Louis de Funès was born on 31 July 1914 in Courbevoie, a Parisian suburb, to parents who hailed from Seville, Spain. … See more

De Funès began his show business career in the theatre, where he enjoyed moderate success and also played small roles in films. Even after he attained the status of a movie star, he continued to play theatre roles. His s… See more

In 1945, thanks to his contact with Daniel Gélin, De Funès made his film debut at the age of 31 with a bit part in Jean Stelli's La Tentation de Barbizon. He appears on screen for less than 40 seconds in the role of the porte… See more

Unlike the characters he played, De Funès was said to be a very shy person in real life. Capable of an extremely rich and rapidly changing range of facial expressions, he was nicknamed "the man with forty faces per minute.… See more

In the later part of his life, De Funès achieved great prosperity and success. He became a knight of France's Légion d'honneur in 1973. He resided in the Château de Clermont, a 17th-century château located … See more

De Funès was portrayed on a postage stamp issued on 3 October 1998 by the French postal service. He was also portrayed in French comics, including as a gambler in Lucky Luke ("The One-Armed Bandit") … See more