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.
Philippe Clay Movies & Career Overview
The filmography of Philippe Clay reflects a career marked by diverse experimentation. Across 46 major appearances, the actor has built a reputation through performances in multiple genres and storytelling styles.
Dominant Genre
A large portion of Philippe Clay's work falls within the Comedy genre, where audiences tend to respond most strongly to their on-screen presence.
Success Ratio
Approximately 43% of Philippe Clay's films maintain ratings above 6.5, indicating a consistent level of audience approval.
One of the most highly rated entries in their career remains Marceeel!!!, which stands out as a key performance.
Best Philippe Clay Movies Ranked
Must-watch hits from Philippe Clay's career based on audience ratings.
Full Filmography
Every movie Philippe Clay has appeared in, with audience ratings and verdicts.
| 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 | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1999 | Tuvalu | Karl | Average | Similar → |
| 1999 | Alexina's House | Raffin | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1999 | The Freelancers | Le Chatelain | Flop | Similar → |
| 1998 | Lautrec | Auguste Renoir | Flop | Similar → |
| 1998 | Marceeel!!! | Dédé | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1995 | Krim | Eugène | Hit | Similar → |
| 1993 | Die Wildnis | Peasant | Average | Similar → |
| 1993 | Le gourou occidental | Serge | Hit | Similar → |
| 1985 | L'Herbe rouge | Mr. Perle | Hit | Similar → |
| 1983 | A Good Little Devil | Judge | Average | 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 | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1973 | The Insolent | Dargnac | Flop | Similar → |
| 1972 | Les joyeux lurons | L'abbé Larivière | Flop | Similar → |
| 1972 | Not Dumb, the Bird | Jack Bromfield | Average | Similar → |
| 1971 | Let's Arm Ourselves and Go! | generale McMaster | Average | Similar → |
| 1970 | Pour un sourire | Nicolas | Hit | Similar → |
| 1967 | The Hotheads | Prêcheur | Hit | 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 | Average | Similar → |
| 1961 | In The Water... Which Makes Bubbles! | Jean-Louis Preminger (voice) | Average | Similar → |
| 1960 | Lay Off Blondes | L'inspecteur Al Wheeler | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1960 | Take Me As I Am | Carlo | Hit | 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 | Hit | 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 | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1957 | Nathalie | Adolphe Faisant | Hit | Similar → |
| 1957 | It Happened on the 36 Candles | Self (uncredited) | Average | Similar → |
| 1956 | The Hunchback of Notre Dame | Clopin Trouillefou | Hit | Similar → |
| 1956 | Life is beautiful | le pasteur | Average | Similar → |
| 1955 | French Cancan | Casimir le Serpentin | Hit | Similar → |
| 1952 | Le Crime du Bouif | - | Super Hit | 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 "Marceeel!!!" with a rating of 9.0/10.
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 "En bordée", "Le Crime du Bouif", and "Lay Off Blondes".