Did You Recognize Michel Blanc in “Santa Claus is a Stinker”?

With a career spanning 50 years and nearly 100 credits in his filmography, Michel Blanc has left an indelible mark on French cinema. There are likely still some roles or cameos of his that you haven’t discovered yet, or perhaps you simply forgot about them.

For instance, did you know that the actor famous for playing Jean-Claude Dusse in “Les Bronzés” had a role in “Le Père Noël est une ordure”? This cult comedy directed by Jean-Marie Poiré has resonated through generations and continues to entertain new audiences. Every member of the Splendid troupe featured in it. However, spotting Michel Blanc in the film is a challenge—virtually impossible, in fact. And yes, he is definitely in the movie—even though you won’t see him! The only clue is provided during the opening credits…

Indeed, we’re talking about his voice, which fans might have recognized instantly. It’s not until the end of the first fifteen minutes of the film that you hear him over the phone: he’s the one uttering obscenities to Thérèse (Anémone) while Pierre Mortez (Thierry Lhermitte) quickly hangs up to stop the man monopolizing the hotline of the “SOS distress-friendship” service.

This voice cameo is memorable as, at the time, Michel Blanc, having moved on from theater to focus on his film career, had agreed to come back to replace Gérard Jugnot as Félix, thus becoming Santa Claus in the play for only 15 days. From this experience, he emerged with mixed feelings after realizing that he “chilled” the audience instead of making them laugh as Jugnot did.

Interestingly, this telephone scene was also part of the play (which was filmed), but it is Jacques Delaporte’s voice that can be heard. Delaporte was a close associate of the theatrical troupe and composed music for some of their films such as “Nuit d’ivresse,” “Marche à l’ombre,” and “Les Héros n’ont pas froid aux oreilles.”

Michel Blanc passed away in the night from October 3 to 4 at the age of 72 due to a heart attack, leaving behind grieving family members and the entire film community.

Rediscover Michel Blanc’s (very brief) performance in “Le Père Noël est une ordure,” available on VOD.