Michel Serrault

Acting

Michel Serrault

Born — Died

1928-01-24 — 2007-07-29

Place of birth

Brunoy, Essonne, France

Known for

Acting

Credits

85 titles

Michel Serrault (24 January 1928 – 29 July 2007) was a French stage and film actor who appeared from 1954 until 2007 in more than 130 films. His first professional job was in a touring production in Germany of Molière's Les Fourberies de Scapin. In 1948, he began his career in the theatre with Robert Dhéry in Les Branquignols. His first film was Ah! Les belles bacchantes, starring Robert Dhéry, Colette Brosset (Dhéry's then-wife), and Louis de Funès; directed by Jean Loubignac in 1954. Serrault played in the 1955 suspense thriller Les diaboliques, starring Simone Signoret and directed by Henri-Georges Clouzot. From February 1973 through 1978, he portrayed the role of Albin/Zaza opposite J…

Known for

Film credits

2000s · 12 titles

Joyeux Noel poster
7.3

France, 1914, during World War I. On Christmas Eve, an extraordinary event takes place in the bloody no man's land that the French and the Scots dispute with the Germans…

Joyeux Noel

2005

Belphegor, Phantom of the Louvre poster
4.6

A collection of artifacts from an archeological dig in Egypt are brought to the famous Louvre museum in Paris, and while experts are using a laser scanning device to determine the age of a sarcophagus, a ghostly spirit escapes and makes its way into the museum's electrical system.

Belphegor, Phantom of the Louvre

2001

Actors poster
5.8

A self-conscious and self-referential adventure into the (pretend) lives of legendary actors in Paris.

Actors

2000

The Libertine poster
5.6

French philosopher Denis Diderot produces the first encyclopedia while indulging in 18th-century decadence.

The Libertine

2000

Have Mercy on Us All poster
5.9

In Paris, many citizens go to the precinct after the doors of their apartments have been sprayed with a 4 and the letters "clt". When a dweller is found mysteriously dead in his apartment, Detective Jean-Baptiste Adamsberg and his partner Danglard investigate...

Have Mercy on Us All

2007

Le Furet poster
4.4

From his locksmith's shop, a simple guy dreams of becoming a crime boss, at the wheel of his Cadillac surrounded by blonde bimbos. He starts small, assassinating petty criminals. Gaining renown in the newspapers as "Le Furet" (The Ferret), he soon sets his sights higher. The police and organized crime both take up the chase.

Le Furet

2003

The Girl from Paris poster
6.4

A woman in her thirties gets tired of life in Paris and decides to leave and become a farmer.

The Girl from Paris

2001

24 Hours in the Life of a Woman poster
5.6

Set in 1913, 1936 and 2001. When he returns to the casino and seaside resort of his early teens, Louis, a 78 year old man encounters Olivia, a 19 year old young woman madly in love with a violent cad. Louis tells the story of his own mother having a passionate, driven fling with his Italian tennis instructor in 1936, and of Marie Collins Brown, the slightly older widowed woman who helped him through his confusion and pain by recounting the story of her passionate 24 hour fling with a hopeless young Polish gambler in 1913.

24 Hours in the Life of a Woman

2002

Antonio Vivaldi - A Prince in Venice poster
6.0

The life of Antonio Vivaldi, the great Italian composer and musician of the 17th century.

Antonio Vivaldi - A Prince in Venice

2007

Vajont poster
6.6

On October 9th, 1963, at 10:39 pm, 260 million cubic meters of rock fell down from Mount Toc to the artificial lake formed by the Vajont dam, the higher dam in the world. The landslide formed a 250-meters wave and 50 million cubic meters of water completely destroied all the below towns, killing more than 2000 people. Planned by engineer Semenza, Vajont dam (263 meters) had to carry the electricity in all the houses of the country. Tina Merlin, a journalist from 'L'Unitá', tried for years to denounce the danger to build a dam near the Mount Toc and expecially to denounce all the omissions by the corrupted politicians and workers in charge of the dam construction. They preferred to trust in old geologist Dal Piaz instead to hear engineer Semenza young son's alarming analysis. No one seemed to understand the high danger until that October fatal night.

Vajont

2001

The Butterfly poster
6.7

An old man who has one interest in life, collecting butterflies, has his life changed by an eight year old girl.

The Butterfly

2002

Marty's World poster
8.5

One morning Martin Sauvier ten years, said Marty opens the door of the room Berrant Antoine, Permanent resident service geriatrics. This septuagenarian paralyzed and mute most of his time going to search for Alzheimer's is definitely appropriate password. Retaining all its lucidity, he shares his emotions and his thoughts through a voice that we are alone has heard. This meeting will be born an unusual friendship.

Marty's World

2000

1990s · 8 titles

Nelly and Monsieur Arnaud poster
7.0

Nelly leaves her lazy, unemployed husband to work for retired judge Mr Arnaud, forty years her senior, after he offers to clear her bills for her. While she types his memoirs the two develop a close friendship, but Arnaud becomes jealous when Nelly begins dating his good-looking young publisher.

Nelly and Monsieur Arnaud

1995

The Swindle poster
6.5

Betty and Victor, a rather ill-matched couple, tour unobtrusively around France in their motor-home, earning their living as petty con artists, until one day they find themselves involved in an international money scam which takes them on a globe-trotting adventure.

The Swindle

1997

The Old Lady Who Walked in the Sea poster
5.4

A con artist couple takes a young, handsome petty thief under their wing, but jealousies flare when the woman develops an interest in him.

The Old Lady Who Walked in the Sea

1991

Happiness Is in the Field poster
6.8

Francis, the boss of a small plumbing supply company, is harassed by tax collectors, striking employees, and an impossible wife and daughter. His only joy is sharing lunch with his friend Gerard. Then a TV show called "where are you?" shows a woman from Gers who is searching for her husband who disappeared 28 years ago. The lost husband looks like an identical twin of Francis...

Happiness Is in the Field

1995

The Children of the Marshland poster
7.1

The film is set in Marais, a quiet region along the banks of Loire river in 1918. Riton is afflicted with a bad-tempered wife and three unruly children. Garris lives alone with his recollections of World War I trenches. Their daily life consists of seasonal work and visits from their two pals: Tane, the local train conductor and Amédée, a dreamer and voracious reader of classics.

The Children of the Marshland

1999

Artemisia poster
6.1

The story of Artemisia Gentileschi (1593-1653), one of the first well-known female painters, including her youth, when she was guided and protected by her father, the painter Orazio Gentileschi.

Artemisia

1997

Assassin(s) poster
6.3

Old professional killer Wagner seeks someone to teach what he knows as long as he is already dying, and he chooses Max, young and passionless thief to be his successor.

Assassin(s)

1997

Room Service poster
4.8

The countess and her son, irresponsible but sweet viscount Louis, own the castle Montverdier, which is falling apart. Fernand Castanier is the baker in the neighboring town Mussy-sur-Ploute.

Room Service

1992

1980s · 16 titles

Deadly Circuit poster
6.1

A P.I. is obsessed with a cute woman, who seduces and kills rich men around W. Europe.

Deadly Circuit

1983

La Cage aux Folles II poster
6.1

In a move to make his partner, Renato, jealous, the flamboyant Albin waits in a local cafe - dressed as a woman - hoping to be picked up. But Albin gets more than he bargains for when the fly he catches in his web is actually a spy, who uses him as an unwitting courier of secret microfilm. Now on the run from ruthless agents, Albin and Renato flee to Italy where they attempt to hide out on a farm, with Albin posing as Renato's wife. Can Albin escape the deadly pursuit of these relentless spies or does he have to sustain this charade - as a woman - forever?

La Cage aux Folles II

1980

The Inquisitor poster
7.5

Martinaud, an illustrious notary suspected of being the perpetrator of two horrendous crimes, voluntarily agrees to be questioned by Inspector Gallien on New Year's Eve. What initially is a routine procedure, soon becomes a harsh interrogation that seems to confirm the initial suspicions.

The Inquisitor

1981

Le Bon Plaisir poster
5.8

Claire's handbag is stolen. It contained a letter written ten years previously by the man who is now the French President. In the letter, he urges his pregnant mistress to have an abortion. Claire immediately alerts the President's men. From that moment, the machinery of state swings into action.

Le Bon Plaisir

1984

Good King Dagobert poster
4.2

King's Dagobert I intestinal and sexual problems loom large as he survives an attack on his royal caravan then barely makes it to Rome to personally give thanks to the Pope. After he arrives at the Vatican, he becomes involved in the battle between two contenders for the papacy and has to face the machinations of a ruthless Byzantine princess.

Good King Dagobert

1984

Merry Christmas... Happy New Year poster
6.7

In this romantic story, a couple (Michel Serrault and Virna Lisi) who have been married for over forty years are forced to separate, one to each of their two children's families, when they can no longer pay the rent on their longtime apartment. Absence, in this case, refreshes their memory of the love they have shared, and they take to meeting one another furtively in hotel rooms for sex and affection. One summer, as each of their daughters families takes them on separate vacations, they have had enough, and elope, finding contentment as lighthouse keepers off the coast of Sicily.

Merry Christmas... Happy New Year

1989

Il lupo e l'agnello poster
5.9

Leon de Paris is a modest dog-barber in Paris. In search of more satisfaction. Thanks to the economic helps of Fanny (his terrible mother in law), he succeeds to set up in Roma a very stylish "Coiffeur pour homme". But due to this, his life with Fanny isn't funny, and more, Leon has to dissimulate homosexuality for job reasons. He decides to stop this nightmare engaging "Er Cuculo" (the cuckoo) a B-gangster to simulate a robbery. In fact the plan is to take all Fanny's money, share it among them and escape in Montecarlo. Will the strange couple succeed?

Il lupo e l'agnello

1980

He Died with His Eyes Open poster
5.6

Police Inspector Staniland is investigating the death of a pianist. While conducting his investigation and looking through the victim's apartment, he meets Barbara, the mistress of the murder victim. Barbara confesses to the crime, but Staniland, based on his observations and experience, does not believe her. He then sets out to find the truth.

He Died with His Eyes Open

1985

La Cage aux Folles 3 poster
5.2

Third and final version of the La Cage aux Folles series has Renato's drag queen lover Albin learning that he can inherit a vast fortune from a distant relative. But the catch is that Albin must marry (a woman) and produce a heir within a year or the whole inheritance will be forfeited.

La Cage aux Folles 3

1985

Let Sleeping Cops Lie poster
5.4

This movie tells the story of a group of right-wing cops have begun carrying out vigilante justice on drug dealers and other crime figures who might otherwise avoid punishment for their misdeeds. Police inspector Grindel (Delon) understands the feelings which motivate these deeds, but does not approve. However, he is not highly motivated to put an end to the group's activities until it begins to appear that they are now attacking fellow cops for reasons which are unclear.

Let Sleeping Cops Lie

1988

The Hatter's Ghost poster
6.4

A hatter in a provincial town (Michel Serrault) leads the life of a respectable citizen but is in fact a serial murderer. The only person to suspect this is his neighbour the tailor (Charles Asnavour).

The Hatter's Ghost

1982

Quarter to Two Before Jesus Christ poster
6.0

In ancient Rome, a simple pepboy for chars becomes involved in a coup against Cesar. Rahatlocum is a North African Roman colony where Julius Caesar came to spend an expensive holiday. The revolt rumbles among the locals who find a leader in the person of Ben-Hur Marcel.

Quarter to Two Before Jesus Christ

1982

My Brother-in-law Killed My Sister poster
4.6

Two members of the French Academy agree to help the attractive young veterinarian Esther investigate the suspicious death of her sister. Esther is convinced her brother-in-law is responsible, but soon it becomes apparent that those responsible are linked to the very highest echelons of power in the Vatican.

My Brother-in-law Killed My Sister

1986

Kill the Referee poster
5.6

Michel, a referee has to suffer the consequences of having whistled a penalty against a team which is supported by football hooligans.

Kill the Referee

1984

Les Rois du gag poster
5.8

Paul Martin and François Leroux are brothers-in-law and comics without fame. One day, the famous television comics, Gaëtan, finds himself in the little theater where Paul and François produce themselves under the name of "Gagsters".

Les Rois du gag

1985

Heads or Tails poster
6.6

Since his wife died, Inspector Louis Baroni (Philippe Noiret) has become a virtual recluse, preferring the solitude of his quiet house to the company of others. His period of mournful contemplation is broken when he is called out to look into the suspicious death of Madame Morlaix who, according to her husband Edouard (Michel Serrault), fell from an upstairs window. Curious to find out more, Baroni begins his inquiry.

Heads or Tails

1980

1970s · 11 titles

La Cage aux Folles poster
6.8

Two gay men living in St. Tropez have their lives turned upside down when the son of one of the men announces he is getting married. They try to conceal their lifestyle and their ownership of the drag club downstairs when the fiancée and her parents come for dinner.

La Cage aux Folles

1978

The Big Store poster
6.3

Four guys working for a small grocer in trouble, declare war on a new giant neighborhood supermarket by attempting several coups. A film about the big store taking over the business of smaller stores.

The Big Store

1973

The Down-in-the-Hole Gang poster
6.5

Here we find a group of misfits who've given up on humanity and have decided to dwell below the pavement. The group has its own hierarchy, of course, and soon the conditions that drove them underground begin to manifest themselves without the influences of the Outside World.

The Down-in-the-Hole Gang

1974

Buffet Froid poster
7.0

Alphonse Tram is unwittingly involved in several murders despite having no memory of committing the crimes. His confusion lead him to confess to his neighbour, Inspector Morvandieu. Alphonse and Morvandieu become the axis around which murders occur.

Buffet Froid

1979

The Restroom Robbery poster
6.4

Max and Riton, 2 thieves make plan to steal money in a train station office. They will operate through the wall in the public toilets.

The Restroom Robbery

1975

The Annuity poster
6.7

In 1930, Louis Martinet, a peaceful sexagenarian, no longer has a long life to live according to the words of his doctor, Leon Galipeau, who sees to take advantage of the very interesting situation of the "future deceased". This one indeed has a small house in Saint-Tropez. Galipeau sniffs the windfall. Following his advice, Martinet agrees to give it in life to the brother of the doctor, Emile, and then rushes back to a health of iron. Worse, he even survives the war. Galipeau, exhausted, decide to use the great means to get rid of the importunce who persists in thwarting their project ...

The Annuity

1972

Chinese In Paris poster
6.2

Overnight, Paris is invaded - although peacefully - but the Chinese Army, and millions of Chinese people... It's the Nazi occupation all over again, with modern - funny - twists.

Chinese In Paris

1974

Get Out Your Handkerchiefs poster
6.6

Solange is seriously depressed, and her kindhearted husband, Raoul, makes it his mission to cure her doldrums. After many failed attempts to cheer her up, Raoul hits upon a possible solution: find his wife a lover. Unfortunately, his choice, Stéphane, proves to be just as ineffectual in restoring her flagging spirits. In the end, the gorgeous Solange finds her own, highly problematic tonic to her troubles in the form of a 13-year-old boy.

Get Out Your Handkerchiefs

1978

The Associate poster
6.5

An unemployed investor creates a fictious business partner to attempt to improve business. Eventually, his creation gets out of control as his business becomes successful and his wife announces that she is in love with the partner and his son wishes the partner was his father -- although no one has ever seen him. To regain control, the man decides to "kill" his imaginary partner and is arrested for the murder.

The Associate

1979

Everybody He Is Nice, Everybody He Is Beautiful poster
6.4

Selon "Radio plus près de Dieu", rien n'est conçu sans Dieu, surtout pas les shampoings, produits de beauté, la vente des disques... Un animateur dénonce cette escroquerie à l'antenne, ce qui lui vaut d'être licencié. Il réapparaîtra sur de nouvelles ondes avec "Radio plus près de la Vérité".

Everybody He Is Nice, Everybody He Is Beautiful

1972

No Pockets in a Shroud poster
5.4

In the newspaper he has just founded, journalist Dolannes exposes all the wheeling and dealing and scandals that go on in his town.

No Pockets in a Shroud

1974

1960s · 9 titles

King of Hearts poster
7.0

An ornithologist mistaken for an explosives expert is sent alone into a small French town during WWI to investigate a garbled report from the resistance about a bomb which the departing Germans have set to blow up a weapons cache.

King of Hearts

1966

Love on a Pillow poster
5.8

After rescuing a man from a suicide attempt, Geneviève's life is hijacked by his verbal and emotional abuse, yet she can't seem to tear herself from him.

Love on a Pillow

1962

Male Hunt poster
6.5

A few stories about marriage and its problems. Antoine is about to marry Gisèle. His friend Julien, an established bachelor, desperately tries to convince him not to do it, recounting his own painful experiences.

Male Hunt

1964

Dandelions by the Roots poster
5.4

Jockey Jack has a bill open with a gangster just released from jail. He somehow manages to parry the gangster's knife attack backstage at a theatre and the latter ends up dead being put into a double bass case. A day later the gangster mysteriously has disappeared, but it turns out that he was carrying a bet ticket for a horse race now worth over a million. A turbulent run for the money begins.

Dandelions by the Roots

1964

Love and the Frenchwoman poster
4.9

The seven stages in the life of the modern Frenchwomen are disclosed by seven directors in a witty way: 1 - Childhood, 2 - Adolescence, 3 - Virginity, 4 - Marriage, 5 - Adultery, 6 - Divorce, 7 - The Single Woman.

Love and the Frenchwoman

1960

How Not to Rob a Department Store poster
4.5

To repay a debt, Marcel must commit a robbery in a large department store. Unfortunately his booty is intercepted by a gang of thugs.

How Not to Rob a Department Store

1965

Carom Shots poster
6.0

Paul Martin is the subservient brown-nosing youngster who needs quick advancement up the hierarchy to pay for the modern lifestyle he is buying on credit. Seeing that marrying his immediate superior's daughter will not get him the results he wants, he begins plotting the demise of the head of the company. The company itself specializes in holiday travel and unscrupulously brutalizes its customers for maximum profit, spending more thought on publicity gimmicks than customer service...

Carom Shots

1963

Me and the Forty Year Old Man poster
6.0

A story about Caroline, a young girl who decides to start dating only men after forty.

Me and the Forty Year Old Man

1965

Les Combinards poster
6.0

Léo and Claude, two penniless friends turned con artists, answer matrimonial classified ads to trap women. But one of the friends soon finds his own game turned against him.

Les Combinards

1966

1950s · 4 titles

Series credits

Sacrée soirée poster
5.7

No synopsis available yet.

Sacrée soirée

1987

Sacrée soirée poster
5.7

No synopsis available yet.

Sacrée soirée

1987

Spécial cinéma poster
9.5

Marcello Mastroianni, Isabelle Adjani, Alain Delon, Martin Scorsese, Woody Allen... the biggest stars in cinema were welcomed by Christian Defaye on his show Spécial cinéma. Between intimate confessions from actors and immersion in the world of the greatest filmmakers, Christian Defaye took viewers on a journey into the fascinating world of cinema for nearly thirty years.

Spécial cinéma

1974

Vivement dimanche poster
3.6

No synopsis available yet.

Vivement dimanche

1998

Apostrophes poster
8.5

Apostrophes was a live, weekly, literary, prime-time, talk show on French television created and hosted by Bernard Pivot. It ran for fifteen years (724 episodes) from January 10, 1975, to June 22, 1990, and was one of the most watched shows on French television (around 6 million regular viewers). It was broadcast on Friday nights on the channel France 2 (which was called "Antenne 2" from 1975 to 1992). The hourlong show was devoted to books, authors and literature. The format varied between one-on-one interviews with a single author and open discussions between four or five authors.

Apostrophes

1975

Champs-Elysées poster
6.8

No synopsis available yet.

Champs-Elysées

1982

Champs-Elysées poster
6.8

No synopsis available yet.

Champs-Elysées

1982

Les Rendez-vous du dimanche poster
6.0

A talk show presented by Michel Drucker

Les Rendez-vous du dimanche

1975

Le Grand Échiquier poster
8.0

Le Grand Échiquier is a French variety television program created and presented by Jacques Chancel. It aired at 8:30 pm on the first channel of the ORTF from January 12, 1972 to July 12, 1972, then on the second color channel of the ORTF from September 1972 to December 1974, and finally on Antenne 2 from January 1975 to December 21, 1989. The program returned to France 2 on December 20, 2018 and is hosted by Anne-Sophie Lapix.

Le Grand Échiquier

1972

Midi trente poster
6.0

No synopsis available yet.

Midi trente

1972

Discorama poster
8.0

No synopsis available yet.

Discorama

1959

No artwork available
6.0

No synopsis available yet.

Samedi soir

1971

30 millions d'amis poster
6.2

No synopsis available yet.

30 millions d'amis

1976

At Theatre Tonight poster
7.0

At Theater tonight is a TV show broadcasted from 25th August 1966 to 21st September 1985. The show is broadcast plays recorded in two or three days, during public performances at the Théâtre Marigny on the Champs-Élysées, or sometimes Edouard VII theater.

At Theatre Tonight

1966

À bout portant poster
8.0

No synopsis available yet.

À bout portant

1968

No artwork available
NR

No synopsis available yet.

Système 2

1975

Stars 90 poster
6.2

No synopsis available yet.

Stars 90

1990

Matin Bonheur poster
NR

No synopsis available yet.

Matin Bonheur

1987

Il était une fois Champs-Élysées poster
6.5

No synopsis available yet.

Il était une fois Champs-Élysées

2022

L'Affaire Dominici poster
NR

During the night of August 4-5, 1952, three Englishmen, Jack Drummond, his wife Anne and their daughter Elizabeth were murdered near their car near the farm of the Dominici family, in the commune of Lurs in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence. Denounced by two of his sons, the patriarch Gaston Dominici was judged and condemned without any real evidence.

L'Affaire Dominici

2003

No artwork available
NR

No synopsis available yet.

Nouvelles de Marcel Aymé

1990

No artwork available
NR

No synopsis available yet.

Nouvelles de Marcel Aymé

1990

Les Folies Offenbach poster
8.0

No synopsis available yet.

Les Folies Offenbach

1977

Behind the camera