Date of Birth

8 May 1903, Marseille, Bouches-du-Rhône, France

Date of Death

26 February 1971, Paris, France

Birth Name

Fernand Joseph Désiré Contandin

The apocryphal biography of Fernand Contadin tells the invention of his artistic name Fernandel by his sister-in-law ("Voici le Fernand d'elles"). At the beginning of the thirties he became a typical actor of the comedy genre: popular, common, likable and with a concealed grain of drama. Marc Allégret was the director of his first successful film La meilleure bobonne (1930). He tried to work as director twice during World War II but did not succeed in that

Buried in the exclusive "Passy" cemetery Paris, France.

Comedian.

Father of actor Franck Fernandel and actress Josette Contandin

He had been a bank teller but this work was impossible for him: all customers burst out laughing when they saw his horse-like smile!

Fernandel was mentioned in the Camus novel "The Stranger" as the director of a movie the main character had gone to see after his mother's death. When this later came up in his trial, the courtroom was aghast that he'd gone to see such a film under those circumstances.

Screenwriter Jean Manse's brother-in-law

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