Editing Coluche

{{Short description|French stage comedian (1944–1986)}}
{{use dmy dates|date=October 2016}}
{{infobox person
|name        = Coluche
|birth_name  = Michel Gérard Joseph Colucci
|image       = Coluche 1.jpg
|imagesize   = 220px
|caption     = Coluche in ''[[The Wing or the Thigh]]''
|birth_date  = {{Birth date|1944|10|28|df=y}}
|birth_place = [[Paris]], France
|death_date  = {{Death date and age|1986|06|19|1944|10|28|df=y}}
|death_place = [[Opio, Alpes-Maritimes]], France
|death_cause = Motorcycle crash
|nationality = French
|occupation  = Actor, [[Comedian]]
|signature   = Signature Coluche affiche coluche.svg
}}
'''Michel Gérard Joseph Colucci''' ({{IPA|fr|miʃɛl ʒeʁaʁ ʒozɛf kɔlytʃi|lang}}, {{IPA|it|koˈluttʃi|lang}}; 28 October 1944 – 19 June 1986), better known under his [[stage name]] '''Coluche''' ({{IPA|fr|kɔlyʃ|IPA}}), was a French stage comedian, cinema actor, activist<ref>{{Cite web|title=Coluche on Apple Music |url=https://music.apple.com/pt/artist/coluche/15261390?l=en-GB |access-date=2024-12-16 |website=Apple Music |language=en-GB}}</ref> and philanthropist.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Archives |first=L. A. Times |date=1986-06-20 |title=Coluche, French Comic, Dies in Motorcycle Crash |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-06-20-me-11319-story.html |access-date=2024-12-16 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref> He adopted ''Coluche'' as a stage name at age 26, when 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. He was one of the first major comedians to regularly use [[Profanity|profanities]] as a source of humor on French television. He also founded 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, just weeks after the [[Liberation of Paris]], in a hospital in the [[14th arrondissement of Paris|14th arrondissement]] of the city. His mother, Simone Bouyer (called "Monette"), worked as a florist in the [[Boulevard du Montparnasse]]. His father, Honorio Colucci, from [[Casalvieri]] in [[Lazio]], Italy,<ref>{{cite book|last1=Beaucarnot|first1=Jean-Louis|last2=Dumoulin|first2=Frédéric|date=2015|title=Dictionnaire étonnant des célébrités|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bw68CQAAQBAJ&pg=PT389|location=Paris|publisher=Éditions First|isbn=978-2-7540-7052-2|access-date=19 June 2015}}</ref> 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.

==Success==
In 1969, with Romain Bouteille he was present at the start of the [[Café de la Gare]], 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]], Leni Escudero, [[Pierre Perret]] and [[Jean Yanne]]. Later they were joined by [[Gérard Lanvin]], [[Renaud]], [[Rufus (actor)|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 alcohol problems forced him to leave the group.

He went on to found another group, ''Le vrai chic parisien'' (The true Parisian chic) and it was then that he met his future wife, Véronique Kantor. They married in 1975 and had two sons, Marius and Romain Colucci. His behaviour and addictions forced him to leave the new group and launch his solo career.

==Solo career==
It was at this point that he began to dress in his well-known outfit of white tennis shoes, blue striped [[overalls]], a bright yellow T-shirt and round glasses. He became famous with his parody of a TV game (Le Schmilblick). He was sacked by the radio stations [[Europe 1]] and [[Radio Monte Carlo]] for vulgarity.

== 1980s ==

=== Presidential bid ===

In a 30 October 1980 press conference at the theatre of his one-man show, Coluche announced his candidacy for the [[1981 French presidential election|French presidential election]]. He was not taken seriously until the Sunday newspaper ''[[Le Journal du Dimanche]]'' published a poll on 14 December 1980 showing Coluche supported by 16% of potential voters.<ref>[http://www.lejdd.fr/Medias/images/Le-Journal-du-Dimanche-a-60-ans/14-decembre-1980-Coluche-president!-8887/ 16% of voting intentions] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120309044836/http://www.lejdd.fr/Medias/images/Le-Journal-du-Dimanche-a-60-ans/14-decembre-1980-Coluche-president!-8887/ |date=9 March 2012 }}</ref> His "campaign" was supported and organized by Parisian publisher [[Charlie Hebdo]], with slogans such as "Before me, France was divided in two; now it will be folded in four" (more idiomatically "être plié en quatre" could be translated as "doubled over laughing"), and "Coluche - the only candidate who has no reason to lie". However, he withdrew after pressure from serious politicians - including [[François Mitterrand]] who saw him as a menace for his own candidacy - and the murder of his manager René Gorlin.

=== César ===

In 1984 Coluche was awarded the [[César Award for Best Actor]] for his role in the film ''[[Tchao Pantin]]'' (1983) directed by [[Claude Berri]], a film that mirrored his chaotic personal life.<ref name=":0"/>

=== Restaurants du Cœur ===

In September 1985, he launched the "[[Restaurants du Cœur]]" (usually called Restos du cœur) charity (40,000 volunteers in almost 2,500 eating establishments, which serve some 600,000 daily beneficiaries) in a speech on the radio station [[Europe 1]]. The charity collects food, money and clothes for the needy and the homeless. Each year, a fundraising concert series is presented by singers and celebrities collectively known as "[[Les Enfoirés]]".

=== Death ===

In March 1985 Coluche had set a world speed record (252.087&nbsp;km/h; 156.64&nbsp;mph) on a one-km (1000 yard) track in Italy with a 750cc motorcycle.
A little more than a year later, at 16:35 on 19 June 1986, he died after crashing his Honda 1100 VFC into a truck on the "route de Cannes", a road in the commune of [[Opio, Alpes-Maritimes]] in southeastern France. He was 41. This event provoked national grief and inspired the album ''[[Putain de camion]]'' ("fucking truck") by his close friend [[Renaud]]. Some [[conspiracy theories]] have since surfaced, mainly in the book ''Coluche, l'accident: contre-enquête'',<ref>By Antoine Casubolo and Jean Depussé, éditions Privé, 2006. New English edition: ''Coluche the Accident. Counter-Investigation'' Digital Index Publisher, 2025, isbn ebook 9788899283193.</ref> alleging that Coluche might have been murdered.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.20minutes.fr/article/91718/France-Coluche-c-est-l-histoire-d-un-accident.php |title=Coluche - an accident? |access-date=10 March 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080323025938/http://www.20minutes.fr/article/91718/France-Coluche-c-est-l-histoire-d-un-accident.php |archive-date=23 March 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://bellaciao.org/fr/article.php3?id_article=29751 |title=BELLACIAO - Un livre remet en cause la thèse de l'accident mortel de Coluche il y a juste 20 ans - SERGE BRESSAN |access-date=10 March 2008 |archive-date=7 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607230233/http://bellaciao.org/fr/article.php3?id_article=29751 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of his death, from 6 October 2016 to 14 January 2017, an exhibition about Coluche was held at [[Hôtel de Ville, Paris|Paris City Hall]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.francebleu.fr/infos/culture-loisirs/culture-le-succes-de-l-exposition-coluche-l-hotel-de-ville-de-paris-1482317611 | title=Culture : le succès de l'exposition Coluche à l'Hôtel de Ville de Paris prolongé | publisher=France Bleu | first=Fanny | last=Lechevestrier | date=23 December 2016 | language=fr | access-date=1 November 2020 }}</ref>

In March 2011, a bronze statue of Coluche, dressed in his trademark striped dungarees, was unveiled in his hometown of [[Montrouge]] (suburb of Paris).<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.france24.com/en/20110619-blunt-beloved-french-comedian-coluche-still-alive-memories|title=Blunt and beloved: French comedian Coluche still alive in memories|date=19 June 2011|website=France 24}}</ref>

==Awards==
[[File:20080912-0017 Paris Place Coluche.jpg|thumb|200px|"Place Coluche" in Paris]]
Coluche won the [[César Award]] for "[[César Award for Best Actor|Best Actor]]" for his role in ''Tchao Pantin'' (''[[So Long, Stooge]]'', 1983), one of his few dramatic roles.

==Film==
The film ''Coluche : l'histoire d'un mec'', directed by [[Antoine de Caunes]] and relating the events surrounding Coluche's bid for the French presidency in 1981 was released in France in October 2008. [[François-Xavier Demaison (actor)|François-Xavier Demaison]] plays Coluche.

==Legacy==
Coming from a working-class family and a background of grinding poverty, Coluche fought for the equality of citizens. A law known as the ''Loi Coluche'' was passed in 1988, allowing large tax deductions (up to 75% in some cases) for individuals or businesses that donate to specified aid agencies.

The [[main-belt]] asteroid [[170906 Coluche]], discovered by Swiss astronomer [[Michel Ory]] in 2004, was named after Coluche.

There are statues of Coluche in his home quarter of [[Montrouge]] (suburb of Paris), unveiled in March 2011 (a bronze statue of Coluche, dressed with his trademark striped dungaree),<ref name=":0" /> and in [[Le Vigan, Gard]] in the south of France. Numerous theatres, schools and social spaces bear his name all over France.

In October 2016, the Hôtel de ville de Paris (5, rue de Lobau) opened an exhibition marking the 30th anniversary of his death. It focuses on his radio and movie career up to his announcement of his presidential candidacy. It ran through 7 January 2017.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://rires.blog.lemonde.fr/2016/10/06/coluche-lhistoire-dun-mec-qui-vaut-bien-une-expo/ |title=''Coluche - l'Histoire d'un Mec qui Vaut Bien une Expo'', Le Monde, 6 October 2016 |access-date=9 October 2016 |archive-date=22 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171222052821/http://rires.blog.lemonde.fr/2016/10/06/coluche-lhistoire-dun-mec-qui-vaut-bien-une-expo/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Filmography==
{| class="wikitable"
! style="background: #CCCCCC;" | Year
! style="background: #CCCCCC;" | Title
! style="background: #CCCCCC;" | Role
! style="background: #CCCCCC;" | Director
! style="background: #CCCCCC;" | Notes
|-
|rowspan=2|[[French films of 1970|1970]]
|''Le Pistonné''
|Marquand
|Claude Berri
|
|-
|''[[Donkey Skin (film)|Donkey Skin]]''
|Un paysan injurieux
|Jacques Demy
|Uncredited
|-
|[[French films of 1971|1971]]
|''Laisse aller... c'est une valse''
|Le patron du café
|Georges Lautner
|
|-
|rowspan=4|[[French films of 1973|1973]]
|''Elle court, elle court la banlieue''
|Bouboule
|Gérard Pirès
|
|-
|''[[L'An 01]]''
|the chief
|[[Jacques Doillon]]<br />[[Alain Resnais]]<br />[[Jean Rouch]]
|
|-
|''[[Themroc]]''
|the male neighbour
|[[Claude Faraldo]]
|
|-
|''[[The Big Store (1973 film)|Le grand bazar]]'' 
|The visitor of the appartement 
|[[Claude Zidi]]
|
|-
|rowspan=2|[[French films of 1976|1976]]
|''Les vécés étaient fermés de l'intérieur''
|L'inspecteur Charbonnier
|Patrice Leconte
|
|-
|''[[L'aile ou la cuisse]]''
|Gérard Duchemin
|[[Claude Zidi]]
|
|- 
|rowspan=2|[[French films of 1977|1977]]
|''[[Drôles de zèbres]]''
|the chef
|[[Guy Lux]]
|
|-
|''Vous n'aurez pas l'Alsace et la Lorraine''
|Le Roi Gros Pif 1er
|Coluche<br />Marc Monnet
|
|-
|[[French films of 1980|1980]]
|''[[Inspector Blunder]]''
|Michel Clément
|Claude Zidi
|
|-
|rowspan=2|[[French films of 1981|1981]]
|''Signé Furax''
|L'agent double 098 / 099
|Pierre Dac<br />Francis Blanche
|
|-
|''[[Le Maître d'école]]''
|Gérard Barbier
|[[Claude Berri]]
|
|-
|rowspan=2|[[French films of 1982|1982]]
|''Elle voit des nains partout!''
|Un hallebardier
|Jean-Claude Sussfeld
|
|-
|''[[Deux heures moins le quart avant Jésus-Christ]]''
|Ben-Hur Marcel
|[[Jean Yanne]]
|
|-
|rowspan=3|[[French films of 1983|1983]]
|''[[Banzaï]]''
|Michel Bernardin
|Claude Zidi
|
|-
|''[[My Best Friend's Girl (1983 film)|My Best Friend's Girl]]''
|Micky
|[[Bertrand Blier]]
|
|-
|''[[So Long, Stooge]]''
|Lambert
|Claude Berri
|
|-
|rowspan=2|[[French films of 1984|1984]]
|''[[Le bon roi Dagobert (1984 film)|Good King Dagobert]]''
|King Dagobert
|[[Dino Risi]]
|
|-
|''[[La vengeance du serpent à plumes]]''
|Loulou Dupin
|[[Gérard Oury]]
|
|-
|rowspan=3|[[French films of 1985|1985]]
|''[[Les Rois du gag]]''
|Georges
|Claude Zidi
|
|-
|''[[Sac de noeuds]]''
|Coyotte
|[[Josiane Balasko]]
|
|-
|''[[Madman at War]]''
|Oscar Pilli
|Dino Risi
|(final film role)
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{wikiquote}}
*{{IMDb name|id=0173354|name=Coluche}}
*[https://www.restosducoeur.org/ Official site of Les restos du cœur (French)]
*[http://www.enfoires.fr/ Official site of Les Enfoirés in French] and [https://web.archive.org/web/20090415102422/http://www.enfoires.fr/web/eng/index.php English]

{{César Award for Best Actor}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:1944 births]]
[[Category:1986 deaths]]
[[Category:Male actors from Paris]]
[[Category:French male film actors]]
[[Category:French male comedians]]
[[Category:French humorists]]
[[Category:French comedy musicians]]
[[Category:French parodists]]
[[Category:French people of Italian descent]]
[[Category:People of Lazian descent]]
[[Category:Road incident deaths in France]]
[[Category:Motorcycle road incident deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century French male actors]]
[[Category:French male writers]]
[[Category:French philanthropists]]
[[Category:Café de la Gare]]
[[Category:20th-century French comedians]]
[[Category:20th-century French male writers]]
[[Category:Comedians from Paris]]
[[Category:Counterculture of the 1970s]]