Coluche
Michel Gérard Joseph Colucci (28 October 1944 – 19 June 1986), better known under his stage name Coluche, was a French stand-up comedian, film actor, activist and philanthropist. He adopted Coluche as a stage name at age 26, as he began his entertainment career. He became known for his irreverent attitude towards politics and the establishment, and he incorporated this into much of his material.
Coluche was one of the first major comedians to regularly use profanities as a source of humor on French television. Having become a bankable star of comedy films, he also proved himself a capable dramatic performer by winning the César Award for Best Actor for his performance in So Long, Stooge (1983).
Coluche also founded in 1985 the charity "Les Restaurants du Cœur" which still provides free meals and other products to people in need.
Early life
Colucci was born on 28 October 1944 in a hospital in the 14th arrondissement of Paris. His mother, Simone Bouyer (called "Monette"), worked as a florist in the Boulevard du Montparnasse. His father, Honorio Colucci, an Italian immigrant from Casalvieri, Lazio, was a painter and decorator. His father died in 1947 at age 31 from poliomyelitis; his wife struggled thereafter to raise the young Michel and his sister (Danièle, 18 months older than Michel) on a meagre salary.
Coluche showed little promise at school, and left after completing his primary studies (June 1958). He tried various temporary jobs, and had several run-ins with authorities. During this time his mother bought him a guitar, which he taught himself to play. In 1964 he joined the 60th Infantry Regiment de Lons-le-Saunier, but was imprisoned for insubordination. On his return to civilian life, he worked in his mother's florist shop which she had been able to open on rue d'Aligre, and later in a larger shop which she opened near la Gare de Lyon. He found this work dull, and suddenly quit, which caused a long-lasting breach with his mother.
At the end of the 1960s he tried his luck as a singer in cafes, then turned to comedy.
In 1969, Coluche took part with Romain Bouteille to the founding of the Café de la Gare, a Parisian café-théâtre that would become the meeting place of a group of young comedic actors practically all of whom were to become famous: Patrick Dewaere, Henri Guybet, Miou-Miou, Martin Lamotte, etc. Among the patrons of the Café de la Gare were Georges Moustaki, Raymond Devos, Jean Ferrat, Jacques Brel, Leny Escudero, Pierre Perret and Jean Yanne. Other actors who performed the Café de la Gare early in their careers include Gérard Lanvin, Renaud, Rufus, Diane Kurys, Coline Serreau, Anémone, Gérard Depardieu, Thierry Lhermitte, Josiane Balasko and Gérard Jugnot.
Coluche's first sketch C'est l'histoire d'un mec (It's the story of a guy) was about the difficulties of telling a funny story. He quickly found success but his alcohol issues led to scuffles with Dewaere and Bouteille and eventually forced him to leave the Café de la Gare, though he later returned to perform there. ...
Source: Article "Coluche" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA.
Fotos
Películas (62)
Coluche : La liberté de rire, 40 ans déjà
2026 · Self (archive footage)
My Coluche
2026 · Self (archive footage)
Vos 40 chansons préférées des Enfoirés
2025 · Self (archive footage)
Restos du Cœur, 40 ans de solidarité en France
2024 · Self (archives)
Coluche, la véritable histoire d'un mec
2024 · Self (archive footage)
L'Âge d'or de la pub
2023 · Self (archive footage)
Drôles de familles
2022 · Self
Feet in the Mayonnaise: The Irreverent Ones of the 70s
2022 · Self - actor (archive footage)
Fous rires sur les ondes
2022 · Self - actor (archive footage)
La TV des 70's : Quand Giscard était président
2022 · Self (archive footage)
Coluche, les plus grands sketchs
2021 · Self (archive footage)
Coluche, une époque formidable
2021 · Self (archive footage)
10 mai 1981 : Changer la vie ?
2021 · Self (archive footage)
Les 60 ans du one-man-show
2020 · Self (archive footage)
Coluche : le bouffon devenu roi
2016 · Self (archive footage)
Stupor Mundi: Livre 2, Les Hommes qui mangèrent la montagne
2016 · Self (archive footage)
Cavanna, jusqu'à l'ultime seconde j'écrirai
2015 · Self (archive footage)
Les Enfoirés - Les Enfoirés en chœur de 1985 à aujourd'hui
2014
Du Schmilblick aux Restos du Cœur, la folle histoire de Coluche
2014 · Self (archive footage)
Coluche - Quand je serai grand je serai con - Vol 1 & 2
2013 · Self (archive footage)
Coluche - Quand je serai grand je serai con - Vol 1
2013 · Self (archive footage)
Coluche - Quand je serai grand je serai con - Vol 2
2013 · Self (archive footage)
Coluche, l'ami public numéro un
2012 · Self (archive footage)
Coluche : Un Clown ennemi d'État
2011 · Self (archive footage)
Comiques de toujours (Vol. 1 à 4)
2009 · Self (archive footage)
Le mieux du mieux de Coluche
2007 · Self (archive footage)
Coluche, la France a besoin de toi
2006 · Self (archive footage)
Coluche - Ses plus grands sketches
2002 · Self (archive footage)
Renaud, le Rouge et le Noir
2002 · Self (archive footage)
Coluche - Le jeu de la vérité
2001 · Self (archive footage)
Coluche 1 faux l'intégrale
1985 · Self
Madman at War
1985 · Oscar Pilli
Coluche - Le jeu de la vérité
1985 · self
All Mixed Up
1985 · Coyotte
Les Rois du gag
1985 · Georges
The Vengeance of the Winged Serpent
1984 · Loulou Dupin
Journal Bête Et Méchant Presente: Hara-Kiri N°2
1984 · Self
Good King Dagobert
1984 · Dagobert 1er
So Long, Stooge
1983 · Lambert
My Best Friend's Girl
1983 · Micky
Banzaï
1983 · Michel Bernardin
Quarter to Two Before Jesus Christ
1982 · Ben-Hur Marcel / Aminemephet
Elle voit des nains partout !
1982 · Un hallebardier
Droit de Réponse
1981 · Self
The School Teacher
1981 · Gérard Barbier
Reporters
1981 · self
Signé Furax
1981 · L'agent double 098 / 099
Inspector Blunder
1980 · L'inspecteur stagiaire Michel Clément / Le commissaire Jules Clément
You Won't Have Alsace-Lorraine
1977 · Le roi Gros Pif Ier, Writer, Director
Drôles de zèbres
1977 · Chef
Mosaïque
1976 · Self
The Wing or the Thigh?
1976 · Gérard Duchemin
The Toilets Were Closed from the Inside
1976 · L'inspecteur Charbonnier
Coluche : C'est pour rire
1976 · Self
La Ligne de démarcation
1973 · L'évadé
The Big Store
1973 · L'homme du couple visitant l'appartement
Themroc
1973 · The young neighbor / A worker / A cop
The Year 01
1973 · The office manager
Troubleshooters
1971 · le barman
Donkey Skin
1970 · Chanteur
The Man with Connections
1970 · Marquand
Journal Bête Et Méchant Presente: Hara-Kiri N°1
· Self
Series (17)
Il était une fois Champs-Élysées
2022 · Self (archive footage)
Vivement dimanche
1998 · Self (archive footage)
Stars 90
1990 · Self (archive footage)
Victoires de la musique
1985 · Self
Coluche 1 faux
1985 · Self - Host, Creator
Champs-Elysées
1982 · Self, Self (archive footage)
Numéro un
1975 · Self, Self (archive footage)
Système 2
1975 · Self, Self - Co-Host
Les Rendez-vous du dimanche
1975 · Self
Midi Première
1975 · Self
La Cloche tibétaine
1974 · André Cécillon
Spécial cinéma
1974 · Self
Midi trente
1972 · Self
Le Grand Échiquier
1972 · Self
Cadet Rousselle
1971 · Self
Samedi soir
1971 · Self
À bout portant
1968 · Self