Pierre-Richard Maurice Charles Léopold Defays (born August 16, 1934 in Valenciennes), better known as Pierre Richard, is a French actor, film director and screenwriter.
One of the most famous French comedy actors of the second half of the 20th century, he is best known for his clumsy and often Unluckily Lucky / daydreamer / fool roles in films of The '70s and The '80s, such as The Tall Blond Man with One Black Shoe and the films written and/or directed by Francis Veber, including some Buddy Pictures with Gérard Depardieu. As he aged, he's shifted to playing Cool Old Guys.
Notable works:
- The Tall Blond Man with One Black Shoe (1972) as François Perrin
- La moutarde me monte au nez (1974) as Pierre Durois
- The Umbrella Coup (1980) as Grégoire Lecomte
- La Chèvre (1981) as François Perrin
- Les Compères (1983) as François Pignon
- Les Fugitifs (1986) as François Pignon
- Door on the Left as You Leave the Elevator (1988) as Yann Ducoudray
- Paris 36 (2008) as Max aka "Monsieur TSF"
- Mia and the Migoo (2008) as Pedro (French dub)
- Le Petit Spirou (2017 film) as Spirou's grandfather
- Asterix & Obelix: The Middle Kingdom (2023) as Getafix
- Jeanne du Barry (2023) as the Duke of Richelieu
Tropes & Trivia in his works:
- Foreign Remake: A number of the comedies he's played in —most of them written and/or directed by Francis Veber— got American remakes, due to Veber gaining exposure in Hollywood via working at Touchstone Pictures.
- Production Posse:
- His most memorable works have all involved Francis Veber, either as writer or director or both, as well as Vladimir Cosma for the soundtrack.
- When the above films weren't directed by Veber, Yves Robert helmed them.
- Those Two Actors: He and Gérard Depardieu have formed an Odd Couple in La Chèvre, Les Compères and Les Fugitifs.