Claude Piéplu

Claude Léon Auguste Piéplu (9 May 1923 – 24 May 2006) was a French theatre, film and television actor. He was known for his hoarse and frayed voice.

A follower of aerial humour and tongue-in-cheek humour, he distinguished himself in theatre and cinema and, for the general public, is remembered as the narrator of the animated series Les Shadoks or the man with the keys to gold from the comedy TV series Palace.

In 1987, he was nominated for a Cesar Award for his role in Michel Deville's Le Paltoquet.

Selected filmography

D'homme à hommes (1948) (uncredited) Le Roi et l'oiseau (1952) as le maire du palais (voice) Adorables démons (1957) Suivez-moi jeune homme (1958) as contrôleur de train Du rififi chez les femmes (1959) as un client au restaurant It Happened All Night (1960) as cothes salesman La Française et l'amour (1960) as Marsac (segment "Adultère, L'") Le Caïd (1960) as Oxner La Belle Américaine (1961) as Me Fachepot, le notaire A Man Named Rocca (1961) as le directeur de la prison Le Théâtre de la jeunesse (1961, TV Series) as Maître Goupil / Michel et Tartolino / Benjamin Franklin / Thenardier / Panocratès / le libraire La Chambre ardente (1962) as l'inspecteur Le Diable et les dix commandements (1962) as un vigile (episode "Luxurieux point ne seras") (uncredited) How to Succeed in Love (1962) as le professeur de danse Two Are Guilty (1963) (uncredited) Le temps des copains (1963) Cherchez l'idole (1963) as himself Let's Rob the Bank (1964) as the priest Cherchez l'idole (1964) as Piéplu Une souris chez les hommes (1964) as un inspecteur Le Gendarme de St. Tropez (1964) as Boisselier Les Copains (1965) as le colonel / army officer Les Pieds dans le plâtre (1965) as le baron Your Money or Your Life (1966) as un surveillant de l'agence de Paris Si j'étais un espion (1967) as Monteil La Guerre de Troie n'aura pas lieu (1967, TV Movie) Diaboliquement vôtre (1967) as le décorateur L'Homme à la Buick (1968) as le notaire L'Écume des jours (1968) as le médecin Les Shadoks (1968, TV Series) as narrator La Prisonnière (1968) as le père de Josée The Devil by the Tail (1969) as Monsieur Patin (Le client assidu) Clérambard (1969) as Maître Galuchon Que ferait donc Faber?! (1969, TV Mini-Series) as Gaston Faber / Georges Brevin Hibernatus (1969) as le secrétaire général du ministère de l'intérieur Agence Intérim (1969, Episode: Quiproquo) Le Pistonné (1970) as le commandant Les Shadoks (1970, TV Series) as narrator (voice) Le Drapeau noir flotte sur la marmite (1971) as Alexandre Volabruque La Coqueluche (1971) as le commandant Au théâtre ce soir (1970-1971, TV Series) as Octave / Ford The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972) as colonel La Fin et les moyens (1972, TV Movie) as Etienne Varzy Sex-shop (1972) as l'officier Jean Vilar, une belle vie (1972) as himself Témoignages (1973, Episode: "L'homme assis") as l'homme assis Les Noces rouges (1973) as Paul Delamare Défense de savoir (1973) as Descarne (as Claude Pieplu) Les Aventures de Rabbi Jacob (1973) as le commissaire divisionnaire Andreani Prêtres interdits (1973) as l'abbé Grégoire Ancely Shadoks — Troisième série, Les (1973, TV Series) as narrator (voice) Par le sang des autres (1974) as le préfet Les Valseuses (1974) as récitant de la bande-annonce (voice, uncredited) La Gueule de l'emploi (1974) as le militaire Gross Paris (1974) as Sam Un nuage entre les dents (1974) as le directeur du journal Le Fantôme de la liberté (1974) as commissioner La moutarde me monte au nez (1974) as docteur Hubert Durois Soirée Courteline (1974, TV Movie) as Des Rillettes (segment "Boulingrin, Les") Section spéciale (1975) as Michel Benon, le président de la Section spéciale C'est dur pour tout le monde (1975) as Marcel Les Galettes de Pont-Aven (1975) as le pèlerin / le barde Breton Calmos (1976) as l'ancien combattant La Meilleure façon de marcher (1976) as camp director L'Ordinateur des pompes funèbres (1976) as Piette Tournier Le Locataire (1976) as neighbor (as Claude Pieplu) L 'Apprenti salaud (1977) as Etienne Forelon, le notaire de Briançon Dites-lui que je l'aime (1977) as Chouin Le Mille-pattes fait des claquettes (1977) as capitaine Leipzig Les Folies Offenbach (1977, TV Mini-Series) as Villemessant Et vive la liberté! (1978) as Lardenois Chaussette surprise (1978) as le médecin Vas-y maman (1978) as l'éditeur Le Pion (1978) as le censeur Le sucre (1978) as président Berot Cinéma 16 (1978-1980, TV Series) as Claude / Louis Dupon Ils sont grands, ces petits (1979) as Arthur Palanque Chouette, chat, chien... show (1980, TV Movie) as la chouette hibou Histoire contemporaine (1981, TV Mini-Series) as M. Bergeret Mon meilleur Noël (1981, Episode: "L'oiseau bleu") as le grand-père Emmenez-moi au théâtre (1982, TV Series) as Demokos Merci Bernard (1982-1984, TV Series) Allô Béatrice (1984, Episode: "Charmant week-end") as De Fénix La Galette du roi (1986) as Lionel Costerman Les Matics (1986, TV Series) as Récitant / narrator (voice) Le Paltoquet (1986) as the professor Beau temps mais orageux en fin de journée (1986) as Jacques Un coupable (1988, TV Movie) as Monsieur Fiore Palace (1988, TV Series) as Hugues-Jean Landreau, l'homme aux clefs d'or Suivez cet avion (1989) as Ascar Après après-demain (1990) as Alex Années de plumes, années de plomb (1991, TV Movie) as Grousset D 14 (1993, Short) as le supérieur hiérarchique Casque bleu (1994) as Pierre Le Silence du coeur (1994, TV Movie) as Henri Weber Maigret (1994, TV Series) as Charles Dandurand Les Faussaires (1994) as Ryckmans Voyage de Pénélope, Le (1996, TV Movie) as Gaspard Fallait pas! (1996) as Bernard's Father Un amour impossible (1996, TV Mini-Series) as M. Louvet, l'armateur Entre terre et mer (1997) (TV miniseries) Chapeau bas (1998, Short) as Monsieur Julien Astérix et Obélix contre César (1999) as Panoramix Shadoks et le Big Blank, Les (2000, TV Series) as narrator (final appearance)

Video games The Bizarre Adventures of Woodruff and the Schnibble (1995) as narrator/Professor Azimuth (voice)