Philippe Clay

Philippe Clay (7 March 1927 – 13 December 2007), born Philippe Mathevet, was a French mime artist, singer and actor.

He was known for his tall and slim silhouette (he was 1.90 m tall) and for performing songs by Charles Aznavour, Claude Nougaro, Jean-Roger Caussimon, Boris Vian, Serge Gainsbourg, Jean Yanne, Léo Ferré, Jacques Datin, Jean-Claude Massoulier or Bernard Dimey. He sang “La Complainte des Apaches” for the TV series Les Brigades du Tigre, written by Henri Djian and composed by Claude Bolling.

As an actor, he appeared in several films (Bell, Book and Candle) and television movies. One of his famous roles is in the Jean Renoir film, French Cancan, where he played Casimir le Serpentin (a character inspired by Valentin le désossé). His largest role in an American film was in Shanks, making particular use of his mime background co-starring with the master mime Marcel Marceau (as Marceau's brother-in-law who spends much of the film re-animated from the dead as a pantomime figure, moving like a marionette).

Philippe Clay died of a heart attack on December 13, 2007. He was survived by his wife, actress María Riquelme, and their son.