Sylvie Joly

Destined for a career as a lawyer, Sylvie Joly (1934-2015 in Paris) made a name for herself in comedy, where her vitriolic contemporary portraits were a big hit in the 1970s. A pioneer of the "one woman show", she provoked hilarity in Parisian theaters and paved the way for many other female comedians. Her sketches, including "L'après-dîner", "Catherine" and "La coiffeuse", were featured on albums and compilations such as C'est l'Angouâsse (1976), Heu Là Ce Travail (1980) and the double CD Je Suis Votre Idole (2001). At the same time, Sylvie Joly was much in demand in the film and television industries, appearing in films by Yves Robert, Bertrand Blier(Les Valseuses), Jean-Pierre Mocky(Le Miracuié, for which she was nominated for a César for Best Supporting Actor in 1988, then Les Saisons du plaisir), Henri Verneuil, Claude Lelouch and Jean-Marie Poiré(Les Visiteurs 2 then Ma femme s'appelle Maurice). In 1999, her show received a commendation at the Molières ceremony. Named Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres in 2006, she published her memoirs C'est votre vrai nom? four years later. Suffering from Parkinson's disease for the past ten years, Sylvie Joly died on September 4, 2015 at the age of 80.