Popeck is both a comedian and an actor. At 88 years old, he returned to the stage at the end of September to play Popeck: No more laughing, we’re closing! If younger people don’t necessarily know him, Judka Herpstu, his real name, was a delivery driver or even a doorman before becoming an actor, this time under the pseudonym Jean Herbert. He was revealed to the general public by appearing in 1973.in the credits of Adventures of Rabbi Jacob by director Gérard Oury who died in 2006.
His character of Popeck, this old complainer recognizable by his Yiddish accent, his three-piece suit and his bowler hatdates from the mid-1960s. After a rich career, Popeck assures him, he will retire after the last performance of his show. “Everyone tells me that I still have extraordinary fishing. […] But no one sees me backstage before the curtain rises and after the encores.”he confided to Evening Magbefore saying more about the reasons for its shutdown: “When I return to my dressing room, I am groggy. However, I have to find the strength to talk with the spectators who tell me very touching things and pose for selfies.”
Popeck looks back on the success of Adventures of Rabbi Jacob
Always near Evening Mag, Popeck returned to the filming of Adventures of Rabbi Jacob and how he managed to stay longer than expected. “We are in 1973. I auditioned to play Salomon and it was ultimately Henri Guybet who was chosen. I end up with a little scene in which I add a completely improvised sentence with a Yiddish accent“he confided, specifying that it had its small effect: “Gérard Oury yells: ‘Cut! Who said that ?’ I denounce myself and he asks to say the exact same thing again. He kept me for two months, until the end of filming.” As for the actor Louis de Funèswhom he met on the set, Popeck said: “A true friendship was born between us. At the table, I systematically found myself seated next to him. I was the only one admitted to his dressing room when he was resting between takes. We laughed a lot.” Regarding his retirement, the actor refused to confirm whether it was completely final : “Maybe, maybe not. The problem is that I don’t know how to do anything else and I’m afraid of getting bored. We’ll see. Sometimes, I tell myself that my ultimate happiness would be to disappear in the middle of sleep.” But as late as possible.
Article written with the collaboration of 6Medias
Photo credits: CEDRIC PERRIN / BESTIMAGE