Marc Camoletti

Who was Marc Camoletti?

Marc Camoletti was a French playwright best known for his classic farce Boeing-Boeing.

Camoletti was born a French citizen in Geneva, Switzerland, though his family had Italian origins. His theatrical career began in 1958 when three of his plays were presented simultaneously in Paris, the first, La Bonne Anna, running for 1300 performances and going on to play throughout the world.

Boeing-Boeing was an even greater success, and remains Camoletti's signature hit. The original London production, in an adaptation by Beverley Cross, opened at the Apollo Theatre, transferred to the Duchess, and ran for seven years, racking up more than 2,000 performances.

A later play, Don't Dress for Dinner, also ran for seven years in London, again transferring from the Apollo to the Duchess.

Camoletti's plays have been performed in numerous languages in 55 countries. In Paris alone, 18 of his plays have totalled around 20,000 performances in all. Ten of his plays have also been shown on television, the most recent being Sexe et Jalousie.

Camoletti was an Associate of the Société Nationale des Beaux Arts. He was awarded the Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur, one of France's highest honours. He died in Deauville on the Normandy coast in 2003.