Philippe Clay
ActingAbout Philippe Clay
Philippe Clay, born Philippe Mathevet, (March 7, 1927 – December 13, 2007) was a French mime artist, singer and actor. He was known for his tall and slim silhouette (he was 1,90 m tall) and for his interpretations of songs by Charles Aznavour, Claude Nougaro, Jean-Roger Caussimon, Boris Vian, Serge Gainsbourg, Jean Yanne, Léo Ferré, Jacques Datin, Jean-Claude Massoulier or Bernard Dimey. He interpreted “La Complainte des Apaches” for the TV series Les Brigades du Tigre, written by Henri Djian and composed by Claude Bolling. As an actor, he appeared in many movies (Bell, Book and Candle) and television films. One of his famous roles is in the Jean Renoir film, French Cancan, where he played Casimir le Serpentin (a character inspired by Valentin le désossé). Description above from the Wikipedia article Philippe Clay, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Career Statistics & Market Influence
Analyzing the cinematic journey of Philippe Clay reveals a career defined by diverse artistic exploration. With a total of 46 major appearances, the actor has established a significant footprint in global cinema.
Genre Dominance: Comedy
The majority of Philippe Clay's filmography leans towards the Comedy genre. Audience data suggests that viewers respond most favorably to this persona, though their versatility has allowed for successful crossovers into other categories.
The "Box Office" Signature
With a 15% Success Ratio (movies rated above 6.5), Philippe Clay remains a reliable draw for studios. Their peak performance was recorded in French Cancan, which continues to be the benchmark for their career rating-wise.
Best Philippe Clay Movies Ranked
Must-watch hits from Philippe Clay's career based on audience ratings.
Complete Filmography & Success Status
Tracking the career evolution and box office verdicts of Philippe Clay.
| Year | Movie | Character | Success | More |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | La TV des 70's : Quand Giscard était président | Self (archive footage) | Hit | Similar → |
| 2020 | Boris Vian, un cœur qui battait trop fort | Self (archive footage) | Flop | Similar → |
| 2007 | Dombey and Son | Jérémie | Flop | Similar → |
| 2002 | 1974, une partie de campagne | Self | Hit | Similar → |
| 2001 | Des croix sur la mer | Napoléon | Flop | Similar → |
| 1999 | Tuvalu | Karl | Average | Similar → |
| 1999 | Alexina's House | Raffin | Average | Similar → |
| 1999 | The Freelancers | Le Chatelain | Flop | Similar → |
| 1998 | Lautrec | Auguste Renoir | Flop | Similar → |
| 1998 | Marceeel!!! | Dédé | Flop | Similar → |
| 1995 | Krim | Eugène | Flop | Similar → |
| 1993 | Die Wildnis | Peasant | Flop | Similar → |
| 1993 | Le gourou occidental | Serge | Flop | Similar → |
| 1985 | L'Herbe rouge | Mr. Perle | Flop | Similar → |
| 1983 | A Good Little Devil | Judge | Flop | Similar → |
| 1983 | Salut la puce | Rigodo-Cartecolin, un marionnettiste | Average | Similar → |
| 1982 | Quarter to Two Before Jesus Christ | Herald of the arena | Average | Similar → |
| 1981 | Ubu cocu ou l'archéoptéryx | L'ébéniste | Flop | Similar → |
| 1974 | Shanks | Mr. Barton | Flop | Similar → |
| 1974 | The Three Musketeers | Richelieu | Average | Similar → |
| 1973 | The Insolent | Dargnac | Flop | Similar → |
| 1972 | Les joyeux lurons | L'abbé Larivière | Flop | Similar → |
| 1972 | Not Dumb, the Bird | Jack Bromfield | Flop | Similar → |
| 1971 | Let's Arm Ourselves and Go! | generale McMaster | Average | Similar → |
| 1970 | Pour un sourire | Nicolas | Hit | Similar → |
| 1967 | The Hotheads | Prêcheur | Average | Similar → |
| 1966 | Sale temps pour les mouches | Pierre Mazaud, aka 'Félix' | Average | Similar → |
| 1965 | Ivory Coast Adventure | Renaud Lefranc | Average | Similar → |
| 1962 | Musketeers of the Sea | Gosselin | Flop | Similar → |
| 1961 | In The Water... Which Makes Bubbles! | Jean-Louis Preminger (voice) | Average | Similar → |
| 1960 | Lay Off Blondes | L'inspecteur Al Wheeler | Flop | Similar → |
| 1960 | Take Me As I Am | Carlo | Average | Similar → |
| 1959 | The Night of the Hunted | Taretta | Flop | Similar → |
| 1959 | The Bureaucrats | Letondu | Average | Similar → |
| 1959 | The Road to Shame | Tom | Average | Similar → |
| 1959 | Drôles de phénomènes | The Butler Barns | Average | Similar → |
| 1958 | Bell, Book and Candle | French Singer at the Zodiac Club | Hit | Similar → |
| 1958 | Toto in Paris | il finto maggiordomo | Average | Similar → |
| 1958 | En bordée | Bailladrisse / Yves Biadrix | Hit | Similar → |
| 1957 | Nathalie | Adolphe Faisant | Average | Similar → |
| 1957 | It Happened on the 36 Candles | Self (uncredited) | Flop | Similar → |
| 1956 | The Hunchback of Notre Dame | Clopin Trouillefou | Hit | Similar → |
| 1956 | Life is beautiful | le pasteur | Flop | Similar → |
| 1955 | French Cancan | Casimir le Serpentin | Hit | Similar → |
| 1952 | Le Crime du Bouif | - | Flop | Similar → |
| 1950 | Rome Express | Sleeping car employee | Flop | Similar → |
Philippe Clay - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best movie of Philippe Clay?
According to audience ratings, the best movie starring Philippe Clay is "French Cancan" with a rating of 7.2/10.
How many movies has Philippe Clay acted in?
Philippe Clay has been featured in at least 46 major films throughout their career.
What are some other popular movies by Philippe Clay?
Other notable films include "La TV des 70's : Quand Giscard était président", "En bordée", and "The Hunchback of Notre Dame".