Coluche
Acting • Born 1944-10-28 – Died 1986-06-19
Biography
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.
Filmography
78 credits
The Wing or the Thigh?
Movie • 1976
Gérard Duchemin
Inspector Blunder
Movie • 1980
Trainee inspector Michel Clément / Commissioner Jules Clément
Coluche - Ses plus grands sketches
Movie • 2002
Self (archive footage)
Les Enfoirés - Les Enfoirés en chœur de 1985 à aujourd'hui
Movie • 2014
The Year 01
Movie • 1973
The office manager
Good King Dagobert
Movie • 1984
Dagobert 1er
My Best Friend's Girl
Movie • 1983
Micky
Quarter to Two Before Jesus Christ
Movie • 1982
Ben-Hur Marcel / Aminemephet
Renaud, le Rouge et le Noir
Movie • 2002
Self (archive footage)
The Toilets Were Closed from the Inside
Movie • 1976
L'inspecteur Charbonnier
Droit de Réponse
Movie • 1981
Self
Banzaï
Movie • 1983
Michel Bernardin
Troubleshooters
Movie • 1971
le barman
The School Teacher
Movie • 1981
Gérard Barbier
La Ligne de démarcation
Movie • 1973
L'évadé
Madman at War
Movie • 1985
Oscar Pilli
Elle voit des nains partout !
Movie • 1982
Un hallebardier
Fous rires sur les ondes
Movie • 2022
Self - actor (archive footage)
So Long, Stooge
Movie • 1983
Lambert
The Vengeance of the Winged Serpent
Movie • 1984
Loulou Dupin
You Won't Have Alsace-Lorraine
Movie • 1977
Le roi Gros Pif Ier
Coluche - Le jeu de la vérité
Movie • 2001
Self (archive footage)
Les Pieds dans la mayonnaise : Les Irrévérencieux des années 70
Movie • 2022
Self - actor (archive footage)
Drôles de familles
Movie • 2022
Self
Stupor Mundi: Livre 2, Les Hommes qui mangèrent la montagne
Movie • 2016
Self (archive footage)
The Man with Connections
Movie • 1970
Marquand
All Mixed Up
Movie • 1985
Coyotte
Drôles de zèbres
Movie • 1977
Chef
Coluche : Un Clown ennemi d'État
Movie • 2011
Self (archive footage)
L'Âge d'or de la pub
Movie • 2023
Self (archive footage)
Les Rois du gag
Movie • 1985
Georges
Signé Furax
Movie • 1981
L'agent double 098 / 099
Du Schmilblick aux Restos du Cœur, la folle histoire de Coluche
Movie • 2014
Self (archive footage)
Mosaïque
Movie • 1976
Self
Coluche - Quand je serai grand je serai con - Vol 1 & 2
Movie • 2013
Self (archive footage)
La TV des 70's : Quand Giscard était président
Movie • 2022
Self (archive footage)
Cavanna, jusqu'à l'ultime seconde j'écrirai
Movie • 2015
Self (archive footage)
The Big Store
Movie • 1973
L'homme du couple visitant l'appartement
Coluche, l'ami public numéro un
Movie • 2012
Self (archive footage)
Coluche : C'est pour rire
Movie • 1976
Self
Coluche, la France a besoin de toi
Movie • 2006
Self (archive footage)
Coluche - Quand je serai grand je serai con - Vol 1
Movie • 2013
Self (archive footage)
Coluche - Quand je serai grand je serai con - Vol 2
Movie • 2013
Self (archive footage)
Les 60 ans du one-man-show
Movie • 2020
Self (archive footage)
Journal Bête Et Méchant Presente: Hara-Kiri N°1
Movie
Self
Comiques de toujours (Vol. 1 à 4)
Movie • 2009
Self (archive footage)
Coluche : le bouffon devenu roi
Movie • 2016
Self (archive footage)
Le mieux du mieux de Coluche
Movie • 2007
Self (archive footage)
Themroc
Movie • 1973
The young neighbor / A worker / A cop
10 mai 1981 : Changer la vie ?
Movie • 2021
Self (archive footage)
Coluche, une époque formidable
Movie • 2021
Self (archive footage)
Coluche, les plus grands sketchs
Movie • 2021
Self (archive footage)
Donkey Skin
Movie • 1970
Chanteur
Restos du Cœur, 40 ans de solidarité en France
Movie • 2024
Self (archives)
Coluche 1 faux l'intégrale
Movie • 1985
Self
Journal Bête Et Méchant Presente: Hara-Kiri N°2
Movie • 1984
Self
Vos 40 chansons préférées des Enfoirés
Movie • 2025
Self (archive footage)
Reporters
Movie • 1981
self
Victoires de la musique
TV • 1985
Self
À bout portant
TV • 1968
Self
La Cloche tibétaine
TV • 1974
André Cécillon
Spécial cinéma
TV • 1974
Self
Le Grand Échiquier
TV • 1972
Self
Cadet Rousselle
TV • 1971
Self
Midi trente
TV • 1972
Self
Les Rendez-vous du dimanche
TV • 1975
Self
Numéro un
TV • 1975
Self
Numéro un
TV • 1975
Self (archive footage)
Système 2
TV • 1975
Self
Système 2
TV • 1975
Self - Co-Host
Champs-Elysées
TV • 1982
Self
Il était une fois Champs-Élysées
TV • 2022
Self (archive footage)
Midi Première
TV • 1975
Self
Coluche 1 faux
TV • 1985
Self - Host
Champs-Elysées
TV • 1982
Self (archive footage)
Vivement dimanche
TV • 1998
Self (archive footage)
Stars 90
TV • 1990
Self (archive footage)
Samedi soir
TV • 1971
Self