Francis Blanche

Son of an actor and pianist, Blanche studied law before turning to cabaret and radio. Teaming up with Pierre Dac in 1951, he created the legendary surreal radio comedy soap opera Signé Furax, which held tens of millions of listeners spellbound each evening.

A master of the telephone prank (canular) and absurd poetry, Blanche was unforgettable on the big screen as the terrified notary Maître Folbrace in Les Tontons Flingueurs (1963) and the Soviet spy Boris Vassilieff in Les Barbouzes (1964). He also wrote over 600 songs and lyrical poems.