1. - Bernard La Jarrige, Pantalaska, France, 1960. “I can’t do that - it’s for Michel, non?” The response of Mondy (and Yves Robert) when offered the role of Clergeon. Photographer-turned-realisateur Paul Paviot thought the same. But after making Paviot’s first four shorts including the Parodie Parade trilogy - and Paviot figured on many more - the actor simply decided that was enough. He went on to make more than 220 films. And Paviot... 18.

2. - Michel Galabru, Le gendarme de Saint-Tropez, France, 1964. Once De Funes went where fellow unfunny comics Francis Blanche and Darry Cowl feared to tread - and become the gendarme Ludovic Cruchot - he wanted his pal, Mondy, as his superior officer, Adjudant Jerôme Gerber. The star’s wife, Jeanne De Funes, knocked that on the head. Known to the technicians as Calamity Jane, she cut lose anyone who might steal scenes from her Fufu. However, another Mondy remained aboard for Le gendarme se marie, 1968, (and two more), when Jeanne chose Mondy’s wife, Claude Gensac, for “ma biche,” Mme Cruchot. They made ten various films together. Galabru came from a previous Funes film, Nous irons à Deauville, 1962, where, prophetically, Galabru had a line going: “Get lost or I’ll call the gendarmes!” Fufu put him on the movie map. They made all six Gendarme films, plus Le Petit Baigneur, 1968, and Jo, 1971.

3. - François Berléand, Vielles canailles, France, TV, 2010. Realisateur Arnaud Sélignac had to shoot his tele-film twice after actor and stage director Mondy, 85, fell, broke his nose - and doctors found he had a lymphoid problem. Only Claude Brasseur remained in both versions of the three old-time crooks planning one last job.