André Robert Raimbourg, known as Bourvil (after the commune where he grew up, Bourville), was born on July 27, 1917 in Prétot-Vicquemare, Seine-Maritime. The son of Norman farmers, Bourvil went on to become an emblematic figure not only of the cinema, but also of French chanson. From an early age, Bourvil admired Fernandel, his role model, and dreamed of following in his footsteps as a singer and entertainer. Destined to be a farmer, he nevertheless turned to teaching. But he left his studies and returned to the family farm. He joined the local brass band, playing harmonica, accordion and cornet à pistons. He became a baker, but also formed a musical trio with friends. At the age of 20, he attended a Fernandel show. Captivated, he made a firm decision: he would become an artist like his idol. He did his military service and became a cornetist with his regiment in Paris. When he was demobilized, he began touring radio-crochets and cabarets. His naive peasant persona was a big hit with audiences. In 1945, after the Liberation, he scored his first hit with the song "Les Crayons". The same year, he made his first film appearance, in "La Ferme du pendu". In 1946, he released the records "Houpetta la Bella" and "À bicyclette". He made his audiences laugh again with "La Tactique du gendarme". After a spell in operetta, he returned to the big screen in "La Traversée de Paris" (1956). At the same time, he pursued his singing career, releasing the touching "Ballade irlandaise" and the comic "Salade de fruits" in 1958 and 1959 respectively. In the early 1960s, he released a series of LPs called Rondes et Chansons. In the course of his big-screen appearances, he became a star of French cinema, enjoying his greatest successes alongside Louis de Funès in Le Corniaud (1965) and La Grande Vadrouille (1966). He also appeared in dramatic roles such as L'Arbre de Noël (1969) and Le Cercle Rouge (1970). In 1967, he was diagnosed with Kahler's disease, a form of blood cancer. He tried to keep his illness a secret, continuing to work despite chemotherapy and fatigue. Despite his ordeal, he made one last film, Le Mur de l'Atlantique. Bourvil died at the age of 53 on September 23, 1970, among his family and friends in Paris.
