Pierre Richard (born Pierre-Richard Defays; 16 August 1934) is a popular French actor best known for the roles of a clumsy daydreamer in comedy films. Richard is considered by many, such as Louis de Funès and Gérard Depardieu, to be one of the greatest and most talented French comedians in the last 50 years. He is also a film director and occasional singer.

Biography

Richard was born in Valenciennes, Nord). He started his acting career at the theatre. He worked with Yves Robert on Le grand blond avec une chaussure noire and its sequel Le retour du grand blond; both these films were written by Francis Veber. Veber cast Richard while directing his own first feature film: Le Jouet. Veber and Richard had a long and successful partnership during the 1980s, highlighted by three comedies — La Chèvre, Les Compères and Les Fugitifs — which paired Richard with Gérard Depardieu. Richard again moved behind the camera to direct On peut toujours rêver (1991) and Droit dans le mur (1997).

In 2006 the Académie des Arts et Techniques du Cinema awarded him a lifetime achievement César.



In addition to being an actor and film director Pierre Richard is also a businessman. He owns the restaurant Au pied de chameau in Paris and a 20-hectare vineyard in Southern France which produces some 80,000 bottles a year, including some 12,000 bottles of rosé labelled as le Bel Évêque.

If he is not overseeing his wine business on location, he lives in Paris. He used to live for many years on a barge on the Seine in the center of Paris. His two sons are musicians: Olivier is a group member of "Blues trottoir" and plays the saxophone whereas Christophe plays the double bass. His grandson, Arthur Defays, is a model and a young actor.

Best films