Michel Gérard Joseph Colucci (28 October 1944 – 19 June 1986), better known under his stage name Coluche, was a French stand-up comedian, film actor, activist and philanthropist. He adopted Coluche as a stage name at age 26, as he began his entertainment career. He became known for his irreverent attitude towards politics and the establishment, and he incorporated this into much of his material.

Coluche was one of the first major comedians to regularly use profanities as a source of humor on French television. Having become a bankable star of comedy films, he also proved himself a capable dramatic performer by winning the César Award for Best Actor for his performance in So Long, Stooge (1983).

Coluche also founded in 1985 the charity "Les Restaurants du Cœur" which still provides free meals and other products to people in need.

Early life

Colucci was born on 28 October 1944 in a hospital in the 14th arrondissement of Paris. His mother, Simone Bouyer (called "Monette"), worked as a florist in the Boulevard du Montparnasse. His father, Honorio Colucci, an Italian immigrant from Casalvieri, Lazio, was a painter and decorator. His father died in 1947 at age 31 from poliomyelitis; his wife struggled thereafter to raise the young Michel and his sister (Danièle, 18 months older than Michel) on a meagre salary.

Coluche showed little promise at school, and left after completing his primary studies (June 1958). He tried various temporary jobs, and had several run-ins with authorities. During this time his mother bought him a guitar, which he taught himself to play. In 1964 he joined the 60th Infantry Regiment de Lons-le-Saunier, but was imprisoned for insubordination. On his return to civilian life, he worked in his mother's florist shop which she had been able to open on rue d'Aligre, and later in a larger shop which she opened near la Gare de Lyon. He found this work dull, and suddenly quit, which caused a long-lasting breach with his mother.

At the end of the 1960s he tried his luck as a singer in cafes, then turned to comedy.

In 1969, Coluche took part with Romain Bouteille to the founding of the Café de la Gare, a Parisian café-théâtre that would become the meeting place of a group of young comedic actors practically all of whom were to become famous: Patrick Dewaere, Henri Guybet, Miou-Miou, Martin Lamotte, etc. Among the patrons of the Café de la Gare were Georges Moustaki, Raymond Devos, Jean Ferrat, Jacques Brel, Leny Escudero, Pierre Perret and Jean Yanne. Other actors who performed the Café de la Gare early in their careers include Gérard Lanvin, Renaud, Rufus, Diane Kurys, Coline Serreau, Anémone, Gérard Depardieu, Thierry Lhermitte, Josiane Balasko and Gérard Jugnot.

Coluche's first sketch C'est l'histoire d'un mec (It's the story of a guy) was about the difficulties of telling a funny story. He quickly found success but his alcohol issues led to scuffles with Dewaere and Bouteille and eventually forced him to leave the Café de la Gare, though he later returned to perform there. ...

Source: Article "Coluche" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA.