Christian Clavier

CHRISTIAN CLAVIER

Date of Birth: May 6, 1952

Born in Paris, France, Christian, the brother of director Stéphane Clavier, began working on his craft while in Pasteur de Neuilly college, with fellow actors Michel Blanc, Dominique Lavanant, Marie-Anne Chazel, Gérard Jugnot, Josiane Balasko, and Thierry Lhermitte. The group would form the troupe Splendid and perform plays at a local theater. Their performances and plays became so popular that they remade the play d'Amours, coquillages et crustacés into a feature film entitled Les bronzés.

Clavier continued to land small roles in films, focusing mainly on comedies such as Que la fête commence, F comme Fairbanks. In 1982, Clavier hit a turning point in his career after the film, Père Noël est une ordure. While filming, he met director Jean-Marie Poiré, who helped launch his career into super stardom. Starting with the starring role of Michel Taupin in Papy fait de la Résistance, he went on with Poiré to star in other hit films like Twist again à Moscou and L'Opération Corned-Beef.

Corned-Beef introduced Clavier to actor Jean Reno - a meeting which eventually led to the French blockbuster, Les Visiteurs (1993). The comedy, about a noble knight and his servant from the medieval period who are jetted into the future, proved so popular among the masses, that a sequel was made in the States seven years later, called Just Visiting, with the duo performed by the same acting pair.

Through the years he has also made a number of appearances on French television films like L'Eté 36, Mieux vaut courir, Les Gens ne sont pas forcément ignobles and the mini-series, Les Misérables, playing Thénardier.

In 1999 he joined forces with French acting legend Gerard Depardieu in the film Astérix et Obélix contre César. Playing Astérix, one half of the famous and funny but heroic Viking pair, the film fared well in France, and Clavier was called in to reprise his role in the sequel, stérix & Obélix: Mission Cléopatre, in 2001.

Filmography:

Astérix & Obélix: Mission Cléopatre (2001)
Le Tricorne de Napoléon (2001)
Just Visiting (2001)
Les Couloirs du temps: Les visiteurs 2 (1998)
Les Soeurs soleil (1997)
Les Anges gardiens (1995)
Grosse fatigue (1994)
La Vengeance d'une blonde (1994)
La Soif de l'or (1993)
Les Visiteurs (1993)
Les Secrets professionels du Dr. Apfelglück (1991)
Opération Corned-Beef (1991)
Mes meilleurs copains (1989)
Les Cigognes n'en font qu'à leur tête (1989)
Twist again à Moscou (1986)
Tranches de vie (1985)
Papy fait de la résistance (1983)
Le Père Noël est une ordure (1982)
Elle voit des nains partout! (1981)
Les Babas Cool (1981)
Clara et les chics types (1980)
Je vais craquer!!! (1980)
Cocktail Molotov (1980)
Les Bronzés font du ski (1979)
Les Bronzés (1978)
Les Héros n'ont pas froid aux oreilles (1978)
Le Diable dans la boîte (1977)
Dites-lui que je l'aime (1977)
F comme Fairbanks (1976)
Que la fête commence... (1974)
L'An 01 (1972)