Francis Veber
The master architect of French farce, whose intricately plotted comedies of errors have been remade more than any other screenwriter in Hollywood history.
Born 1937 (age 89)·French director, screenwriter, producer, and playwright·Birthday: July 28·The Silent Generation
Biography
Francis Veber operates like a master watchmaker of human embarrassment, constructing intricate, high-stakes comedies where every gear of misunderstanding clicks into perfect, hilarious place. His world is one of mistaken identities, unlikely pairs, and social disasters spiraling out of control. While he has directed, his primary power lies in the script. A Veber screenplay is a blueprint for chaos, often built on a 'buddy' dynamic between a straight man and an absurd foil. His influence is staggering: his French originals have been transplanted to American soil so often that he holds a unique record. Films like 'La Cage aux Folles' (became 'The Birdcage') and 'Le Dîner de Cons' ('Dinner for Schmucks') are not just remakes; they are testaments to the universal durability of his comic structures. For decades, he has been the quiet, prolific engine behind some of the most successful comedies in two languages.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Francis was born in 1937, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Francis Was Born
The biggest hits of 1937
#1 Movie
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Best Picture
The Life of Emile Zola
Francis's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1937Born
Hindenburg disaster; Golden Gate Bridge opens
Gas: $0.20/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"A-Tisket, A-Tasket" — Ella FitzgeraldBest Picture: The Life of Emile Zola
1942Started school
Battle of Midway turns the tide in the Pacific
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,175Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"White Christmas" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Mrs. Miniver
1950Became a teenager
Korean War begins
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,354Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Goodnight Irene" — Gordon Jenkins & The WeaversBest Picture: All About Eve
1953Could drive
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1955Could vote
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1958Turned 21
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1967Turned 30
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1977Turned 40
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1987Turned 50
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1997Turned 60
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 70
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 80
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 89 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Holds the record for having nine of his French-language films remade into major Hollywood productions.
- Wrote the screenplay for the landmark comedy 'La Cage aux Folles', which spawned a hit Broadway musical and a Hollywood film.
- Created the enduring 'odd couple' film formula with hits like 'Les Fugitifs' and 'Les Compères'.
- Received a Molière Award, France's top theatre honor, for his play 'Le Dîner de Cons'.
Did You Know?
He initially wanted to be a cartoonist and published cartoons in French magazines.
His father was a writer, and his uncle was the director of the famous French publishing house Presses de la Cité.
The American remake of his film 'Le Jouet' starred Richard Pryor and was a critical and commercial failure, which Veber has openly criticized.
He made a brief cameo as a psychiatrist in his own film 'Le Dîner de Cons'.
“Comedy is like a frog. You can dissect it, but it dies in the process.”
