History Main / MauriceChevalierAccent

Actor and singer Creator/MauriceChevalier was the first French entertainer who became an international superstar after he moved to Hollywood. His fame and long career made him the most famous and easily recognized Frenchman of the 20th century. So, whenever comedians or even serious actors had to portray an archetypical Frenchman they imitated Chevalier's voice, which had a heavy French accent. A StockParody that is still in vogue today, even though most comedians and audiences [[ParodyDisplacement have no idea where this stereotype originated from]].

Nowadays the Maurice Chevalier Accent is used to voice ''many'' French characters in English-speaking media. In comedy and animation this can be amusing, but in serious stories it becomes JustAStupidAccent and can really take you out of the story, because it literally becomes ridiculous PoirotSpeak. In fact, whenever a comedic accent is needed you can rest assured that it will usually be French. It gets to the point of overkill. Sometimes, like in the movie ''WesternAnimation/Shrek1'' (where the British character RobinHood [[UnexplainedAccent inexplicably speaks English with a French accent]][[note]]This may be explained by the fact that Robin Hood was a Norman[[/note]]), people are depicted as being French for no apparent reason other than evoking laughs while using the accent.

Nowadays the Maurice Chevalier Accent is used to voice ''many'' French characters in English-speaking media. In comedy and animation this can be amusing, but in serious stories it becomes JustAStupidAccent and can really take you out of the story, because it literally becomes ridiculous PoirotSpeak. In fact, whenever a comedic accent is needed you can rest assured that it will usually be French. It gets to the point of overkill. Sometimes, like in the movie ''WesternAnimation/{{Shrek}}'' (where the British character RobinHood [[UnexplainedAccent inexplicably speaks English with a French accent]][[note]]This may be explained by the fact that Robin Hood was a Norman[[/note]]), people are depicted as being French for no apparent reason other than evoking laughs while using the accent.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Shrek}}'': Robin Hood, despite being an English folklore character, speaks with a French accent.

* The animation ''[[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kCpjgl2baLs The End of the World]]'' uses unabashed HollywoodGeography and a hurricane of accents for all the different characters, in addition to the narrator's "own" indescribable accent ("''WRAUNG!''"), but it's the French characters who are remembered above all:

* In some TV documentaries and news broadcasts, real-life French people are often dubbed while using Maurice Chevalier accents. This often comes across as comical instead of being serious.

* Laureline was given these speech mannerisms in {{Podcast/RoleplayRetcon}}'s remake of Film/ValerianAndTheCityOfAThousandPlanets as an homage to the source material's [[{{ComicBook/Valerian}} French roots]].

* Laureline was given these speech mannerisms in {{Podcast/RoleplayRetcon}}'s remake of Film/ValerianAndTheCityOfAThousandPlanets as an homage to the source material's {{ComicBook/Valerian French roots}}.

* Laureline was given these speech mannerisms in {{Podcast/RoleplayRetcon}}'s remake of Film/ValerianAndTheCityOfAThousandPlanets as an homage to the source material's [[ComicBook/Valerian French roots]].

* Presenter Antoine de Caunes realised there was only one way to go when he presented spoof European-cultural show ''Series/{{Eurotrash}}'' for British TV. In a show sending up the weirdest aspects of European pop culture for British viewers, with a French presenter [[note]]originally two French presenters[[/note]], de Caunes [[UpToEleven seriously exaggerated his French accent]] to play up to the expectations of a British audience. Complete with the laugh.

* Although he cannot be heard, as this is the printed page, Batroc the Leaper [[FunetikAksent is written with a thick "Frontch" accent]], and has even reflected (in his own plainly written thought balloons) that he plays it up for effect.
* Gambit of the ''ComicBook/XMen'' is so infamous for laying on the mon amis and ma chéris that he's given a TakeThat in one storyline where MadScientist villain Mr. Sinister clones an army of him.

* Creator/{{Disney}}

** Lumière in ''WesternAnimation/BeautyAndTheBeast'', whose voice actor (Jerry Orbach) goes beyond the usual joke and actually [[NoCelebritiesWereHarmed does a full Chevalier impression]], not just the accent- though note that that the entire story takes place in France and yet he and his feather duster girlfriend are the only ones speaking in a heavy French accent.

** The Genie in ''WesternAnimation/{{Aladdin}}'' plays a French waiter and typical Frenchmen near a romantic dinner, while using the accent.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheSwanPrincess'': Again, the frog speaks French for no particular reason. Except that he is voiced by John Cleese, who seems to enjoy voicing French characters. (And it could be a StealthPun, as "frog" has long been a slang word for the French.)

* In the WesternAnimation/MickeyMouse cartoon "Mickey's Gala Premier" (1933), Maurice Chevalier is one of the celebrities who welcomes Mickey by singing in his signature accent.
* ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'': Creator/MelBlanc used this voice for many French characters, and even other francophones, such as Canadians like the lumberjack in ''WesternAnimation/WetHare''. However, WesternAnimation/PepeLePew was based more on actor Creator/CharlesBoyer's accent, although he does do a brief Chevalier imitation in "Scent-mental Romeo".

* The English dub of ''{{ComicBook/Asterix}} and the Britons'' gives the Gauls this accent (and the French dub had the Britons speaking French with a British accent).

* ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'': Creator/MelBlanc used this voice for many French (and even francophone Canadian) characters, like the lumberjack in ''WesternAnimation/WetHare''. However, WesternAnimation/PepeLePew was based more on actor Creator/CharlesBoyer's accent, although he does do a brief Chevalier imitation in "Scent-mental Romeo".

* ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'': Creator/MelBlanc used this voice for many French (and even French-Canadian) characters, like the lumberjack in ''WesternAnimation/WetHare''. However, WesternAnimation/PepeLePew was based more on actor Creator/CharlesBoyer's accent, although he does do a brief Chevalier imitation in "Scent-mental Romeo".

* Averted by Captain Jean-Luc Picard in ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration''. The producers originally wanted the Captain to sound French but Creator/PatrickStewart's attempts at a French accent came off as this. The producers then decided that a Captain's voice based on a comic actor was unsuitable for their series, and told Stewart to just use his trained RP accent (Stewart naturally - being a Yorkshireman -- then had an OopNorth accent).

Actor and singer Creator/MauriceChevalier was the first French entertainer who became an international superstar after he moved to Hollywood. His fame and long career made him the most famous and easily recognized Frenchman of the 20th century. So, whenever comedians or even serious actors had to portray an archetypical Frenchman they imitated Chevalier's voice, which had a heavy French accent. A StockParody that is still in vogue today, even though most comedians and audiences [[WeirdAlEffect have no idea where this stereotype originated from]].

* ''WesternAnimation/AroundTheWorldWithWillyFog'': Fog's French servant and travelling companion, Rigodon, has this accent in the English dub, complete with words like "the" and "this" being pronounced as "ze" and "zis", though he does sometimes pronounce the ''th'' sound correctly. He also throws in a few GratuitousFrench words and phrases.

* The Creator/WeirdAlYankovic song ''Genius In France'' references this trope repeatedly, as the singer sings about how French people sound when they talk and the way they go "hon hon hon" when they laugh at his stupid jokes.