Coluche
Born
October 28, 1944
Died
June 19, 1986 (41 years old)
Known For
Acting
Place of Birth
Paris, France
Michel Gérard Joseph Colucci (28 October 1944 – 19 June 1986), better known under his stage name Coluche, was a French stage comedian and cinema actor. 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 profanities as a source of humor on French television. He also founded the charity "Les Restaurants du Coeur" which still provides free meals and other products to people in need.
Colucci was born on 28 October 1944, just weeks after the Liberation of Paris, in a hospital in the 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, 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, 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, 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.
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. ...
Source: Article "Coluche" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA 3.0.
Known For

Restos du Cœur, 40 ans de solidarité en France
Himself
2024

L'Âge d'or de la pub
Self (archive footage)
2023

Il était une fois Champs-Élysées
Self (archive footage) · (2 episodes)
2022

Drôles de familles
Self
2022

Les Pieds dans la mayonnaise : Les Irrévérencieux des années 70
Self - actor (archive footage)
2022

Fous rires sur les ondes
Self - actor (archive footage)
2022

La TV des 70's : Quand Giscard était président
Self (archive footage)
2022

Coluche, les plus grands sketchs
Self (archive footage)
2021

Coluche, une époque formidable
Self (archive footage)
2021

10 mai 1981 : Changer la vie ?
Self (archive footage)
2021

Les 60 ans du one-man-show
Self (archive footage)
2020

Coluche : le bouffon devenu roi
Self (archive footage)
2016
Stupor Mundi: Livre 2, Les Hommes qui mangèrent la montagne
Self (archive footage)
2016

Cavanna, jusqu'à l'ultime seconde j'écrirai
Self (archive footage)
2015

Les Enfoirés - Les Enfoirés en chœur de 1985 à aujourd'hui
2014

Du Schmilblick aux Restos du Cœur, la folle histoire de Coluche
Self (archive footage)
2014

Coluche - Quand je serai grand je serai con - Vol 1 & 2
Self (archive footage)
2013

Coluche - Quand je serai grand je serai con - Vol 1
Self (archive footage)
2013

Coluche - Quand je serai grand je serai con - Vol 2
Self (archive footage)
2013

Coluche, l'ami public numéro un
Self (archive footage)
2012

Coluche : Un Clown ennemi d'État
Self (archive footage)
2011

Comiques de toujours (Vol. 1 à 4)
Self (archive footage)
2009

Comiques de toujours (Vol. 3 & 4)
Self (archive footage)
2008

Le mieux du mieux de Coluche
Self (archive footage)
2007

Coluche, la France a besoin de toi
Self (archive footage)
2006

Coluche - Ses plus grands sketches
Self (archive footage)
2002

Renaud, le Rouge et le Noir
Self (archive footage)
2002

Coluche - Le jeu de la vérité
Self (archive footage)
2001

Vivement dimanche
Self (archive footage) · (2 episodes)
1998

Stars 90
Self (archive footage) · (1 episode)
1990

Victoires de la musique
Self · (1 episode)
1985

Coluche 1 faux
Self - Host · (3 episodes)
1985

Madman at War
Oscar Pilli
1985

All Mixed Up
Coyotte
1985

Les Rois du gag
Georges
1985

The Vengeance of the Winged Serpent
Loulou Dupin
1984

Good King Dagobert
Dagobert 1er
1984
Journal Bête Et Méchant Presente: Hara-Kiri N°1
Self
1984

So Long, Stooge
Lambert
1983

My Best Friend's Girl
Micky
1983

Banzaï
Michel Bernardin
1983

Quarter to Two Before Jesus Christ
Ben-Hur Marcel / Aminemephet
1982

Elle voit des nains partout !
Un hallebardier
1982

Champs-Elysées
Self · (6 episodes)
1982

Champs-Elysées
Self (archive footage) · (3 episodes)
1982

Droit de Réponse
Self
1981

Le Maître d'école
Gérard Barbier
1981

Signé Furax
L'agent double 098 / 099
1981

Inspector Blunder
Trainee inspector Michel Clément / Commissioner Jules Clément
1980

You Won't Have Alsace-Lorraine
Le roi Gros Pif Ier
1977

Drôles de zèbres
Chef
1977

Mosaïque
Self
1976

The Wing or the Thigh?
Gérard Duchemin
1976

The Toilets Were Closed from the Inside
L'inspecteur Charbonnier
1976

Coluche : C'est pour rire
Self
1976

Numéro un
Self · (9 episodes)
1975

Numéro un
Self (archive footage) · (1 episode)
1975
Système 2
Self · (4 episodes)
1975
Système 2
Self - Co-Host · (1 episode)
1975

Les Rendez-vous du dimanche
Self · (4 episodes)
1975

Midi Première
Self · (8 episodes)
1975

La Cloche tibétaine
André Cécillon · (7 episodes)
1974

Spécial cinéma
Self · (1 episode)
1974

La Ligne de démarcation
L'évadé
1973

The Big Store
L'homme du couple visitant l'appartement
1973

The Year 01
The office manager
1973

Themroc
The young neighbor / A worker / A cop
1973
Midi trente
Self · (1 episode)
1972

Le Grand Échiquier
Self · (1 episode)
1972

Cadet Rousselle
Self · (1 episode)
1971

Troubleshooters
le barman
1971
Samedi soir
Self · (1 episode)
1971

Donkey Skin
Chanteur
1970

The Man with Connections
Marquand
1970

À bout portant
Self · (1 episode)
1968