Jean-Louis Roux
Encyclopedia
Jean-Louis Roux, CC
, CQ
(born May 18, 1923) is a noted entertainer and playwright, senator, and briefly the 26th Lieutenant Governor of Quebec
, Canada
.
, Quebec, he originally studied medicine at the Université de Montréal
, but gave it up to pursue acting. After travelling and performing in New York
and Paris
he returned to Montreal and helped create the Théâtre du Nouveau Monde
and became a frequent actor in and director of its productions for the next several years. He also turned to writing and wrote successful plays, radio drama
s, and television shows.
His greatest fame comes from his role on La famille Plouffe
, a very successful Quebec situation comedy
. In 1994 he was appointed to the Senate
and remained there until resigning in 1996. A fierce anti-separatist, great controversy arose when he compared Quebec separatists to Nazis
.
Upon leaving the Senate he was, at age 73, the oldest person ever appointed Lieutenant-Governor of Quebec on August 8, 1996. Controversy reemerged when pictures were found showing Roux wearing a swastika
on his lab coat in protest of the proposal to invoke conscription
for service in World War II
. Roux thus resigned his position on November 5, 1996. On May 31, 1997 Roux returned to public life when the government appointed him to be chair of the Canada Council
.
In 1971 he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada
and was promoted to Companion in 1987. In 1989, he was made a Knight of the National Order of Quebec
.
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
, CQ
National Order of Quebec
The National Order of Quebec, termed officially in French as l'Ordre national du Québec, and in English abbreviation as the Order of Quebec, is a civilian honour for merit in the Canadian province of Quebec...
(born May 18, 1923) is a noted entertainer and playwright, senator, and briefly the 26th Lieutenant Governor of Quebec
Lieutenant Governor of Quebec
The Lieutenant Governor of Quebec : Lieutenant-gouverneur du Québec, or : Lieutenant-gouverneure du Québec) is the viceregal representative in Quebec of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, who operates distinctly within the province but is also shared equally with the ten other jurisdictions...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Biography
Born in MontrealMontreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Quebec, he originally studied medicine at the Université de Montréal
Université de Montréal
The Université de Montréal is a public francophone research university in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It comprises thirteen faculties, more than sixty departments and two affiliated schools: the École Polytechnique and HEC Montréal...
, but gave it up to pursue acting. After travelling and performing in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
he returned to Montreal and helped create the Théâtre du Nouveau Monde
Théâtre du Nouveau Monde
The Théâtre du Nouveau Monde is a theatre company and venue located on rue Sainte-Catherine in Montreal, Quebec. Founded in , it launched with the classic play L'Avare by Molière....
and became a frequent actor in and director of its productions for the next several years. He also turned to writing and wrote successful plays, radio drama
Radio drama
Radio drama is a dramatized, purely acoustic performance, broadcast on radio or published on audio media, such as tape or CD. With no visual component, radio drama depends on dialogue, music and sound effects to help the listener imagine the characters and story...
s, and television shows.
His greatest fame comes from his role on La famille Plouffe
La famille Plouffe
La famille Plouffe was a Canadian television drama, more specifically a téléroman, about a Quebec family that first aired in the French-language on Société Radio-Canada in 1953. The show was created to fill a void in francophone television in Canada...
, a very successful Quebec situation comedy
Situation comedy
A situation comedy, often shortened to sitcom, is a genre of comedy that features characters sharing the same common environment, such as a home or workplace, accompanied with jokes as part of the dialogue...
. In 1994 he was appointed to the Senate
Canadian Senate
The Senate of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the House of Commons, and the monarch . The Senate consists of 105 members appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister...
and remained there until resigning in 1996. A fierce anti-separatist, great controversy arose when he compared Quebec separatists to Nazis
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
.
Upon leaving the Senate he was, at age 73, the oldest person ever appointed Lieutenant-Governor of Quebec on August 8, 1996. Controversy reemerged when pictures were found showing Roux wearing a swastika
Swastika
The swastika is an equilateral cross with its arms bent at right angles, in either right-facing form in counter clock motion or its mirrored left-facing form in clock motion. Earliest archaeological evidence of swastika-shaped ornaments dates back to the Indus Valley Civilization of Ancient...
on his lab coat in protest of the proposal to invoke conscription
Conscription Crisis of 1944
The Conscription Crisis of 1944 was a political and military crisis following the introduction of forced military service in Canada during World War II. It was similar to the Conscription Crisis of 1917, but was not as politically damaging....
for service in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Roux thus resigned his position on November 5, 1996. On May 31, 1997 Roux returned to public life when the government appointed him to be chair of the Canada Council
Canada Council
The Canada Council for the Arts, commonly called the Canada Council, is a Crown Corporation established in 1957 to act as an arts council of the government of Canada, created to foster and promote the study and enjoyment of, and the production of works in, the arts. It funds Canadian artists and...
.
In 1971 he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
and was promoted to Companion in 1987. In 1989, he was made a Knight of the National Order of Quebec
National Order of Quebec
The National Order of Quebec, termed officially in French as l'Ordre national du Québec, and in English abbreviation as the Order of Quebec, is a civilian honour for merit in the Canadian province of Quebec...
.