Chez Denise

Chez Denise is a Quebec comedy television series that originally ran on Television Radio-Canada from February 4, 1979 and May 30, 1982.^[2][3][4]

Chez Denise
Created by	Denise Filiatrault
Written by	Denise Filiatrault
Directed by	Florent Forget Pierre Gauvreau Rolland Guay Guy Hoffmann Jean-Yves Laforce Maude Martin André Pagé Gilles Perron[1] Hélène Roberge Daniel Roussel
Starring	Denise Filiatrault Benoît Marleau Roger Joubert Paul Berval Normand Brathwaite André Montmorency
Opening theme	"Chez Denise" by Gilles Rivard
Country of origin	Canada
Original language	French
No. of seasons	4
Production
Running time	25 minutes
Production company	Société Radio-Canada
Original release
Network	Television Radio-Canada
Release	February 4, 1979 (1979-02-04) – May 30, 1982 (1982-05-30)

Synopsis

Denise owns a restaurant where the employees have crazy adventures.

Themes

Chez Denise was the first television show in Quebec to have a black character,^[5][6] played by Normand Brathwaite. According to the le Huffington Post Québec, certain scenes are a dubious "copy of American blackface", going so far as to have Brathwaite perform Al Jolson's "Swanee" in blackface in an episode.^[7] The series is also the first in Quebec television to have a gay character and to try and change minds on the subject of homosexuality.^[8] Christian Lalancette (played by André Montmorency), a caricatural hairdresser, has become one of the most memorable characters of the series, despite the fact that the character was only supposed to appear once. Despite fears at the time about homophobic reactions to the character, Montmorency's character was celebrated for his biting wit and his colorful presence.^[9][10][11]

Cast

• Denise Filiatrault: Denise Dussault, owner of the Restaurant
• Benoît Marleau: Jean-Paul Bordeleau, bartender and server
• Roger Joubert: Firmin Lapalisse, cook
• Paul Berval: Federico Morelli, assistant cook
• Normand Brathwaite: Patrice, assistant-chef
• Louisette Dussault: Thérèse Tremblay, waitress
• Sophie Lorain: Michèle Dussault
• Jean Belzil-Gascon: Jeannot Dussault
• André Montmorency: Christian Lalancette, hairdresser
• Danielle Fichaud: Rosemonde, hairdresser
• Marco Ramirez: Arturo
• Thérèse Morange: Mme Lagacé
• Sylvie Heppel: Mme Bordeleau, mother of Jean-Paul
• Diane St-Jacques: Ginette
• Serge Dupire: Philippe Laroque, assistant cook (1981-1982)
• Juliette Pétrie: Mme Lalancette, mother of Christian
• Marc Grégoire: Guy Lalancette, brother of Christian
• Françoise Berd: Aunt Eva
• Claude Blanchard : Monseiur Tony
• Jacques Desrosiers: Roland Lagacé, Monsieur Tony's accountant
• Marcel Leboeuf: Wawa, handyman at Christian Lalancette's salon
• Marc Messier: Bernard, bartender and server
• Denys Paris: Philippe, hairdresser
• Arlette Sanders : Étiennette, spouse of Firmin Lapalisse
• Émile Genest: Monseiur Dussault, father of Denise
• Juliette Huot: Mme Dussault, mother of Denise
• Élizabeth Chouvalidzé: Dr. Mondor
• Johanne Harrelle
• André the Giant