Paul Bonifas
Paul Bonifas was a French actor, born in Paris.
Career
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.
He came to the Comedy Theatre, London with Théâtre Molierè in 1943 and 1944, performing in L'Anglais Tel Qu'on Le Parle, Le Malade Imaginaire, Gringoire, Le Misanthrope et L'Auvergnat, Les Femmes Savantes, Le Paquebot Tenacity, La Testament Du Pere Leleu and L'Extra. His Company included Andre Frere, Georges Rex, Suzette Marquis, Elma Soiron and Paul Clarus.
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, The [Hunchback of Notre Dame (1956 film)|The Hunchback of Notre Dame], Fanny, Charade, Greed in the Sun, The Train, Is [Paris Burning? (film)|Is Paris Burning?], Triple Cross, and The [Return of the Tall Blond Man with One Black Shoe].
Death
Bonifas died on 9 November 1975 at Vernouillet, Yvelines, France.
Selected filmography
Le voyage de Monsieur Perrichon Crime and Punishment Les Cinq Sous de Lavarède as Un marinThe Porter from Maxim's The Big Blockade as Bit Part The Foreman Went to France as Prefect of RouvilleCandlelight in Algeria as French ProprietorHeaven Is Round the Corner as RostondEnglish Without Tears as Monsieur RollandChampagne Charlie as TargetinoThe Man from Morocco as French MayorDead of Night as French Nightclub Patron Johnny Frenchman as JeromeLisbon Story as Stephan CorelleBedelia as Insurance Manager Juliette, or Key of Dreams as La capitaine du cargoClara de Montargis Pardon My French as Monsieur BleuboisMonsieur Fabre as Le ministre Victor DuruyDuel in Dakar as Le commandantTake Me to Paris The Green Glove as InspectorLa Vérité sur Bébé Donge as Le voyageur Dans la vie tout s'arrange as Monsieur BleuboisPiédalu Works Miracles Love in the Vineyard as L'AméricainHoliday for Henrietta as Le marchand de journaux Open Letter as Honoré - le peau-pèreTheir Last Night as Le commissaire principalFrou-Frou as Le réceptionniste de l'hôtel Marie Antoinette Queen of France as HermanTrapeze as Paul - circus peddler La Terreur des dames The Hunchback of Notre Dame as Master LecornuThe Case of Doctor Laurent as GuillauminMademoiselle and Her Gang as La patron du bistrotNous autres à Champignol Les Espions as Mr. Barjot Rafles sur la ville as L'inspecteur RenaudLes Misérables as Le médecin de l'hôpitalEn légitime défense as Le président de la courThe Female as L'aubergisteArchimède le clochard The Enemy General as MayorLove and the Frenchwoman as Ginette"s father The Gigolo The Truth as Un greffierGoodbye Again as Cellarman Fanny as The PostmanLe Miracle des loups as Le chirurgien / Doctor of Louis XICause toujours, mon lapin Sundays and Cybele as L'épicierJeff Gordon, Secret Agent as Le notaireThe Trip to Biarritz as BourrélyLes Abysses as Mons. LapeyreCharade as Mr. FelixGreed in the Sun as Dr. MagnartThe Train as SpinetLa Sentinelle endormie as LanierWho Are You, Polly Maggoo? Is Paris Burning? as Mayor Triple Cross as CharlieVery Happy Alexander as Le garde La Promesse as GustaveThe Christmas Tree La Horse as Un témoin lors de l'accident dela voitureCold Sweat as The doctorDonkey Skin as Le quatrième médecinLove Me Strangely as Le portier de l'hôtelThe Train as Le voisinHail the Artist as Le vieil acteurThe Return of the Tall Blond Man with One Black Shoe The Common Man as Le maireRosebud as man with 2 CV