Fernandel

Cast · Director

Born

May 8, 1903 · Marseille, Bouches-du-Rhône, France

Died

February 26, 1971

Birth name

Fernand Joseph Désiré Contandin

The apocryphal biography of Fernand Contandin tells the invention of his artistic name Fernandel by his sister-in-law ("Voici le Fernand d'elles"). At the beginning of the thirties he became a typical actor of the comedy genre: popular, common, likable and with a concealed grain of drama. Marc Allégret was the director of his first successful film La meilleure bobonne (1931). He tried to work as director twice during World War II but was unsuccessful.