Pierre Richard facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Pierre Richard
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Richard in 2015
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| Born |
Pierre-Richard Maurice Charles Léopold Defays
16 August 1934 Valenciennes, France
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| Occupation | Actor, director, screenwriter |
| Years active | 1967–present |
Pierre Richard (born Pierre-Richard Maurice Charles Léopold Defays; August 16, 1934) is a famous French actor, film director, and writer. He is best known for playing funny, clumsy characters in comedy movies. Many people, including famous actors like Louis de Funès and Gérard Depardieu, think he is one of the greatest French comedians of the last 50 years. He also directs films and sometimes sings.
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Early Life
Pierre Richard was born into a wealthy family in Valenciennes, France. His grandfather, Léopold Defays, was a director of a big company. Pierre's stage name comes from Pierre Richard-Willm, who was his mother's favorite actor. He spent his childhood and teenage years in his hometown. He went to Henri-Wallon high school there.
Pierre loved going to the cinema and often skipped classes to watch movies. He was especially inspired by Danny Kaye in the film Up in Arms. This movie made him want to become an actor. His family wasn't very excited about this idea. Still, he decided to move to Paris to study acting at the famous Ecole Charles Dullin. At first, acting was hard for him. He even studied kinesiotherapy (a type of physical therapy) as a backup plan. But he never gave up on his dream of acting.
Acting Career
Pierre Richard started his acting career in the late 1960s. He performed in famous Parisian comedy clubs with his friend Victor Lanoux. They wrote their own funny skits, which were very popular.
His first film role was in 1968 in Alexandre le Bienheureux (Very Happy Alexander). In 1970, he directed his first film, Le Distrait. He then directed Les Malheurs d'Alfred (1972) and Je ne sais rien mais je dirai tout (I Don't Know Much, But I'll Say Everything) (1973).
Pierre Richard worked often with director Yves Robert. They made the popular films Le Grand Blond avec une chaussure noire (The Tall Blond Man with One Black Shoe) (1973) and its sequel (1974). He also had a very successful partnership with writer and director Francis Veber. They made three hit comedies in the 1980s: La Chèvre (1981), Les Compères (1983), and Les Fugitifs (1986). In these films, he often starred alongside the famous actor Gérard Depardieu. Pierre Richard also directed more films like On peut toujours rêver (1991) and Droit dans le mur (1997).
Famous Characters
In many of his most famous films, Pierre Richard played different characters who had the same first and last names. However, these characters were not connected to each other. Here are some examples:
- François Perrin in these films:
- The Tall Blond Man with One Black Shoe and The Return of the Tall Blond Man with One Black Shoe: He played a violinist who was accidentally mistaken for a secret agent.
- The Toy: Here, he was an unemployed journalist. A rich businessman's son "bought" him as a toy from a big store.
- La Chèvre: He played a very unlucky accountant. He was sent to Mexico to help a detective find a missing person.
- Pierre Renaud in these films:
- C'est pas moi, c'est lui: He was a writer who secretly wrote for another author. He finally got his own chance to work for a famous producer.
- François Pignon in these films:
- Les Compères: He played a sad, unemployed teacher. He worked with a tough journalist to solve a mystery.
- Les Fugitifs: He was a father who had been jobless for three years. He tried to rob a bank and ended up forcing a former burglar to help him escape.
Other Activities
Since 1986, Pierre Richard has also been a businessman. He owns a restaurant in Paris called Au pied de chameau. He also owns a large vineyard that produces about 80,000 bottles of red and rosé wine each year. His wine is called Château Bel Évêque and is made in Gruissan, France.
Personal Life
Pierre Richard has been married and divorced three times. He has two sons, Olivier and Christophe, who are both actors and musicians. Olivier plays the saxophone, and Christophe plays the double bass. His grandson, Arthur Defays, is a model and actor.
Distinctions
Pierre Richard has received several awards for his work:
- Karlovy Vary International Film Festival 1996: Best Actor for A Chef in Love
- Just for Laughs Festival of Montréal 2004: Honorary Prize
- 31st César Awards 2006: Honorary Cesar (a special award for his career)
- Magritte Awards 2015 (Belgium): Honorary Prize
- Chevalier (Knight) of the Legion of Honour (a very high French award)
Documentaries
Several documentaries have been made about Pierre Richard's life and career:
- Un jour, un destin : Pierre Richard, l'incompris (A film by Laurent Allen-Caron). This was shown on French TV in 2015.
- Pierre Richard, the quiet one directed by Gregory Monro in 2018.
See also
In Spanish: Pierre Richard para niños
