Fernandel

The apocryphal biography of Fernand Contandin tells the invention of his artistic name 'Fernandel' (qv) 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' (qv) was the director of his first successful film _La meilleure bobonne (1931)_ (qv). He tried to work as director twice during World War II but was unsuccessful.::Volker Boehm