Paul Bonifas

Paul Bonifas (3 June 1902 – 9 November 1975) was a distinguished French actor whose career spanned over four decades, encompassing stage, radio, and cinema. Born in Paris, he initially worked for the French customs service while attending evening classes at the Conservatoire de Paris, where he won the first prize for comedy. This early triumph opened the doors to the Odéon Theatre in 1933 and later the prestigious Comédie‑Française in 1938, establishing him as a respected thespian in France’s theatrical elite. His film debut arrived in 1935 with Pierre Chenal’s adaptation of Crime and Punishment, and he quickly became a familiar face in both French and British productions. During the Second World War, Bonifas served as a lieutenant in the artillery, was severely wounded, and was evacuated from Dunkirk. In London he joined the Free French forces and broadcast for Radio Londres, while also founding “The Molière Players” in 1943, a troupe that brought classic French comedy to wartime audiences across Britain and French army camps. The troupe even appeared in Alfred Hitchcock’s short Aventure malgache, a film inspired by the daring exploits of a fellow troupe member. After the war, Bonifas returned to France, resuming a prolific stage career and transitioning into a robust filmography that included notable titles such as Trapeze (1956), The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1956), Charade (1963), Greed in the Sun (1964), The Train (1964), and Is Paris Burning? (1966). His later years saw cameo appearances in The Return of the Tall Blond Man with One Black Shoe (1974) and The Common Man (1975) before his death in Vernouillet, Yvelines, on 9 November 1975. Throughout his life, Bonifas embodied the resilience of a performer who navigated turbulent historical moments while leaving an indelible mark on French and international cinema.