Michel Serrault(1928-2007)
- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
As accomplished and versatile the well-loved French actor Michel
Serrault proved to be over the course of five decades, American
audiences still remember this actor for one role only - that of the
neurotic, outrageously flamboyant drag performer Albin (aka Zaza) in
the side-splitting French gay farce
La Cage aux Folles (1978).
Opposite Italian actor Ugo Tognazzi as his
more subdued partner/manager Renato, the unambiguously gay duo easily
became one of the most well-received matchups ever on celluloid both
here and abroad. Forget Felix and Oscar or even the Scarlett and Rhett
coupling, this pair managed to turn
La Cage aux Folles (1978)
not only into the cult film classic it is today, but made it one of
America's largest cross-over European hits ever.
Born in Brunoy, France on January 24, 1928, Serrault initially had a
calling to join the priesthood. After entering the seminary, he quickly
realized there would be a conflict with the vow of celibacy and left.
The love of performing must have also been a strong factor as he
quickly changed the course of his destiny and taking up dramatic
studies in Paris. His career began on the cabaret stage and as a
singing apprentice and member of Robert Dhery's theater troupe before
its focus shifted to filmmaking in the mid-50s. Making his film debut
in 1954, one of his earliest films was in
Henri-Georges Clouzot's
masterpiece thriller
Diabolique (1955) starring
Simone Signoret in a featured part.
From there he developed into a supremely talented performer who went on
to appear in hundreds of character film studies, With a chameleon-like
approach to his work, he proved himself not only a gifted and witty
farceur but a dark and compelling dramatic actor capable of going to
extreme depths in order to play a character. A successful partnership
on stage and in film with the late writer/actor
Jean Poiret, which included his huge
international hit
La Cage aux Folles (1978)
and its first sequel, enhanced the respect he earned over the years.
Serrault seldom ventured outside the realm of Gallic filming, which
explains why he has not been a strong foreign name in America.
He has been a recipient of many awards for his work. In France he has
the distinction of being a three-time "Best Actor" César winner for
La Cage aux Folles (1978),
The Grilling (1981) and, more
recently, his retired judge in
Nelly & Monsieur Arnaud (1995).
Like fine wine, Serrault continued to age well as an actor while
continuing to stay on top of his craft with such marvelous performances
as his grifter alongside
Isabelle Huppert in
Claude Chabrol's
L'entourloupe (1980), the
titular serial killer
Dr. Petiot (1990), the
white-haired old timer opposite film icon
Jeanne Moreau in
The Old Lady Who Walked in the Sea (1991)
and his farmer in
The Girl from Paris (2001).
He died on July 29, 2007 of cancer and was survived by his wife Juanita
and actress/daughter Nathalie Serrault
Serrault proved to be over the course of five decades, American
audiences still remember this actor for one role only - that of the
neurotic, outrageously flamboyant drag performer Albin (aka Zaza) in
the side-splitting French gay farce
La Cage aux Folles (1978).
Opposite Italian actor Ugo Tognazzi as his
more subdued partner/manager Renato, the unambiguously gay duo easily
became one of the most well-received matchups ever on celluloid both
here and abroad. Forget Felix and Oscar or even the Scarlett and Rhett
coupling, this pair managed to turn
La Cage aux Folles (1978)
not only into the cult film classic it is today, but made it one of
America's largest cross-over European hits ever.
Born in Brunoy, France on January 24, 1928, Serrault initially had a
calling to join the priesthood. After entering the seminary, he quickly
realized there would be a conflict with the vow of celibacy and left.
The love of performing must have also been a strong factor as he
quickly changed the course of his destiny and taking up dramatic
studies in Paris. His career began on the cabaret stage and as a
singing apprentice and member of Robert Dhery's theater troupe before
its focus shifted to filmmaking in the mid-50s. Making his film debut
in 1954, one of his earliest films was in
Henri-Georges Clouzot's
masterpiece thriller
Diabolique (1955) starring
Simone Signoret in a featured part.
From there he developed into a supremely talented performer who went on
to appear in hundreds of character film studies, With a chameleon-like
approach to his work, he proved himself not only a gifted and witty
farceur but a dark and compelling dramatic actor capable of going to
extreme depths in order to play a character. A successful partnership
on stage and in film with the late writer/actor
Jean Poiret, which included his huge
international hit
La Cage aux Folles (1978)
and its first sequel, enhanced the respect he earned over the years.
Serrault seldom ventured outside the realm of Gallic filming, which
explains why he has not been a strong foreign name in America.
He has been a recipient of many awards for his work. In France he has
the distinction of being a three-time "Best Actor" César winner for
La Cage aux Folles (1978),
The Grilling (1981) and, more
recently, his retired judge in
Nelly & Monsieur Arnaud (1995).
Like fine wine, Serrault continued to age well as an actor while
continuing to stay on top of his craft with such marvelous performances
as his grifter alongside
Isabelle Huppert in
Claude Chabrol's
L'entourloupe (1980), the
titular serial killer
Dr. Petiot (1990), the
white-haired old timer opposite film icon
Jeanne Moreau in
The Old Lady Who Walked in the Sea (1991)
and his farmer in
The Girl from Paris (2001).
He died on July 29, 2007 of cancer and was survived by his wife Juanita
and actress/daughter Nathalie Serrault