“Who was Elie Kakou?” you might ask as we stand here on Rue Elie Kakou. This street in Marseille bears the name of a remarkable French-Tunisian comedian. Elie Kakou was born Alain Kakou on January 12 1960 in Nabeul Tunisia.
Kakou’s family had Sephardic roots. His father Joseph was from Algeria. His mother Suzy Valensi was of Italian-Jewish origin. They lived in Nabeul for a few years after Elie’s birth. The family then moved to Marseille when Elie was young. They settled in the Cinq Avenues area. Elie grew up with six siblings.
Elie attended Lycée Saint-Charles in Marseille. Bruno Gilles was one of his classmates. Elie received a Jewish education. He was part of the Hachomer Hatzaïr youth movement. He even served in the Israeli military.
His career began at Club Med. Later he performed at La Payotte a cabaret in Marseille. He also studied to become a dental technician and earned his degree. France discovered him in 1991 on the TV show La Classe on FR3.
In 1992 Kakou started performing at the Point-Virgule theater in Paris. He joined Les Enfoirés twice in 1993 and 1995. Kakou brought humor to the show with his characters. One character was a press agent. He was nominated for a Victoires de la musique award for best comedian.
Kakou’s colorful shows were very successful. He performed at the Olympia Zénith and Cirque d’Hiver in Paris. He was famous for his character Madame Sarfati. She was a caricature of a Tunisian-Jewish mother.
Before his death he started a film career. He appeared in the 1997 film La Vérité si je mens! He played Rafi Styl’mode.
Élie Kakou passed away in Paris on June 10 1999. He was 39 years old. The cause of death was lung cancer. He is buried in the Jewish cemetery of Trois Lucs in Marseille.
In 2006 Sandrine Alexi paid tribute to Kakou in her show Prise de têtes. In 2010 Liane Foly imitated him in a medley.
His sister Brigitte Kakou runs the association Les Enfants d’Élie. It helps disadvantaged children go on vacation. She also wrote a biography of her brother.
In 2019 a tribute show was held at the Cirque d’Hiver in Paris. Many celebrities participated.
In 2019 a commemorative plaque was placed on Rue Lacépède in Marseille. This marked the 20th anniversary of his death.
In 2016 the city of Marseille named this street Rue Elie Kakou. It is in the 16th arrondissement. Elie Kakou left a lasting mark on French humor. He is remembered fondly in Marseille and beyond.