KONTANDEN Fernand Joseph Dц?sirц?

(genus. May 8, 1903 - February 26, 1971)
Fernandel (Fernandel) - French actor - comedian. Real name - Fernand Joseph Dц?sirц? Kontanden (Fernand Joseph Desire Contan
He was born in France in Marseille, the 8 th May 1903, the day of St. Desire, on the boulevard Shav'73 in the house work, a chemist and lived his entire life in Provence. His father, a modest bank employee, his spare time being devoted to a concert cafe under the name Blue (an anagram of his name Denis). In five years, Fernand made his debut on the stage of the old theater "Shaw" (the theater was close to home, . and the boy was not far to walk) in the third graded melodramas, . in pastoral, . dramatized scenes from the Gospels, . the ancient farces, . accompanying his father in all the tour, . participating in crowd scenes in the role of defender of the Empire,
. Along with him speaking his younger brother, with whom they formed the duo Fernand and Marcel.
Papa Kontanden wanted to see his son to whom it was not possible to be himself: a famous singer in the whole district. When Ferdinand was in high school he was an example to follow. It was Paulin-idol. The first meeting with a log of wood was beginning to Fernand biography. "I'm going to stand-up comedian" - he said the parents, and from that moment became flat Kontandenov rehearsal hall Fernandel. "Two days later, I knew from memory the entire repertoire of my idol. I can not say that I understood with hidden meaning and delicate hints of his grivuaznyh couplets ". And Kontanden Jr., immediately gaining popularity. "Students by day, comic Hussars evening - this strange and wonderful life too enthusiastic," - says Fernand. Three years later, the Paris newspaper "Comedy" organized a grand amateur singer contest. Paris - a career, and throughout France were preliminaries - a quarter - and semi-finals of grace. Candidates were more than a century, Fernand was the second. He was then twelve years. Now the "little blue" (he sang at Dad's pseudonym) knew all vagonovazhatye Marseille - the concerts he went on the tram, and the delight of conductors allowed him to save on a tram ticket. His fame, left the boulevard Chave. "I know that gain fame in Paris, but in Marseille earn popularity, and popularity - is the glory without a jacket, with sleeves rolled up".

A year later the war began. My father went to the front "... now I need to think how to earn a living". It all began with the National Credit Bank ". Fernand was at the headmaster's study, reported on the visitors, with advanced business cards. Summed up his first in the life of cigarettes consumed in office: in the same day, Fernand fired, and the first salary was termination benefits. No more happily and ended the brief service at the soap factory: the owner fired him for some pampering by giving a farewell sixty francs, and two pounds of soap, which had to be very handy in the third year of the war. The same thing happened in Marseilles credit society '. But it does not bother him: at night he still sings, but if there is no concert, in good faith, goes to evening classes to supplement their education.


The war ended and he returned home, although somewhat tired dad-Kontanden. Not far from home, he opened a small inn, and Fernand was drafted to help. As a result, the first and last transaction was conceived and carried out by Fernand himself, the family nearly went to prison. Dad had to give up heir services. "As a result, I felt a complete aversion to commerce and sitting occupations. And with a vague desire for redemption decided to try his luck in the physical labor ". Fernand was Dockers. I must say that the porter from him as did not work. And "when I realized that the sugar will kill me before the diabetes, I said goodbye craft loader". There was no choice: either physical labor or banks. They vary both in a kaleidoscope. But Fernand seventeen and he again sings in the evenings.

Meanwhile Fernand matures, he signed his first professional contract - in "a hundred and ten francs a day" - with cabaret "El Dorado" in Nice. He was nineteen years old, and this date, he noted in his biography of the red line, because that's when Kontanden-blue has become, finally, Fernandel. "I first appeared on a poster in the" Eldorado "under the name Fernandel (" Voici le Fernand d'elles "), which means" it Fernand ". It - it Anrietty Mans, the sister of his former colleagues at the bank and buduyuschego screenwriter Jean Mansa, whose songs and operetta repertoire will Fernandel for the next forty years. Fernandel begins to wander all over France. For two years he traveled the south of France, playing down-vaudeville, farces, operettas. For Fernandel in the troupe was enshrined Role of the first comic. His physique and "horse smile" isolated Fernandel on stage. Here one can mention the case of life, narrated by "Sinemodu:" When I came to buduyuschemu test, I really wanted to make a favorable impression on him and kept smiling, until the dough yelled: yes do you close your mouth, I want to see your face ". In the province he was successful, and on his return from a tour he was provided with an engagement at the stage of Marseilles. But the theater Fernandel strongly preferred music hall.


At twenty-two years Fernandel drafted into the army, serving duty in the ninety-third mountain artillery regiment, where he was a clerk. After some time he was seeking transfer to Marseille. A Marseilles - a house, it Anrietta, this newly born Josette. Erstwhile popularity, brought him indulgences: an opportunity not to sleep in the barracks, and the new family house on the Boulevard Jaures. Even sometimes act in concert with its tried and tested repertoire.

After graduating from military service, and not finding common ground with the impresario, burdened families, Kontanden being forced to serve in the soap factory. In the evenings Fernandel wandered in search of his beloved. "The Book of Fate has been written that I should not end his days in the soap". But a miracle happened ... Happened to be in Marseille, director of the theater, the Paramount offers a long-awaited contract for many months touring throughout France, including overseas territories. Returning from Casablanca, he discovers a letter home: Paris Theater "Bobino" before it lifts its curtain. He now lives in Paris, singing in the "Reels".
1938 - general mobilization. The war was short and absurd, and it was called, almost officially, - "phony war". Fernandel was Fernand Kontandenom, a private 15-th squadron. He sings medieval soldiers' songs in concerts at the Maginot Line breaks shall guard duty, but the smile time collects in the post so many onlookers that the authorities had to release a recruit from these duties. So shoot Fernandel did not have to.


In the same movie Fernandel first appeared in 1930 in the short film "The Best nurse" - "La Meilleure bobone". In 1931, Mark Alegre (Marc Allegret) offers him the role of "inexperienced gangster" in the film adaptation of the play Sacha Guitry (Sacha Guitry) "White and Black" - "Le Blanc et le noir".


Fernandel a lot of filming. More than 150! films he played. Of course most films are not much to remember. The film "Ballroom Notebook" (dir. Julien Duvivier - Julien Duvivier) at the Venice Festival in 1937 received the prize "Best Foreign Film".

In 1942, Fernandel acts utterly unexpected roles - director. As it happened, can not explain neither he nor Carlo Rome, explains in his book, everything. Eventually Fernandel made three films:
. "Adhemar and a toy of fate" - "Adhemar ou le jouet de la fatalite" (1951)
. "Adrienne" - "Adrien" (1943)
. "Simpson" - "Simplet" (1942)
. After the last of its military pictures, . Police comedy "The Mystery of Saint-Valentin" - "Le Mystere Saint-Val" (1943), . Fernandleyu had read about a word, . which in 1939 would have seemed blasphemous: "He should zastrahavt its fangs, . because his talent is dependent on the slightest toothache,
. He yells and laughs with horror, like a mare in the stables, covered by fire ". Does this one thing: the good old days, interrupted by war, will not return.
In 1951 Fernandel starred in the film directed by Julien Duvivier "Little World of Don Camillo" (dp. "Small World of Don Camillo"), which put a series of six films about rural pastor Don Camillo, which lasted for nineteen years
. In 1952, Fernandel received the Legion of Honor rosette and Medal of Civil Merit "In this time he toured Europe, . America and Canada, . win ironicheskre nickname "the first after the french culture", . will be adopted by the Pope, . become the owner - not once - Award Courtel, . highest award comedian,
. Fernandel's voice sounds all schools in France. And his hero from year to year is becoming sadder, all uncomfortable. No accident that in these years there are increasing remakes (repetition) of his old pictures.
In 1963, Fernandel on shares with Jean Gabin created his own kinofirmu "GAFER" (GAFER - Gabin & Fernandel), whose aim was purely a commercial success.
Time passes and the shift comes a new actor-comedians: Bourvil, Louis de Funes and t. d. Somewhere in the mid-60's Fernandel gathered was shot in the movies and go to the ten well-deserved rest.
26 th February 1971 Fernandel died, he was buried in Paris.
Fernandel was a Knight of Arts and Letters.