The Unexpected WWII Experience of Louis de Funès

Louis de Funès’ experience of the Second World War and its aftermath was marked by circumstances so different from that of a typical soldier. When de Funès was initially summoned to war in 1939, aged 25, he was found not suitable for military service because of his thin body and his family history of tuberculosis. Recruited for manual labour, he was rotated through barracks until he was stationed on the banks of the Marne. His impersonations – particularly Maurice Chevalier – amused the troops during the "Phoney War," a precursor to his comedy genius. He was discharged after a short illness, misdiagnosed with tuberculosis, which, he thought, saved him from fighting at the expense of another. His brother Charles, however, was not so lucky, dying in the German assault. Louis took over the care of his nephew, but could not keep him because he had no income.

In his absence from the battlefield, war and occupation had profound effects on him. Disabled from military service due to illness, Louis worked shit jobs, sweeping windows and scraping floors. His musical ability, however, soon led him to work as a bar pianist, where, even though he couldn’t read music, he taught himself to play by ear. Working in a variety of bars, and sometimes at unimaginably long hours for very low tips, exposed him to diverse audiences, and was an interesting laboratory for his acting career. At this time, he connected with other musicians such as Eddie Barclay and practised his piano playing, which would later be used in some of his films. He played piano as a pastime not just to support his family, but also as a means of expressing himself. It was the filmmaker Georges Lautner who once observed him singing over a piano while playing.