He was a legend of French cinema, and privately he hid many dark secrets. After the death of his father, Louis de Funes was raised by his choleric mother, in whose image he created his heroes. He left his first wife for his mistress and disinherited his first-born son, but he was also unable to remain faithful in his new relationship.
Louis de Funes is a legend of French cinema. He made his screen debut, lasting only 43 seconds, only at the age of 32 in the film “The Temptation of Barbizon”. It was only a decade later, after playing Jambier in the comedy-drama “Black Market in Paris”, that his career took off. The 1960s were a real “golden era” for him. It was then that he created the character of Inspector Ludovic Cruchot in the series of films about “The Gendarme of St. Tropez”. However, before he achieved spectacular success, life threw obstacles at his feet, and he had every reason to be happy.
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De Funes did not have an easy childhood. His complicated relationship with his mother influenced his acting
Already in his childhood, de Funes had to face many challenges. He grew up in a small town near Paris in a Spanish family of impoverished aristocrats. His father was a respected lawyer, but he left his well-paid profession to trade diamonds. But first he had to get them. So he went to Venezuela to search, and then he completely stopped participating in raising the children. A lucrative business did not bring profits, but debts. Seeing no chance of fulfilling his dream of a great fortune, he returned to the country. He ultimately died alone of tuberculosis in 1934. Then the future actor’s mother, Leonor Soto Reguera, had to not only provide for her children, but also pay off all her husband’s debts. Life with her was full of surprises. She was choleric by nature, had mood swings and her reactions were unpredictable. She was the inspiration for de Funes in the process of creating eccentric comedy roles.
He abandoned his wife and son for his lover. He then cheated on her for 13 years
The actor’s love life was also full of difficulties. At the age of 22, he married the French tennis champion, Germaine Louise Elodie Carroyer, with whom they had a son, Daniel. Shortly afterwards, World War II broke out and he was placed in the reserve for 2 years. Later he played the piano in local bars and clubs. – I was a humble pianist who lived in poverty, playing in shady dives. When fights broke out, I had to hide in the toilet – he told . He also stubbornly dreamed of a career, which he pursued by training at various workshops. During one of them, he met Jeanne Augustine Barthelemy. It was at her instigation that he divorced and gave up his firstborn.
In 1943, de Funes married his mistress, and the fruit of this marriage were two sons, Olivier and Patrick. It was his second wife who decided to make him a real star, although the beginnings were not easy. She submitted him to castings and negotiated terms of cooperation with directors, which began to bring results. – My wife never complained. Anyway, she was the one who called about working for me. I’ve always been shy. I could never ask for anything for myself. So Jeanne acted on my behalf and was successful almost immediately, he said. Although he knew that his success was largely due to her determination, he could not remain faithful for long. In the meantime, he began an affair with the French radio star, Macha Beranger. They met behind the scenes of film sets or in hotel rooms, always accompanied by security, who informed him whenever his wife arrived on the horizon with an unannounced visit. Their relationship lasted for 13 years until his death on January 27, 1983.
2023-12-24 18:21:00
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