Michel Serrault - Biography

Biography

Having originally wanted to be a circus clown, Serrault was sent by his parents to a seminary to study for the priesthood. He spent only a few months there before taking up acting. His first professional job was on a tour of Germany in Molière's Les Fourberies de Scapin. After military service in Dijon, he returned to Paris and joined Robert Dhery's burlesque troupe, appearing in their second hit show, Dugudu.

In 1948, he began his career in the theatre with Robert Dhéry in Les Branquignols. His first film was Ah ! Les belles bacchantes, starring Robert Dhéry, Colette Brosset (Dhéry's then-wife), and Louis de Funès; directed by Jean Loubignac in 1954. Serrault played in the 1955 suspense thriller Les Diaboliques, starring Simone Signoret and directed by Henri-Georges Clouzot.

He had met and worked with Jean Poiret in the early 1950s, which led to a song and comedy cabaret act and their playing together in 18 films from 1956 to 1984, and in a number of plays written by Poiret. The films they worked together in included Cette Sacrée Gamine (1956), with Brigitte Bardot, and Sacha Guitry's last film, Assassins et Voleurs (1957).

For five years, from February 1973, he played on stage opposite Jean Poiret, the Albin/Zaza role in the play La Cage aux Folles, written by Jean Poiret. He then recreated the role for the film La Cage aux Folles, which was released in 1978.

Serrault died from cancer at his home in Équemauville on 29 July 2007, aged 79. He was buried in Sainte-Catherine's cemetery in Honfleur before being transferred in 2009 to the cemetery of Neuilly-sur-Seine to be with his wife and daughter.