Pierre Dac (1893-1975) was a French humorist, cabaret songwriter and actor, a major figure of absurdist humour. A member of the Resistance, he became the voice of Free France on Radio London during the Occupation. Together with Francis Blanche he created the famous radio serial “Signé Furax”.
Pierre Dac(1893 — 1975)
Pierre Dac
France
6 min read
Frequently asked questions
Famous Quotes
« Those who know nothing always know as much as those who know no more than they do.»
« There's no point in thinking; you have to reflect beforehand.»
« I prefer the wine of here to the hereafter.»
Key Facts
- Born in 1893 in Châlons-sur-Marne (today Châlons-en-Champagne)
- Founded the satirical newspaper “L'Os à moelle” in 1938
- Reached London and became a voice of Free France on the BBC between 1943 and 1944
- Created the radio serial “Signé Furax” with Francis Blanche (1951-1952, then 1956-1960)
- Died in 1975 in Paris
Works & Achievements
Newspaper founded and run by Pierre Dac, a monument of absurd and zany French journalism.
Show that popularized his nonsense humour and turned him into a radio star.
Chronicles and songs broadcast from London to boost French morale and counter Vichy propaganda.
A radio saga running to thousands of episodes, a masterpiece of humour and parodic suspense.
A burlesque spy serial co-written with Louis Rognoni, a major ratings success.
A collection of absurd aphorisms that have become classics of French humour.
A fake presidential campaign, a piece of political satire that remains an anthology highlight of his humour.
Anecdotes
His real name was André Isaac, but Pierre Dac chose his stage name because it sounded short and punchy on stage. The son of an Alsatian Jewish butcher, he grew up in a modest family and discovered very early on a taste for puns and the absurd, much to the dismay of his parents, who had rather imagined him as a violinist.
In 1938, Pierre Dac launched “L'Os à moelle” (The Marrowbone), a satirical newspaper written entirely in a zany spirit, complete with fake classified ads and outlandish articles. The paper was a huge hit and became a genuine social phenomenon before the war brought it to a halt.
A refugee in London during the Occupation, he became one of the voices of “Les Français parlent aux Français” (The French Speak to the French) on Radio Londres. He answered Vichy's propaganda with songs and mockery, taking particular aim at the collaborator Philippe Henriot, which brought down on him the wrath of the regime, which put a price on his head.
His attempt to reach London was an incredible saga: arrested in Spain, he spent several months in Franco's jails before finally making it to England in 1943. He even turned these ordeals into comic material once peace had returned.
With Francis Blanche, in the 1950s he created the radio serial “Signé Furax” (Signed Furax), followed by millions of listeners every day. Together they also invented the famous telephone sketch of the “Sâr Rabindranath Duval,” which became a classic of French humor.
Primary Sources
Those who understand nothing about anything would do well not to insist; they might risk understanding something.
Radio-Paris is lying, Radio-Paris is lying, Radio-Paris is German. Pierre Dac's reply, in song, to the Occupier's propaganda.
There's no point in dying; you have to kill yourself in time.
Those who, starting from nothing to arrive at nothing, need no one to get there, are self-made men.
Key Places
Birthplace of Pierre Dac in 1893, where his family ran a butcher's shop. The comedian's Champagne-region cradle.
The cabaret district where he made his debut in the 1920s and forged his zany humor. The heart of Parisian artistic life.
Refuge of Free France, where he joined Radio Londres in 1943 to counter Vichy propaganda. The stage of his commitment to the Resistance.
Site of his arrest during his flight to England, where he was held for several months. A grueling stage in his path into the Resistance.
The city where he spent most of his radio and theater career and where he died in 1975. The capital of his professional life.