Urbanus

Urbain Servranckx
Urbain Servranckx signing an Urbanus comic (2004)
Urbain Servranckx, (2004)
Born (1949-06-07) 7 June 1949
Dilbeek, Belgium
Other names Urbain, Urbanus van Anus
Occupation actor, comedian, singer

Urbain Servranckx (born 7 June 1949), better known as Urbanus, is a Belgian stand-up comedian, actor, singer and comic book writer.

Career

Urbanus, artist's name of Urbain Joseph Servranckx (Dilbeek, June 7, 1949) is a Belgian comedian, singer, guitarist, author of comic books and actor. Originally he used the artist name: Urbanus van Anus. Anus was the name of his former backing group.

In Flanders and the Netherlands Urbanus is well-known and very popular since 1974. Although he's most famous as comedian, some of his songs became famous and were massively played. Such as Bakske vol met stro (1979), Madammen met een bontjas (1980) and Hittentit (1982).

Until 2008 there were three films in which he played the leading role, Hector (1987), Koko Flanel (1990) and Seventh Heaven (1993). The two first films were the leaders in the Flemish box offices for many years. His first movie Hector (directed by Stijn Coninx) won the 1988 international comedy film festival in Chamrousse, France. He also was named best actor by Radio France and Dauphiné Libéré. Seventh Heaven was a box office bomb.

More recently, Urbanus lend his voice for the Flemish versions of the Pixar movies, Cars and Cars 2, where he was the voice of the character Mater.

In 1982, Urbanus and Willy Linthout began writing a comic book series about Urbanus: Urbanus, with an adolescent version of himself as the main character. As of 2007, more than 121 such comic books have been published. He's also the productive scenarist of the series De Geverniste Vernepelingskes, Plankgas en Plastronneke and Mieleke Melleke Mol.

For his political comments during the 2007 Belgian government formation crisis, he received the Prize of Liberty, an annual award delivered by the now defunct right wing think tank Nova Civitas, in January 2008.

His humoristic style can be described as absurd, folksy, subversive, anarchic, childish, morbid, sometimes vulgar and populist.

Comics career

Urbanus is script writer of a comics series about a childlike version of himself, Urbanus, which debuted in 1982. The series is drawn by Willy Linthout and from the third story on, Urbanus started providing the scenarios.[1] The comic strip managed to become the longest-running series in the celebrity-inspired genre and new albums are still published to this day. The comics sell also in the Netherlands.

Urbanus also writes the gags for the satirical comic De Geverniste Vernepelingskes (1998), which pokes fun at several Flemish celebrities. It was first drawn by Jan Bosschaert, then Dirk Stallaert and finally Steven Dupré. Urbanus also writes gags for the children's comics Plankgas en Plastronneke (2004-2008) and Mieleke Melleke Mol (since 2003), both drawn by Dirk Stallaert.[1]

Urbanus has also drawn some gag comics himself, most of them only published exclusively magazines. He also illustrated many of his own album covers.[1]

Discography

Albums

Urbanus in 1979
Year Album Peak positions Note
BEL-FL
Ultratop 50

[2]
NED
Album Top 100
1974 Urbanus van Anus leevend    
1975 Urbanus van anus in de weide / op de vijver    
1977 Drie sprookjes    
1978 Volle maan    
1979 Is er toevallig een Urbanus in de zaal?   24 Live album
1982 Urbanus VI   20 Live album
1983 Tien jaar live   26 Live album /
Compilation album
1985 Urbanus' plezantste   10 Live album /
Compilation album
Donders en bliksems    
1986 In 't echt!   31 Live album
1995 Iedereen beroemd    
2007 Urbanus Vobiscum     Tribute album
2010 Wie dit leest is zot! 7  
2011 Goe poeier! 2  
2013 Wan troe tie! 4  
2016 Urbanus zelf! – Theatertoer 2013–2015 54  
2017 De Legende 16  

Singles

Urbanus in 1985
Year Album Peak positions Notes
BEL-FL
Ultratop 50

[2]
BEL-FL
Ultratip

[2]
NED
Dutch Top 40
NED
Single Top 100
1979 "Bakske vol met stro" 1      
1980 "Quand les zosiaux chantent dans le bois" 3      
1982 "Kodazuur" 39     50
1982 "Hittentit" 24     50
1983 "Awel Mercie" 27      
1984 "Scratchin' zwaantjes" 10      
1994 "Poesje stoei" 8   15 12
1995 "De paashaas" 12      
2007 "CO2 prostituee"   16    
2013 "Zetpilcar"   2     with Isolde Lasoen

Films

Urbanus produced and appeared in several movies:

Urbanus did voices for the following movies:

References

  1. 1 2 3 https://www.lambiek.net/artists/u/urbanus.htm
  2. 1 2 3 "Urbanus discography". ultratop.be/nl/. Hung Medien. Retrieved 24 November 2013.
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