Victor Lanoux
Victor Robert Nataf (18 June 1936 – 4 May 2017), known professionally as Victor Lanoux, was a French actor known to English-speaking audiences for his role as Ludovic in Cousin Cousine (1975).
Also recorded as Victor Rubert Nataf
Victor Lanoux

Studio Harcourt. · Public domain
- Name
- Victor Lanoux
- Birth Name
- Victor Robert Nataf
- Born
- 18 June 1936
- Birthplace
- Paris, France
- Died
- 4 May 2017
- Place of death
- Vaux-sur-Mer, France
- Full name
- Victor Robert Nataf.
- Nationality
- France.
- Occupation
- actor, writer, screenwriter, film producer and dramaturge.
- Languages
- French.
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Documentary summary
Victor Robert Nataf (18 June 1936 – 4 May 2017), known professionally as Victor Lanoux, was a French actor known to English-speaking audiences for his role as Ludovic in Cousin Cousine (1975).
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In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Victor Lanoux • Birth Name — Victor Robert Nataf • Born — 18 June 1936 • Birthplace — Paris, France • Died — 4 May 2017 • Place of death — Vaux-sur-Mer, France • Years Active — 1961–2017
Biography
Biography
Victor Robert Nataf was born to a Tunisian Jew from Sfax and a Catholic mother from Normandy. He was evacuated from Paris during the Second World War. Lanoux refers to the name used during his stay in La Chapelle-Taillefert during the French occupation where he lived until the age of 11, when he returned to Paris. He left school at age 14 to become an apprentice varnisher. He worked a variety of jobs, including the Simca automotive assembly line, until he served in the French Army during the Algerian War and was wounded, being awarded the Medal for War Wounded (Médaille des blessés de guerre). His father got him a job at the Studio de Billancourt. He learned acting by correspondence course, then a real course.
Career
Career
In 1961 he met Pierre Richard who was looking for someone to partner his cabaret act. They worked together for a number of years, including a season at the Bobino and a tour of Le Gorille. The act was seen by René Allio who cast Lanoux in The Shameless Old Lady (1965). This led to a starring role in La Vie Normale (1967). Georges Wilson of the TNP cast Lanoux as Laertes in 'Hamlet'; he followed this with 'La Folle de Chaillot' at the TNP, then a three-year run as star of Illusion Comique. He received two nominations at the 1st César Awards in 1976, for his roles in Cousin Cousine and Adieu poulet. His best known role outside of Europe is perhaps that of The Thief in the 1985 comedy classic National Lampoon's European Vacation.
Filmography
Filmography
• Year — Title — Role — Director — Notes • 1961 — Les mystères de Paris — Martial — Marcel Cravenne — TV movie • 1962 — Le théâtre de la jeunesse — Various — Alain Boudet — TV series (2 episodes) • 1963 — La chasse ou L'amour ravi — Oration — Alain Boudet (2) — TV movie • Le théâtre de la jeunesse — Enjolras — Alain Boudet (3) — TV series (1 episode) • 1964 — Bayard — Bellabre — Claude Pierson — TV series (1 episode) • Le théâtre de la jeunesse — Brigadier — Yves-André Hubert — TV series (1 episode) • La vie normale — Jean-Pierre — André Charpak • 1965 — The Shameless Old Lady — Pierre — René Allio • 1966 — L'affaire du camion — The man — François Villiers — Short • 1967 — Par quatre chemins — TV movie • 1968 — Tu seras terriblement gentille — René — Dirk Sanders • Le crime de Lord Arthur Saville — Lord Arthur — André Michel — TV movie • The Aeronauts — Lantier — François Villiers (2) — TV series (1 episode) • Affaire Vilain contre ministère public — Georges — Robert Guez — TV series (1 episode) • 1969 — Le soleil des eaux — Francis Abondance — Jean-Paul Roux — TV movie • 1970 — À corps perdu — Christian Gauetti — Abder Isker — TV movie • A contre soleil — Michel — Dirk Sanders (2) — TV movie • Mont-Cinère — Frank Stevens — Jean-Paul Roux (2) — TV movie • 1971 — L'objet perdu — Jacques Joubes — André Michel (2) — TV movie • 1972 — Sette cervelli per un colpo perfetto — Gino — Roger Pigaut • Portrait: Pouchkine — Sergei Alexandrovich Sobolevsky — Jean-Paul Roux (3) — TV movie • 1973 — Elle court, elle court la banlieue — Georges — Gérard Pirès • The Dominici Affair — Gustave Dominici — Claude Bernard-Aubert • Histoire d'une fille de ferme — Jacques — Claude Santelli — TV movie • Two Men in Town — Marcel — José Giovanni • I Don't Know Much, But I'll Say Everything — The worker — Pierre Richard • La ligne de démarcation — Ernest — Jacques Ertaud — TV series (1 episode) • 1974 — Vani la merveille — Vani — Jean-Pierre Marchand — TV movie • Jean Pinot, médecin d'aujourd'hui — Michel Fermaud — TV series (1 episode) • 1975 — La mort d'un guide — Maurice Merinchal — Jacques Ertaud (2) — TV movie • The Common Man — Strong man — Yves Boisset • Le bel indifférent — Emile — Jacques Duhen — TV movie • Folle à tuer — Georges — Yves Boisset (2) • Cousin Cousine — Ludovic — Jean-Charles Tacchella — Nominated - César Award for Best Actor • The French Detective — Pierre Lardatte — Pierre Granier-Deferre — Nominated - César Award for Best Supporting Actor • 1976 — Pardon Mon Affaire — Bouly — Yves Robert • A Woman at Her Window — Michel Boutros — Pierre Granier-Deferre (2) • Ingeblikt — Writer — Anton Stevens — TV movie • 1977 — Servante et maîtresse — Jérôme — Bruno Gantillon • Le passé simple — François — Michel Drach • Pardon Mon Affaire, Too! — Bouly — Yves Robert (2) • Un moment d'égarement (1977 film) — Jacques — Claude Berri • 1978 — La Carapate — Martial Gaulard — Gérard Oury • 1979 — Un si joli village — Stéphane Bertin — Étienne Périer • The Dogs — Doctor Henri Ferret — Alain Jessua • Au bout du bout du banc — Ben Oppenheim — Peter Kassovitz — Also producer • 1980 — Retour en force — Adrien Blaussac — Jean-Marie Poiré • 1981 — Une sale affaire — Novak — Alain Bonnot • La revanche — Alfred Jouvert — Pierre Lary • 1982 — Boulevard des assassins — Charles Vallorba — Boramy Tioulong • Y a-t-il un Français dans la salle? — Horace Tumelat — Jean-Pierre Mocky • 1983 — Un dimanche de flic — Franck — Michel Vianey • Stella — The Swiss — Laurent Heynemann • 1984 — Dog Day — Horace — Yves Boisset (3) • Louisiana — Charles de Vigors — Philippe de Broca — TV movie • Thieves After Dark — Inspector Farbet — Samuel Fuller • Les fils des alligators — Michel Corleone — André Farwagi — TV movie • La triche — Commissioner Michel Verta — Yannick Bellon • La smala — Robert — Jean-Loup Hubert • 1985 — European Vacation — The Thief — Amy Heckerling • 1986 — Série noire — Kant — Pierre Grimblat — TV series (1 episode) • Scene of the Crime — Maurice — André Téchiné • 1987 — Sale destin — François Marboni — Sylvain Madigan • 1988 — Le clan — César Manotte — Claude Barma — TV mini-series • 1989 — L'invité surprise — Charles — Georges Lautner • Rouge Venise — The Witchfinder — Étienne Périer (2) • 1989-1995 — Renseignements généraux — Roger Goupil — Philippe Lefebvre, Alain-Michel Blanc,... — TV series (14 episodes) • 1992 — Le bal des casse-pieds — Frank — Yves Robert (3) • 1993 — Maria des Eaux-Vives — Alexandre — Robert Mazoyer — TV mini-series • 1994 — Le cascadeur — Richard Delaistre — Josée Dayan — TV series (1 episode) • 1996 — Lifeline — Lucien Basso — Fred Gerber — TV movie • Je m'appelle Régine — Joseph — Pierre Aknine — TV movie • L'histoire du samedi — Thève Maravilliers — Alain Nahum — TV series (1 episode) • 1997 — Les démons de Jésus — Jo — Bernie Bonvoisin • 1998-2013 — Louis la brocante — Louis Roman — Michel Favart, Pierre Sisser,... — TV series (44 episodes) • 1998 — L'alambic — Amédée — Jean Marboeuf — TV movie • Belle grand-mère — Pacha — Marion Sarraut — TV movie • Le cascadeur — Richard Delaistre — Alain-Michel Blanc (2) — TV series (1 episode) • 1999 — Le frère Irlandais — Jean Langlois — Robin Davis — TV movie • Les grandes bouches — Armand — Bernie Bonvoisin (2) • La position de l'escargot — Dédé — Mishka Saal • 2001 — A Hell of a Day — Maurice Degombert — Marion Vernoux • 2002 — Belle grand-mère 2 — Pacha — Marion Sarraut (2) — TV movie • 2003 — Pierre et Farid — Pierre Marcellin — Michel Favart (2) — TV movie • 2006-2016 — Commissaire Laviolette — Commissioner Laviolette — Bruno Gantillon (2), Philomène Esposito,... — TV series (8 episodes), (final appearance) • 2012 — La femme cachée — Marc Delvaux — Michel Favart (3) — TV movie • 2014 — Dommages collatéraux — Régis Morel — Michel Favart (4) — TV movie • 2015 — Le port de l'oubli — Vincent Lagarde — Bruno Gantillon (3) — TV movie
Theater
Theater
• Year — Title — Author — Director — Notes • 1962 — Le Bourgeois gentilhomme — Molière — Jean-Pierre Darras • Tartuffe — Molière — Roger Planchon • 1964 — The Revenger's Tragedy — Cyril Tourneur — Francis Morane & Jean Serge • 1965 — Hamlet — William Shakespeare — Georges Wilson • L'Illusion Comique — Pierre Corneille — Georges Wilson (2) • The Madwoman of Chaillot — Jean Giraudoux — Georges Wilson (3) • 1966-1968 — Le Cheval évanoui — Françoise Sagan — Jacques Charon • 1969 — The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui — Bertolt Brecht — Georges Wilson (4) • 1973 — Le Tourniquet — Victor Lanoux — Yves Bureau • 1974 — Le Péril bleu ou méfiez-vous des autobus — Victor Lanoux — Victor Lanoux • 1976 — Qui est qui? — Keith Waterhouse & Willis Hall — Victor Lanoux (2) • 1981 — Au Bonheur des Dames — Émile Zola — Jacques Échantillon • 1985 — Voisin Voisine — Jerome Chodorov — Pierre Mondy • 1987 — Le Tourniquet — Victor Lanoux — Victor Lanoux (3) • 1989 — La Ritournelle — Victor Lanoux — Victor Lanoux (4) — Nominated - Molière Award for Best Playwright • 1991 — Same Time, Next Year — Bernard Slade — Roger Vadim • 1994 — Drame au concert — Victor Lanoux — Victor Lanoux (5) • 2000 — Master Class — David Pownall — Régis Santon
Identity
Identity
Victor Lanoux is recorded as actor, writer, screenwriter, film producer and dramaturge. Established in Bibliothèque nationale de France under 14653686q. Established in Library of Congress under no00031303. Recorded at birth as Victor Robert Nataf. Established in Discogs under 4513127. Identity and origins. The authorities additionally record the heading Victor Rubert Nataf. His recorded language was French. One child is recorded: Stéphanie Lanoux.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 2 entries
1936
Victor Lanoux was born on 18 June 1936.
2017
Victor Lanoux died on 4 May 2017.
Places
Named by the record
Places
Only places the record itself states, plotted where the house gazetteer settles their coordinates. Nothing is inferred from a name or a nationality.
14th arrondissement of Paris.
Birth place
Vaux-sur-Mer.
Death place
Primary material
Documents and archives
institutional register
- Bibliothèque nationale de France authority file 14653686q
General reference · Bibliothèque nationale de France
- Discogs authority file 4513127
General reference · Discogs
- GND (German National Library) authority file 172217679
General reference · GND (German National Library)
- IdRef (French universities) authority file 084660694
General reference · IdRef (French universities)
- ISNI authority file 0000000078257341
General reference · ISNI
- Library of Congress authority file no00031303
General reference · Library of Congress
reference work
- “Victor Lanoux”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
institutional register
Bibliothèque nationale de France authority file 14653686qBibliothèque nationale de France
Secondary witnessinstitutional register
Secondary witnessinstitutional register
GND (German National Library) authority file 172217679GND (German National Library)
Secondary witnessinstitutional register
IdRef (French universities) authority file 084660694IdRef (French universities)
Secondary witnessinstitutional register
Secondary witnessinstitutional register
Library of Congress authority file no00031303Library of Congress
Secondary witnessinstitutional register
Secondary witnessreference work
Secondary witness
Every cited source · 9
- 01
Bibliothèque nationale de France authority file 14653686q
institutional register · General reference · Bibliothèque nationale de France
Consult the source - 02
Discogs authority file 4513127
institutional register · General reference · Discogs
Consult the source - 03
GND (German National Library) authority file 172217679
institutional register · General reference · GND (German National Library)
Consult the source - 04
IdRef (French universities) authority file 084660694
institutional register · General reference · IdRef (French universities)
Consult the source - 05
ISNI authority file 0000000078257341
institutional register · General reference · ISNI
Consult the source - 06
Library of Congress authority file no00031303
institutional register · General reference · Library of Congress
Consult the source - 07
- 08
“Victor Lanoux”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
reference work · Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
Consult the source - 09
Wikidata, structured authority record Q1585313: Victor Lanoux
institutional register · General reference · Wikimedia Foundation
Consult the source
People, houses and institutions
Knowledge graph
People, houses and institutions
Teachers, collaborators, publishers and institutions recorded against this person, each on a stated basis.
Born at
1- ParisPlace
Established from a fact already recorded on a verified source.
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 17 August 2026.
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