Frédéric Othon Théodore Aristidès (5 March 1931 – 2 April 2013), known by his
pseudonym
A pseudonym (; ) or alias () is a fictitious name that a person or group assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true name (orthonym). This also differs from a new name that entirely or legally replaces an individua ...
Fred, was a French cartoonist in the
Franco-Belgian comics tradition. He is best known for his series ''
Philémon''.
Biography
Born in
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
, France, on 5 March 1931, the son of
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Greece
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group.
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family.
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
immigrants, Fred began his career in his early twenties, getting a cartoon published in the magazine ''Zéro'' in 1954. The following years he was published in several magazines, both French and foreign, such as ''
Ici Paris
''Ici Paris'' is a French language, French magazine, founded in 1941. During World War II it was a journal of the resistance with editors such as Raymond Burgard, Émile Coornaert, Suzanne Feingold, Marietta Martin, Henri de Montfort and Paul Pet ...
'', ''
France Dimanche
''France Dimanche'' is a French weekly celebrity news magazine published by Czech Media Invest with a circulation of about 150.00 copies. Similar to British tabloids, but with a weekly circulation, it covers celebrity gossip and scandals since 1 ...
'', ''
Punch
Punch commonly refers to:
* Punch (combat), a strike made using the hand closed into a fist
* Punch (drink), a wide assortment of drinks, non-alcoholic or alcoholic, generally containing fruit or fruit juice
Punch may also refer to:
Places
* Pun ...
'' and ''
The New Yorker
''The New Yorker'' is an American weekly magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. Founded as a weekly in 1925, the magazine is published 47 times annually, with five of these issues ...
'', among others.
In 1960, he created the satirical journal ''
Hara-Kiri
, sometimes referred to as hara-kiri (, , a native Japanese kun reading), is a form of Japanese ritual suicide by disembowelment. It was originally reserved for samurai in their code of honour but was also practised by other Japanese people ...
'' with
Georges Bernier
Georget Bernier (; 21 September 1929 – 10 January 2005), more commonly known as Professeur Choron (), was a French humorist and founder of '' Hara Kiri magazine''.
Early years
Born in La Neuville-aux-Bois in Lorraine, Bernier was orphaned by ...
and
François Cavanna. He was the magazine's artistic director and drew its first 60 covers. Fred also wrote scenario for several artists, among others
Jean-Claude Mézières
Jean-Claude Mézières (; 23 September 1938 – 23 January 2022) was a French ''bandes dessinées'' artist and illustrator. Born in Paris and raised in nearby Saint-Mandé, he was introduced to drawing by his elder brother and influenced by co ...
,
Loro,
Georges Pichard
Georges Pichard (17 January 1920 – 7 June 2003) was a French comics artist, known for numerous magazine covers, serial publications and albums, stereotypically featuring partially exposed voluptuous women.
Biography
A native of Paris, he was ...
,
Hubuc,
Mic Delinx and
Alexis Alexis may refer to:
People Mononym
* Alexis (poet) ( – ), a Greek comic poet
* Alexis (sculptor), an ancient Greek artist who lived around the 3rd or 4th century BC
* Alexis (singer) (born 1968), German pop singer
* Alexis (comics) (1946–1977 ...
.
In 1980, he was awarded the
Grand Prix de la ville at the seventh
Angoulême International Comics Festival
The Angoulême International Comics Festival (french: Festival international de la bande dessinée d'Angoulême) is the second largest comics festival in Europe after the Lucca Comics & Games in Italy, and the third biggest in the world after Lu ...
.
''Philémon''
Fred's most famous creation, ''Philémon'' was created in 1965, in a 15-page story intended for the
Franco-Belgian comics magazine ''
Spirou'', which ultimately passed on it.
René Goscinny
René Goscinny (, ; 14 August 1926 – 5 November 1977) was a French comic editor and writer, who created the ''Astérix'' comic book series with illustrator Albert Uderzo. Raised largely in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where he attended French schoo ...
, however, asked to publish it in ''
Pilote
Cover of the first ''Pilote'' issue #0
''Pilote'' () was a French comic magazine published from 1959 to 1989. Showcasing most of the major French or Belgian comics talents of its day the magazine introduced major series such as ''Astérix'', '' ...
'' magazine, which Fred agreed on the condition that he would produce the drawings himself. Goscinny agreed and the first Philémon adventure, ''Le mystère de la clairière des trois hiboux'', was serialised. A last album, ''Le train où vont les choses'', came out on February 22, 2013. It was the first ''Philémon'' album since ''Le diable du peintre'' was published in 1987, and was intended to give a proper end to the series.
Death
Fred died on 2 April 2020
.
Awards
* 1977 : at
Lucca Comics and Games
Lucca Comics & Games is an annual comic book and gaming convention in Lucca, Italy, traditionally held at the end of October, in conjunction with All Saints' Day. It is the largest comics festival in Europe, and the second biggest in the world a ...
.
* 1980 :
Angoulême Festival
Angoulême (; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''Engoulaeme''; oc, Engoleime) is a commune, the prefecture of the Charente department, in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of southwestern France.
The inhabitants of the commune are known as ''Angoumoisins' ...
Grand Prix de la ville
* 1983 : knight and 1992 officer in
Ordre des Arts et des Lettres
The ''Ordre des Arts et des Lettres'' (Order of Arts and Letters) is an order of France established on 2 May 1957 by the Minister of Culture. Its supplementary status to the was confirmed by President Charles de Gaulle in 1963. Its purpose is ...
.
* 1994 : ''L’histoire du Corbac aux baskets''
Golden Wildcat.
Bibliography
* ''Philémon'' series (1972–1987, 2013,
Dargaud
Société Dargaud, doing business as Les Éditions Dargaud, is a publisher of Franco-Belgian comics series, headquartered in the 18th arrondissement of Paris. It was founded in 1936 by Georges Dargaud (), publishing its first comics in 1943.
...
)
* ''Le Petit cirque'' (19, Dargaud,
)
* ''Le Fond de l'air est frais'' (1973, Dargaud,
)
* ''Timoléon'' (with Alexis, art)
** ''Time is Money'' (1974, Dargaud,
)
** ''4 pas dans l'avenir'' (1975, Dargaud,
)
** ''Joseph le borgne'' (1975, Dargaud,
)
* ''Ça va, ça vient'' (1977, Dargaud,
)
* ''Y a plus de saisons'' (1978, Dargaud,
)
* ''Le Manu Manu'' (1979, Dargaud,
)
* ''Magic Palace Hôtel'' (1980, Fred,
)
* ''Cythère l'apprentie sorcière'' (1980, G.P. Rouge et Or,
)
* ''Parade'' (1982, Fred,
)
* ''Hum'' (1982, Dargaud,
)
* ''Manège'' (1983, Futuropolis,
)
* ''La Magique Lanterne Magique'' (1983, Imagerie Pellerin,
)
* ''Journal de Jules Renard lu par Fred'' (1988, Flammarion,
)
* ''Histoire du corbac aux baskets'' (1993, Dargaud,
)
* ''L'histoire du conteur électrique'' (1995, Dargaud,
)
* ''Le noir, la couleur et lavis'' (1997, Dargaud,
)
* ''L'Histoire de la dernière image'' (1999, Dargaud,
)
* ''Fredissimo – L'album du millénaire'' (2000, Dargaud,
)
Notes
References
Fred publications in ''Pilote''BDoubliées
Bedetheque
External links
on Lambiek Comiclopedia
Philémon homage site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fred
1931 births
2013 deaths
Writers from Paris
French comics artists
French comics writers
French surrealist artists
French surrealist writers
Grand Prix de la ville d'Angoulême winners
French male writers
French people of Greek descent