Gérard Lauzier was a renowned French comics author and movie director, celebrated for his groundbreaking work in the more adult-oriented French comics scene of the 1970s and 1980s.
Born on November 30, 1932, in Marseille, Lauzier initially studied philosophy and later architecture at the prestigious École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. Prior to pursuing his artistic endeavors, he worked in a press agency and later collaborated on the new capital Brasilia in Brazil.
In 1959, Lauzier was conscripted to serve in the Algerian War. Upon his return to France, he contributed editorial cartoons to Jornal do Bahia in Brazil until the 1964 military coup forced him to leave the country. Back in France, he worked for various magazines, including the soft erotic Lui, where he created the series Les sextraordinaires aventures de Zizi et Peter Panpan.
Lauzier's major comics work appeared in the Franco-Belgian comics magazine Pilote, where he worked between 1974 and 1985. During this period, he created several notable series, including Lili Fatale and Tranches de vie. His most iconic character is Michel Choupon, an oversexed and philosophical 18-year-old, who starred in the comic Souvenirs d'un Jeune Homme and in the movie P'tit Con.
In his later years, Lauzier transitioned to film direction, sometimes basing his movies on his comics or creating new stories. His most famous film is the 1991 comedy Mon père ce héros, starring Gérard Depardieu, which was remade in English as My Father the Hero. Other notable films include Le fils du Français, starring Josiane Balasko and Fanny Ardant, and Je vais craquer, featuring Christian Clavier. Lauzier also contributed dialogues to other movies, including the 1999 Asterix and Obelix vs Caesar.
Throughout his career, Lauzier received numerous accolades for his work. He passed away on December 6, 2008, at the age of 76, leaving behind a lasting legacy in the world of French comics and cinema.
