Philippe Clay

Chansonnier Philippe Clay emerged among the many successful France pop stars from the postwar period, popularizing music from composers including Charles Aznavour, Boris Vian, and Serge Gainsbourg. Among worldwide audiences, he continues to be most widely known for his performances on film, especially Jean Renoir’s 1954 work French Cancan as well as the 1958 Hollywood strike Bell, Reserve and Candle. Blessed Philippe Mathevet in Paris on March 7, 1927, he give up college at 16 to combat alongside the level of resistance during the staying years of Globe Battle II, and upon time for civilian lifestyle he enrolled on the Country wide Conservatory of Dramatic Artwork. Despite majoring within the school’s mime plan, Clay’s intimate baritone impressed his fellow learners, who got into him in an area singing competition — he earned, and began showing up at Montmartre’s Théâtre des Trois Baudets, carrying out venerable classics and modern hits. Within weeks Clay boasted a dedicated fan pursuing, headlining as much as six 20-minute golf club gigs per night time, often splitting expenses with Aznavour, and in 1951 produced his celluloid debut with a short role within the feature Le Criminal offense du Bouif. In middle-1953, Clay installed a nationwide tour, with then-unknown Jacques Brel as his starting work. His debut solitary, the Aznavour-penned “Le Noye Assassine,” quickly anticipated the discharge of the self-titled LP, and in the years to check out he enjoyed some strikes including “Si Vous M’Aviez Connu,” “Nous Avons Toujours Habite Cette Maison,” and “Au Volant de Ma Valse.” After showing up in the acrobatic Valentin in French Cancan, Clay co-starred in 1956’s Notre Dame de Paris. As his superstar grew, he headlined Paris’ famed Olympia Theatre in 1957, and the next year produced his U.S. film debut like a French golf club entertainer within the feature version from the stage humor Bell, Publication and Candle. With “Les Poinçonneur des Lilas,” Clay was among the 1st singers to drop in to the Gainsbourg songbook, starting a cooperation that continued on / off for a long time to arrive. He also documented from “Hello, Dolly!” to “Mes Universités,” a self-penned reaction to the French college student rebellion of 1968. Although he continuing documenting and touring, Clay concentrated mainly on film and tv in the years to follow, showing up in a lot more than 80 features in every. He passed away of heart failing on Dec 13, 2007.