mocky2004 Albert MoulineauNe quittez pas!Lucien MandelArthur JofféVoice2005Joyeux Noël ("Merry Christmas")the Lord of the castleChristian CarionInspector LancretJean-Pierre Mocky2006GustavePierre JavauxMax BirgosJean-Pierre Mocky ("Grandpa's Secret", TV)Monsieur LéonPierre BoutronTV moviethe Doge of VeniceJean-Louis Guillermou2007Pars vite et reviens tard ("Have Mercy on Us All")Hervé Decambrais / Hervé DucouëdicRégis Wargnier
Awards Year Award Category Film Result1979 César Award Best Supporting Actor L'argent des autres César AwardBest Actor La Cage aux Folles David di Donatello Awards Best Foreign Actor (Migliore attore straniero) La Cage aux Folles 1981 César AwardBest Actor La Cage aux Folles II 1982 César AwardBest Actor Garde à Vue 1984 César AwardBest Actor Mortelle Randonnée 1986 César AwardBest Actor On ne meurt que deux fois 1987 Molière AwardBest Actor L'Avare 1991 César AwardBest Actor 1993 Molière AwardBest Actor Knock 1996 Lumière Awards Best Actor Nelly et Monsieur Arnaud César AwardBest Actor Nelly et Monsieur Arnaud 1998 Lumière Awards Best Actor Rien ne va plus 2006 Prix du public des palmarès du Festival de la fiction TV de Saint-Tropez Best actor 2008 Prix du public des palmarès du Festival de la fiction TV de La Rochelle 2008 Best actor
References
External links
Michel Serrault in French Obituary - KSL Television & Radio, Salt Lake City UT Obituary in Cinema2000.pt (Portuguese) The Guardian Obituary