Paul Bonifas

Also Known As: The Molière Players, Henri Paul Bonifas, Paul Boniface, Victor Boniface, Bonifas, Bonifas de la Comédie Française

Biography: Paul Bonifas (3 June 1902 – 9 November 1975) was a French actor, born in Paris. In the 1920s, while working for the French customs service, Bonifas took classes in acting at the Conservatoire de Paris in his spare time. He left with the first prize for comedy, which allowed him to join the Odéon Theatre in 1933, then the Comédie-Française in 1938. He made his first film appearance in 1935 in a version of Dostoyevsky's Crime and Punishment, directed by Pierre Chenal. During World War II he served as a lieutenant in the artillery, was badly wounded, and evacuated from Dunkirk with his unit. In London he joined the Free French, and worked for Radio Londres broadcasting to occupied France. In 1942 he appeared in the film The Foreman Went to France. In 1943 he formed "The Molière Players", who staged a repertoire of mainly Molière works in London theatres, as well as in regional towns and at French army barracks. In 1944 "The Molière Players" appeared in the short film Aventure malgache directed by Alfred Hitchcock. This was written by, and based on the experiences of, Jules Francois Clermont, an actor in Bonifas' troupe working under the name of Paul Clarus, who had operated an illegal radio station Madagascar Libre in Madagascar while the island was under Vichy control. Bonifas then appeared in a number of other British films, including Two Fathers with Bernard Miles, directed by Anthony Asquith, and had minor roles in the musicals Heaven Is Round the Corner and Champagne Charlie, the action adventure film The Man from Morocco, the comedy-drama Johnny Frenchman and the horror film Dead of Night. Bonifas returned to France in 1946 and resumed his career in theatre, specializing in comedy, but also taking dramatic roles. His later film career included appearances in Trapeze (1956), The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1956), Fanny (1961), Charade (1963), Greed in the Sun (1964), The Train (1964), Is Paris Burning? (1966), Triple Cross (1966), and The Return of the Tall Blond Man with One Black Shoe (1974). Bonifas died on 9 November 1975 at Vernouillet, Yvelines, France. Source: Article "Paul Bonifas" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA 3.0.  

Department: Acting

Place of Birth: Paris, France

Birthday: June 03, 1902

Deathday: November 09, 1975

Adult: No

Gender: Male

Popularity:

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Known For:

The Train
Charade
The Last Train
Greed in the Sun
Cold Sweat
The Truth
The Green Glove
Madagascar Landing
Love in the Afternoon
Maxim's Porter
La parole est au témoin
Their Last Night
The Common Man
An Artistic Couple
The Five Cents of Lavarede
Duel à Dakar
The Truth About Bebe Donge
Piédalu fait des miracles
Clara de Montargis
Ils sont dans les vignes...
Amazing Monsieur Fabre
Holiday for Henrietta
Lettre ouverte
Le naïf amoureux
Le père Amable
Les Célibataires
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Secret World
The Man from Morocco
Fanny
Lucky Jo
Two Fathers
The Return of the Tall Blond Man with One Black Shoe
A Woman Like Satan
Love and the Frenchwoman
Mademoiselle and Her Gang
Les Misérables
The Gigolo
Dans la vie tout s'arrange
Love Me Strangely
Sinners of Paris
Keep Talking, Baby
The Sleeping Sentinel
The Trip to Biarritz
La séparation
A Legitimate Defense
Pardon My French
The Enemy General
The Depths
Sundays and Cybele
Lisbon Story
Goodbye Again
Blood on His Sword
Champagne Charlie
The Foreman Went to France
The Horse
Bedelia
The Christmas Tree
Johnny Frenchman
English Without Tears
Juliette, or Key of Dreams
The Terror with Women
Dead of Night
Jeff Gordon, Secret Agent
Frou-Frou
Antigone
Triple Cross
Candlelight in Algeria
The Case of Dr. Laurent
Who Are You, Polly Maggoo?