CINEFILER

Christian Clavier

Born
May 6, 1952
Christian Clavier is a French actor, screenwriter, film producer and film director. He is the brother of French film director Stéphane Clavier. After his high class studies at the Neuilly Lycée Pasteur—though asserted here and there, he never studied at Institut d'Études Politiques de Paris (Sciences Po) —he started his actor career with the comedic theater troupe Splendid, which had hits with films like Les Bronzés font du ski and Le Père Noël est une ordure. His most notable success without the Splendid group, and by far his biggest hit to date, was in the 1993 film les Visiteurs, where he played a character known as Jacquouille la fripouille; the character's cry of "Okkkayyy!!" became a popular exclamation after the movie's success. After les Visiteurs he was a certified star, participating in big-budget films like Astérix et Obélix contre César, Astérix & Obélix: Mission Cléopâtre, and the sequel and remake of Visiteurs. He also played several dramatic roles on television, including M. Thénardier in Les Misérables (2000 television version) and Napoléon in a biographical television film. Clavier has played in notable duos with: Jean Reno in les Visiteurs (the Visitors) and the US remake, Just Visiting, L'Opération Corned-Beef and L'Enquête corse (The Corsican investigation). Gérard Depardieu in Astérix et Obélix (Asterix and Obelix) and Les anges gardiens. He also runs a production company, Ouille Production. He was made Chevalier (Knight) of the Ordre national du Mérite on 13 June 1998, and promoted Officier (Officer) in 2005. He was made Chevalier (Knight) of the Légion d'honneur in 2008. He is a friend of former French président Nicolas Sarkozy, and recently emigrated to England as a result of Francois Hollande's punitive tax policy, mirrored in his Astérix co-star Gérard Depardieu's self-imposed exile to Belgium.
Known For
Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra
(2002)
Astérix
The Visitors
(1993)
Jacquouille la Fripouille / Jacques-Henri Jacquard
Asterix & Obelix Take on Caesar
(1999)
Astérix
French Fried Vacation 2: The Bronzés go Skiing
(1979)
Jérôme Tarayre, le mauvais médecin généraliste
Asterix: The Secret of the Magic Potion
(2018)
Astérix (voice)
Cocorico
(2024)
Frédéric Bouvier Sauvage
Serial (Bad) Weddings
(2014)
Claude Verneuil
A Bag of Marbles
(2017)
Docteur Rosen
Serial (Bad) Weddings 2
(2019)
Claude Verneuil
Serial (Bad) Weddings 3
(2021)
Claude Verneuil
Babysitting 2
(2015)
Alain
The Visitors: Bastille Day
(2016)
Jacquouille la Fripouille/Antoine-Claude Jacquouillet/Edmond Jacquart
The Visitors II: The Corridors of Time
(1998)
Jacquouille la Fripouille / Jacques-Henri Jacquard / Prosper le Purineur / Jacouillet
Just Visiting
(2001)
Andre
French Fried Vacation
(1978)
Jérôme Tarayre, le mauvais médecin généraliste
Finding Momo
(2017)
Alain Prioux
Full Filmography
Acting
The Year 01
(1973)
A debate viewer
The Suspects
(1974)
Un photographe
Let Joy Reign Supreme
(1975)
The servant of the inn
The Restroom Robbery
(1975)
Le policier homosexuel
Un bol d'air
(1975)
Christian
The Bottom Line
(1976)
comédien en répétition (non crédité)
F as in Fairbanks
(1976)
Le serveur
Let's Make a Dirty Movie
(1976)
Un flic
You Won't Have Alsace-Lorraine
(1977)
Le conteur (voice)
The Devil in the Box
(1977)
This Sweet Sickness
(1977)
François
French Fried Vacation
(1978)
Jérôme Tarayre, le mauvais médecin généraliste
Like a Turtle on Its Back
(1978)
un fêtard dans la voiture
Heroes Are Not Wet Behind the Ears
(1979)
Le conducteur qui abandonne la dame âgée
French Fried Vacation 2: The Bronzés go Skiing
(1979)
Jérôme Tarayre, le mauvais médecin généraliste
Rat Race
(1980)
Jérôme Osendron
Cocktail Molotov
(1980)
Le Beatnick
Clara and Chics Types
(1981)
Charles
Quand tu seras débloqué... fais-moi signe !
(1981)
Antoine Bonfils
Santa Claus Is a Stinker
(1982)
Jean-Jacques dit « Katia »
Elle voit des nains partout !
(1982)
le fourbe
Gramps Is in the Resistance
(1983)
Michel Taupin
Slices of Life
(1985)
L'ami du dragueur / Charles-Henri / L'amant anti-chien
Santa Claus Is a Stinker
(1985)
Jean-Jacques dit « Katia »
Twist Again in Moscow
(1986)
Iouri
Double mixte
(1986)
Bob Smith
L'été 36
(1986)
Alexis
The Debauched Life of Gerard Floque
(1987)
Edouard
Fantôme sur l'oreiller
(1989)
Brice Michaud
Mieux vaut courir
(1989)
Simon
My Best Pals
(1989)
Jean-Michel Tuilier
Les cigognes n'en font qu'à leur tête
(1989)
le petit chef de la DDASS
Un fil à la patte
(1989)
Fernand de Bois d'Enghien
The Professional Secrets of Dr. Apfelgluck
(1991)
L'avocat
Les gens ne sont pas forcément ignobles
(1991)
Pierre
L'Opération Corned Beef
(1991)
Jean-Jacques Granianski, le pigeon manipulé
The Thirst for Gold
(1993)
Urbain Donnadieu
The Visitors
(1993)
Jacquouille la Fripouille / Jacques-Henri Jacquard
Revenge of a Blonde
(1994)
Gérard Bréha
Dead Tired
(1994)
Christian Clavier
Guardian Angels
(1995)
Père Hervé Tarain / His guardian angel
Panique au Plazza
(1996)
Les Sœurs Soleil
(1997)
un spectateur
The Visitors II: The Corridors of Time
(1998)
Jacquouille la Fripouille / Jacques-Henri Jacquard / Prosper le Purineur / Jacouillet
Asterix & Obelix Take on Caesar
(1999)
Astérix
Just Visiting
(2001)
Andre
How we made Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra
(2002)
Self
Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra
(2002)
Astérix
Lovely Rita
(2003)
Edgar Lamarck
Albert est méchant
(2004)
Patrick Lechat
The Corsican File
(2004)
Rémi François, aka Jack Palmer
Les Visiteurs revisités
(2005)
Self
The Antidote
(2005)
Andre Morin
French Fried Vacations 3: Friends Forever
(2006)
Jérôme Tarayre
L'Entente cordiale
(2006)
François de La Conche
The Red Inn
(2007)
Pierre Martin
The Price to Pay
(2007)
Jean-Pierre Ménard
The Imaginary Invalid
(2008)
Argan
Le Bourgeois gentilhomme
(2009)
Monsieur Jourdain
Bitter Victory
(2009)
Vincent Cluzel
Il était une fois... Le père Noël est une ordure
(2011)
Self
You Don't Choose Your Family
(2011)
César
La Cage aux folles
(2011)
Georges
Le Bœuf clandestin
(2013)
monsieur Berthaud
Les affaires sont les affaires
(2013)
Le marquis de Porcellet
Serial Teachers
(2013)
Cutiro / Tirocu
Des Bronzés au Père Noël, la folle histoire du Splendid
(2014)
Do Not Disturb
(2014)
Michel Leproux
Serial (Bad) Weddings
(2014)
Claude Verneuil
The Secret of Arkandias
(2014)
Agenor Arkandias
Babysitting 2
(2015)
Alain
Cédric
(2016)
Pépé
The Visitors: Bastille Day
(2016)
Jacquouille la Fripouille/Antoine-Claude Jacquouillet/Edmond Jacquart
Finding Momo
(2017)
Alain Prioux
If I Were a Boy
(2017)
Docteur PACE
A Bag of Marbles
(2017)
Docteur Rosen
With Open Arms
(2017)
Jean-Etienne Fougerole
Asterix: The Secret of the Magic Potion
(2018)
Astérix (voice)
Spirou & Fantasio's Big Adventures
(2018)
Comte de Champignac
Serial (Bad) Weddings 2
(2019)
Claude Verneuil
Ibiza
(2019)
Philippe
Meet the Malawas
(2019)
Julien Gosset-Grainville
Wide Load
(2019)
Foster
Serial (Bad) Weddings 3
(2021)
Claude Verneuil
Qu'est-ce qu'ils ont fait au bon Dieu ?
(2021)
Self
Kaamelott: The First Chapter
(2021)
Le Jurisconsulte
Christmas with the Tuches
(2021)
Le Père Noël
Do You Do You Saint-Tropez
(2021)
Jean Boulin
Employee of the Month
(2022)
Michel Gougnat, syndicaliste
Les Vengeances de Maître Poutifard
(2023)
Robert Poutifard
L'Âge d'or de la pub
(2023)
Self (archive footage)
Cocorico
(2024)
Frédéric Bouvier Sauvage
Jamais sans mon psy
(2024)
Dr Béranger
Writing
Production
Directing
Data provided by TMDB