Gérard Jugnot

Biography:

Gérard Jugnot, a French actor, director, screenwriter, and producer, was born on May 4, 1951. Along with his high school pals Michel Blanc, Thierry Lhermitte, and Christian Clavier, Jugnot was one of the founders of the comic troupe Le Splendid in the 1970s. Marie-Anne Chazel and Josiane Balasko then joined them.

The ensemble had great success in movies including Le Père Noël est une ordure (1982), Les Bronzés (1978), and Les Bronzés font du ski (1979) after adapting some of its stage songs for the big screen.

For his leading role as Clément Mathieu in Les Choristes, Jugnot achieved recognition on a global scale. The film C’est belle la vie quand on y pense (2017) was the last film he directed.

Comedian Arthur Jugnot was born in 1980 to Jugnot and wardrobe designer Cécile Magnan. Jugnot is the father of Arthur Jugnot. In 2004, he was elevated to the rank of Knight of the Légion d’honneur.

Jugnot attended the Lycee Pasteur de Neuilly-Sur-Seine, where he met Michel Blanc, Thierry Lhermitte, and Christian Clavier. They came together to form Le Splendid, a comedic group. In Les Valseuses (1974) and Le Juge et l’Assassin (1976), he made his big-screen debut.

Jugnot’s career took off when he starred in two Le Splendid plays that were translated for the big screen: Les Bronzés (1978) and Le Père Noël est une ordure (1982). Jugnot began his career not just as an actor but also as a filmmaker, helming the film Pinot Simple Flic in 1984.

In the 1980s, he also frequently appeared with Léon Zitrone, Olivier de Kersauson, Jacques Martin, and Jean Dutourd on the radio program Les Grosses Têtes. He took part in Rendez-vous en terre inconnue in 2010.